Tsunami Recovery in Four Fishing Villages, India

1. Consolidated Project Results. Four years after the tsunami, fishermen have resumed their productive activities to feed their families, which were left with nothing after the tragic disaster; 10 houses have been rebuilt; and medical care was provided for a cost of US$14,763. Emergency relief has been completed at the cost of US$19,737. All this thanks to GlobalGiving donors. It made a difference in the life of these village families who were able to rebuild a livelihood in Tamil Nadu and Kerala (2005-2008), and Andhra Pradesh (2005). Special attention was given all these years to ensure that the recovery effort does not exacerbate existing inequities and that all people being helped are on their way to a better and safer development path than they were prior to this tragic tsunami. Poverty is still acute in the region and needs to be fought.

2. Action under way in 2009 includes helping about 60 refugee families at Kannaki Nagar. This is a small refugee camp/village slum 30 kilometers (20 miles) away from Chennai in Tamil Nadu where the government relocated thousand of village families who lost their houses in tsunami affected areas in 2005. In March 2009 many are still living there under difficult conditions (no jobs, no electricity, no access to school and transportation, unclean water and just a few square feet to sleep on the floor). Proposed activities as part of this project are to support 20 students; treat 5 persons in great need of medical care; provide paid city jobs to 10 unemployed rural head of families after training them; provide house maintenance needs to 20 families; and give marriage financial support to 5 girls (+ 5 girls in Kerala) to avoid their social exclusion and misery (US$475 for each bride). This action did not take off as planned in 2008 for lack of funds. Budget needed: US$15,500. Thank you for your generous support these difficult times.