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Stories of tsunami survivors in India

By Rina Chunder, ACT International

Calcutta, India, January 4, 2006

Restoring families, restoring homes

When Anjuman, 14, Appu, 10, Shiva, 8, Jeevaratnam, 6, and Anbarasi, 4, lost their mother, Maleu, to the tsunami in December 2004, their father also deserted them, but not before getting the compensation from the government for his wife’s death. The Indian government gave Rs. 200,000 (US$4,444) in compensation for each victim. Maleu’s husband made a deposit of Rs. 20,000 in each of his children’s names but left with the rest of the money.

The children, who lived in the village of Thirumullaivasal in Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu, were thrown into chaos. The eldest son, himself a child, started looking after the other children to the best of his ability. Still, however, they stopped going to school, and nobody was bathing the children or looking after their personal hygiene.

The youngest child, 4-year-old Anbarasi, became increasingly withdrawn because of the trauma she had experienced. She refused to talk to anybody, cried constantly and sucked her thumb. However, an ailing aunt, a widow who herself was very poor with two sons to feed, provided food for the children everyday.

When Lutheran World Service-India (LWSI), a member of the global alliance Action by Churches Together (ACT) International, came across this family, the staff members, some of whom had received training in providing psychosocial services, began looking after the children’s welfare. First, they asked the children’s aunt, Mangal Laxmi, to allow the children to stay with her, where they still are. Now, they are fed and have someone to look after their needs. LWSI staff members visit them regularly, discussing their problems with them, giving them assurances of accompanying them in their situation and offering the necessary psychosocial counseling. Attempts by LWSI staff to play with Anbarasi and cajole her to talk and communicate with them have also borne fruit. She is now laughing, talking and playing again. And through the staff’s intervention, the four youngest children have returned to school.

Mangal, the children’s aunt, earned a living by selling fish, and her two sons earned only Rs. 20 to 30 (US$0.44-0.67) a day in their jobs. Because of their small incomes and extra children to support, LWSI-ACT provided livelihood support to Anjuman, the eldest of the four children, who had worked on other people’s boats before the tsunami. An LWSI-ACT livelihood kit, comprising a boat, an engine, nets and other fishing equipment, like rope, leads and floats, is enabling Anjuman to resume fishing and earn his living again. Each LWSI-ACT boat with equipment is given to five fishing families who then form a self-help group.

Since Mangal’s house was damaged in the tsunami, she had to borrow money before the rainy season for some essential repairs. But LWSI-ACT has listed her to receive a new house as part of its shelter program. She is now eagerly waiting for the day when she can move into her new house with her extended family - a house she can call home again.

Rebuilding lives

Govindan and Nilavati were a happy couple with four children, ranging in age from 8 to 15. Govindan, a fisherman and a boat owner in a small village in Tamil Nadu, earned around Rs 15,000 (US$333) a month. Then came the tsunami that tore apart their village and lives.

Govindan was at the seashore, removing waste from a fishing net while Nilavati was selling fish. When the huge waves came, the two were separated. Govindan survived by hanging onto a palm tree, and Nilavati ran to a nearby hut. Then they started searching for their children, who were at home at the time. The children had run 15 kilometers and taken shelter in a temple. For 15 days the family stayed in a relief center inside a school. Now they are staying at a relative’s place until they receive a permanent house from LWSI-ACT.

Govindan’s boat and house were completely destroyed. Initially he struggled to keep supporting his family. He borrowed from relatives and depended on relief from the government and NGOs. In addition to receiving assistance with housing, the family is also receiving other relief supplies and livelihood support from LWSI-ACT.

The LWSI-ACT relief kit that the family has received comprises clothing, kitchen utensils and hygiene items. The livelihood kit, like the one other fishing families have received, has enabled Govindan to return to work and the sea again.

While Govindan is not earning as much as he was before, he is at least earning enough to make ends meet. Now Nilavati and Govindan are waiting for the permanent house they will receive from LWSI-ACT where they can live with their children and build their home again.

Sailing back to life

Velmurugam, 36, was repairing his fishing nets on the shore when the tsunami hit his village, Anichankuppam, in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu. He tried to save his boat and engine, which he owned, but they were destroyed in the waves. His brother saved him, but Velmurugam was injured and had swallowed so much salt water that he had to be kept in the hospital for 10 days. His wife and two children escaped from their house to the main road in the tsunami. They stayed in another village for three days, then with a friend for a month, where Velmurugam joined them. They are now living in a temporary shelter until they receive permanent housing.

Having lost all their belongings in the tsunami, the relief and livelihood kits they have received from LWSI-ACT have helped them in this difficult situation and have enabled Velmurugam to resume fishing and earn a living again.

When he returned to his work, Velmurugam began earning Rs. 2,000 (approx. US$44) a month in July and August last year. December is the lean fishing season, so his earnings have been lower, but he is still managing to earn Rs. 50-100 (US$1.11-2.22) a day. Velmurugam’s wife, Kavita, is also an active member of the self-help group.

Rina Chunder is the information/documentation officer for Lutheran World Service – India, a member of the global alliance Action by Churches Together (ACT) International.