Phase 1 - Immediate Relief Measures:
From December 26th (the day the Tsunami stuck), to the second week of January, HOPE administered Immediate Relief to the villagers. 25 to 40 of our staff and volunteers worked on all days here. They distributed thousands of units of food and water packets everyday. To meet the huge demand for medical care for the injured and sick, HOPE started Primary Health Clinics in all the sites. Government Doctors at the site joined hands with them. Further, HOPE's volunteers took up the challenge of disposing dead bodies and disinfecting the whole area.
Their immediate needs met, the people now began brooding about their condition and its implications. The HOPE staff, already conscious of this reaction, went all out to pacify them, and to put their fears at rest. People cried out their frustrations and they listened. They encouraged the villagers to put their past behind and to plan ahead.
Even during these first couple of weeks, HOPE felt the need for permanent solution for settling the villagers’ lives. In consultation with our major donors, we made plans to make the villagers self-sufficient. What came out were the “Save the Family” Programme and the Pre-Primary English School and other initiatives, carrying the Tsunami Relief work into the second phase.
Phase 2 - Rehabilitation:
Cultural Celebration
The second phase began with a three day long celebration the Pudupattinam & Oyyalikuppam comunities. to help the tsunami victims to come out of the traumatized past. HOPE’s staff enthused the villagers to come out of their trauma through sports and games. By afternoon, t he whole village was celebrating. The community feasted on sumptous lunches for two succeeding days. The Vrindhavana Preservation Society, U.S. sponsored the event.
The “Save the Family” Programme (STF)
Post Tsunami, the relief organizations had been taking care of virtually all the needs of the community. Obviously untenable in the long run, it was time to figure out a way to make the villagers responsible for their own lives. The villagers are mostly fishermen. So, any program to resettle their lives had to exploit this skill.
HOPE, with its donors, came out with the idea of “Livelihood Kits” for the families. Each kit consists of a boat, its engine and a net. A kit would help three families.
The first kits was donated to three families in Pudupattinam on 15th January, 2005. They started fishing from 27th April, 2005. So far, 105 kits have been delivered to benefit 315 families from Pudupattinam, Oyyalikuppam, Tharangam Badi, and Kanapathi Chetty Kulam. 51 more kits have been ordered to benefit 189 families more.
This initiative is jointly sponsored by IMGE Emergency Relief Fund, United Way, Computer Associates, IBS and H & M.
Primary Health Clinic
HOPE recognized that the village is short of easily accessible, quality medical care. It was proposed to continue the Primary Health Clinic as a permanent solution. The Kansas City Church of Christ and the Vrindavan Preservation Society agreed to sponsor the Clinic. Since being made permenant, the Clinic has went on to benefit 2354 patients.
Sanitation and Hygiene
The Tsunami had left a lot of rubble behind on the coasts. HOPE arranged for the beach to be cleaned up and leveled. We removed the standing damaged structures. Finally all the remaining debris were removed from the site.
In order to foster a sense of hygiene among the villagers of Pudupattinam, HOPE set up Rubbish Bins at different points. HOPE's sanitation team still functions there to maintain a culture of cleanliness.
Plantation of Trees
HOPE staff have planted 200 coconut sapplings along the village coast line. This is meant to protect the villages from hostile environmental conditions, soil erosion, cyclone and consequent damage to property etc.
Initiatives in Education
HOPE foundation Pre primary English School: In response to the request of the community the HOPE foundation Pre primary English School was started on 31st of January 2005. 50 students have been enrolled in the school. 50 affected students have been chosen from both the villages and given their school fees to be able to continue their education without any hindrance.
Student supporting students
Mr. Ira Belsky, representative, IMGE-ERF, motivated students from U.S. to support the students in Pudupattinam & Oyyalikuppam by buying books, note books, uniforms, bags etc. The initiative has helped 553 students.
Phase 3 - Long term Plan:
Another project, called the 'Centre of HOPE', envisages a bundle of community development programs for the village. This centre will provide wholistic service to the development of children from the age of three till they are shaped up to be a self relying, confident, contributing citizen of the nation.The center would provide the children with quality education and medical support - including vaccination etc, till they reach Tenth Standard. On completing this, they will get trained in skills for Vocation eg., Computers in the Centre. Upon qualifying, they can either avail Micro Credit facilities, again from the Centre to set up business or take a job through our its placement services.
“Special Thanks to UK Churches donation of about $50,000 is being used for purchase of land in Tharangambadi, which will house a school for Tsunami affected Children”
We are committed to ensure bright future for the children irrespective of any social or family background. All the above ventures which were utopian when conceived could see the light of the day only because of the valuable support received from all our patrons. We salute the spirit and look forward to make many more dreams come true with your help. A very big “ THANK YOU “ to you all.
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