We initially wanted to do Medical camp, and cuddalore relief. However, After doing analysis of the current situation, we want to concentrate on rehabilitation. We are collaborating with Ramu Lalita Trust for this initiative.

As part of this initiative

Project 1 - There is a need of 10 homes. Out of the amount we collected so far, we are planning to support 4 homes. I am attaching pictures of the current state of the village.

Details of the trust -
https://www.facebook.com/Ramu-Lalita-Trust-5666464...

Project Details

Brief Introduction about Irula families living in Karunilam Irula Hamlet:

Karunilam is a village panchayat located in Kanchipuram district of Tamil-Nadu situated 45 KM away from Chennai. There are 937 families belonging to SC, ST and most backward communities. Among them ten families live near a small lake isolated from the main village. As Irulas basically are snake catching and Forest people, they always live away from the main village close to forest. Since they live near water sources, they cannot get any basic amenities such as drinking water, electricity or free housing from the Government. Irulas are illiterates and depend completely on unskilled labor such as wood cutting, garbage cleaning and so on. They don’t get employment on regular basis and their livelihood depends on the meagre income they get few days in a month.

Recent Flood and its effects

Irulas huts are very small (less than 24 to 30 square feet area) constructed with mud walls and palm leaf roof. Since they lived near the lake, all their huts were completely washed away during recent floods and their village completely cutoff and they were kept in a community hall by the village president. The village president and volunteers provided food for the families for the past 10 days and they reached their huts only on 12^th December. The conditions of the families are still pathetic as the walls and roof are damaged. There is no electricity in the houses and they are using kerosene lamps to light the houses. It is possible for the snakes and other insects to easily enter inside their huts when children are sleeping in the night. Hence there is an urgent need to provide a safe dwelling place for the families living in this hamlet.

Need for the project:

Since they earn very limited wages for a very few days in a month, it is very difficult for them to construct even a small hut. In many cases they cover the roof with thrown away plastic sheets or old.sarees and manage. It will be a great help for them if they are able to construct a decent house with minimum facilities. Also they can never get any facilities from government as long as they live near water sources as Government will not give free land patta (land title) to those lands. WE CARE an NGO working in this area is negotiating with the village president to acquire the porambokku (government land) land occupied by upper caste people for which it is possible to get free patta from the Government. Village Administrative Officer and Village President are making arrangements to provide land for the Irulas within a weeks’ time as they realized the agonies of the people. If we could construct a low cost stable hut with small brick wall, cement floor and a coconut leaf roof, the people can live in this house for a minimum period of three years without any fear of flood. During this time, they can get free land patta from the government and get free housing and other basic amenities.

Budget required to construct a 10” x 10” hut for one family: