Support For Chennai

Chennai, a metropolitan city in the South India, has experienced its worst rains in 100 years. It brought the city to standstill. It has been reported that more than 260 people were killed so far in Chennai and many of them are displaced. People have lost their homes and struggling for their basic needs. As they have lost everything in the flood, there is a lot of uncertainty about the future.

During the flood, each and every individual of Chennai has contributed his bit. Individual volunteers stepped up to save lives, perform the rescue and relief operations. They have done their part. Let's come together to do the best we can.

MISSION OF THE CAMPAIGN

Funds generated will be used to help people who are affected by floods in Chennai, Pondicherry, and Cuddalore. My family and friends are collaborating with other local NGOs and Individual volunteers to distribute the relief materials. The funds will not be distributed to people who we don't trust. You as a donor will get regular updates on how and where the funds are used.

About me -

I was raised in Chennai and strongly feel for the people of my city. I am a software engineer by profession and have been working in New York, NY for the last 4 years. In the past, I have raised funds for cancer patients through LLS, Team N Training, NY. I am an active volunteer with CRY (Child Rights & You),NY and Helping Hands for the disabled of New York. I also support Cancer Research and Relief Trust, India by making yearly donations towards the treatment of one cancer patient. Apart from this, I make monthly contribution to Restore NY and Prajwala (India), Institutes fighting against sex trafficking.

I am running this campaign with my friends and family - Deepika Macherla (NY), Anuj Saxena (NY), and Ateen Gupta(India)

Phase 1 -

We initially wanted to do Medical camp, and cuddalore relief. However, After doing analysis of the current situation, we want to concentrate on rehabilitation. I am attaching pictures of the current state of the village and school.

As part of this initiative

Project 1 - Rebuild 4 homes (22,400rs each)

Project 2 - Provide for Library/computers/Science Lab. (the need is 4,00,000rs). if you want to donate in-kind, do contact us for more details.

If you have more questions, do contact us in the email ids listed above.

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

Details

Project 1

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:

S.No	Particulars	Amount
1	Solid Cement bricks 200 x 30.00	6000.00
2	Cement for flooring 10 bags x 400.00	4000.00
3	Sand 1 unit	5000.00
4	Blue Metal 1 unit	1000.00
5	Coconut leaves 500 leaves x 8.00	4000.00
6	Labour (One mason & a helper for 2 days) 700+500	2400.00
7	Wooden Planks and ropes will be arranged by people
Budget for One Hut		22,400.00
10 families x 22400.00		2,24,000.00

Project 2

Let me take you through the current state of a small school who need urgent help which is on the banks of the Adyar river, Chennai.

Till 2 weeks back, All was well for ‘Lion’s club school , Guindy, West Saidapet ‘ and its 400 odd students. During the Chennai floods , they had to brace themselves to a maximum of 17 feet of water in the school building and surroundings. ( Attached pic )

The entire ground floor which housed the Primary & Middle school consisting of 14 class rooms, Library, Computer lab and Science lab were destroyed. This Tamil medium school is one among the few schools that is yet to be sanctioned by government to Reopen for regular classes. The school gets govt aid only in the form of Teachers’ salary and noon meal scheme for students.

We intend to provide for Library , Science & Computer labs.

We promise to send you the details of the project once completed.