| Permanent
Safe Homes |
| f o r
t h e t s u n a m i h o m e l e s s |
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| 'House owner', isn't
it a gorgeous word? There's something about things that are
yours... One would love the feeling of shutting the door on
your own home each night and turning off all the lights before
going to bed. The December 26, 2004 tsunami deprived thousands
of people of this wonderful feeling, rendering them homeless.
For the past one year, Caritas India has been striving to provide
this security to the tsunami sufferers…the very security
of having a roof on their heads...their very own home. The mission
statement of the Caritas Shelter scheme says, “To
build durable homes of good quality and self-contained Habitats
to live a wholesome life in harmony with nature.” |
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| Chairman
of Caritas - Bishop Remigius with head of EDMS visiting
Colachal, KSSS. |
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| Policy
for new houses and villages |
| Size
of the plot |
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1,5
cent in municipal area, 3
cents in rural area |
| Size
of the house |
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300
325 sq.ft |
| Cost
of the house |
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1,5
Lakhs |
| Disaster
resistant structure provided with water, drains, and electricity |
| All
new houses will be insured for 10years and the title of
the house will be given in the joint name of husband and
wife |
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| Mr. Karunakaran
our shelter consultant in discussion with Mr. Gerhard
Meier and team. |
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| Caritas
Shelter team in Tamil Nadu: |
Ms.
Gertrud Tauber, Architect, Caritas International /Austria
Mr. Karunakaran, Structural Engineer, Caritas India
Brgd. Joseph, Civil Engineer, Caritas India
Mr. Bernhard Shaw, Structural Engineer, Caritas India. |
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| The
state government of Kerala has entrusted the responsibility
of constructing 1222 houses for tsunami victims to Caritas
India along with it's seven diocesan counterparts. Caritas
and its counterparts are the second largest player in
the rehabilitation by way of permanent housing. |
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| Shri Oomen
Chandy, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Kerela inaugurating
Tsunami Housing Insurance Scheme with Caritas and
local Church officials in Kochi. |
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Well-qualified
and experienced engineers of GCDA and PWD are carrying
out construction for most of the houses in Kerala. These
engineers have been making regular v i s i t s . B e n
e f i c i a ry committees are also formed who assist in
construction as much re q u i re d . Re v i e w meetings
are being conducted to assess the progress. |
| Housing
colony in Kochi constructed in partnership between
Caritas and Verapoly Social Service Society. |
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| All the 1222 houses
constructed for the tsunami hit victims of Kerala will be insured
for 10 years. |
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| Speed
and quality are the hallmarks of the construction process in
Kerala. |
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| In Ernakulam-Angamaly
Archdiocese, 17 houses have been built and 50 damaged houses
are being reconstructed in Njarackal and Kuzhuppilly villages.
The Archdiocese of Verapoly has constructed 51 houses. Erankulam
Social Service Society in collaboration with Caritas India
has also constructed 440 rainwater harvesting tanks.
Caritas India is re-building houses in the coastal regions
ravaged by the devastating tsunami with a long term perspective.
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| Confident
Vinod and Mohini Look to the future with hope... |
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Mr.
Vinod is the beneficiary family of the housing project.
The family lived in the coastal village of Narakkal in
Ernakulam district of Kerala state. Their small tiled
hut was completely damaged in the wrath of the tsunami
waves. They were shifted to the nearby school for three
weeks and then to a relative's house. They had nothing
left in the family after the disaster. The father and
mother of Vinod were sick and aged. Vinod and Mohini are
blessed with two children named Aswini (4 yrs ) and Anjaly
( 2 yrs). Mohini, wife of Vinod does the household activities
and looks after the children. The only income of the family
is the returns of Vinod from the fishing activities. He
does not have a boat or net of his own; hence, is employed
as a labourer by other boat owners. The newly built house
has really helped the family to settle in the same coastal
village and they are very proud about returning to their
original village. It has two good rooms, a hall and a
kitchen. Mohini has joined the Self help Group formed
in the village and has become an active member. They are
planning to venture into some
viable economic activity to meet their increasing day
to day needs. . The fear and insecurity has been overcome.
The days have become sunny. Mohini and Vinod thank God
and their benefactors for this great blessing.
Fr. Paul Moonjely
Director, Welfare Services Ernakulam |
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U
nique feature of A.P. State Housing policy for Tsunami affected
families is the inclusion of the other vulnerable sections such
as SC and ST population who have lived in perpetual poverty.
The State Government, hence, has included vast number of families
from the weaker sections along the fisher folk families
affected by Tsunami.
All the four diocesan counterparts of Caritas India have
started the construction process for permanent housing.
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Eluru
diocese has acquired the possession certificates from
2 villages and work has already started. The government
of Andhra Pradesh has allotted the site for construction.
In Vijayawada possession certificates
are obtained from all the beneficiaries and material
is being supplied to the construction site. Staff has
been appointed as per the project. In 3 villages the
work is in progress and the engineers have marked 91
houses and material is transported to the work site.
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| Shri Sunil
Shinde, Hon'ble Governor of Andhra Pradesh felicitating
Fr. Bala, Director of Social Service Centre, Vijayawada,
the local counterpart of Caritas India, for the
credible efforts in relief and rehabilitation of
Tsunami affected families in the state - in the
context of laying the foundation stone at K. Kothapalem,
Avanigadda Mandal, on 6th October 2005. |
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| Devanampattinam |
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| The erstwhile sleepy
and silent village of Devanampattinam is being transformed after
Tsunami, into a model village. The construction of 647 permanent
safe houses will soon be a reality. With creative initiatives
of the community in ICT (Information Communication Technologies)
by way of weather bulletins broadcast three times (with the
latest weather updates downloaded from NRSA - NASA websites),
Devanampattinam is on the verge of modernisation, as the households
will be connected through the internet, to usher in e-governance,
e-farming and tele-marketing. |
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| Once a silent village
on cuddalore shore, |
| now a global village! |
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| Devanampattinam, in
Cuddalore district Devanampattinam, in Cuddalore district |
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Do you want to know more about Devanampattinam?
Look at the website of PMSSS (www.pmsss.org.in) everyday
and you will be surprised to see the daily progress states
emphatically Fr. Ratchagar, the Director of Pondicherry
Multipurpose Social Service Societies, working at almost
'tsunami-speed' to complete 648 houses at least a week
before the 26 th of December 2005 (the first anniversary
of tsunami 2004). The first fibre glass fishing boats
left for the sea within 60 days after tsunami, in order
to ensure that village life returns to normalcy. The first
day catch was incredible. As the Principal of a leading
school in Cuddalore, Fr. Ratchagar always dreamt of doing
something tangible to bring change and prosperity into
the lives of the people. Tsunami has opened up the avenue
for him to facilitate
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| Caritas
team in interaction with the community members working
for their housing. |
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| The family
income steadily due to generating and managed by
has increased diverse income activities initiated
self help groups. |
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| Ms. Mahalakshmi,
tailoring training instructress, Mr. Martin with
Ms. Bengwanti from Indonesia. |
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| After tsunami, we are
witnessing a real upsurge of opportunities in our village. Our
handicraft products are in good demand; hence, we are able to
generate extra amounts of income. Young women like me have a
chance to come forward and take advantage of the new chances.
Ms. Mahalakshmi, Instructress for fancy bag making unit in Devanampattinam |
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ICT
Innovation
Three times a day the weather forecast downloaded from
internet is broadcast to the whole village. The fisher
men can now decide whether to go for fishing or not. In
fact, this weather bulletin has become a referral for
the local police and other local alert cells at panchayat
level. Weather bulletin broadcast in action concrete development
process with the community in Devanampattinam. PMSSS is
in fact working in 20 villages in both the territories
of Pondicherry and Cuddalore.
The architect and builders have been given the target
of ensuring that 647 families can move into their permanent
homes in the beginning of the new year.
The other innovative initiatives are 'vermi-compositing'
through an ingeniously developed method called
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| 'pancharatna' and
'navaratna' using the products of the cows which have shown
a significant difference in the cultivation of the jasmies.
The yield is 200% greater.
Further, the community development center has become a hub
of activities for Self Help Groups - Tailoring Students –
Computer Learning youth - Handicraft production groups.
The perseverance and dynamic spirit of the villagers: women
- young girls and boys, certainly make us bow in humility
and deepest reverence to the unbroken human spirit of the
community, though the village has suffered the most in terms
of human - material - financial losses.
Is Tsunami a curse or a blessing in disguise,
no one cay say?
The local counterpart of Caritas India, PMSSS - Pondicherry
Multipurpose Social Service Society has, in fact, provided
a pioneering leadership in the person of Fr. Ratchagar, who
along with his dedicated teams of community organisers and
animators has changed the landscape of the village life in
an unprecedented manner.
The entire process is resulting into a 'model' Indian village
which according to Mission 2007 - will even deserve an award. |
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Ma
i n c ro p o f Devanampattinam is Jasmine. The lands were
inundated due to tsunami waves. As a result, the lands
turned saline. As a process of desalination, natural farming
has been introduced through Vermi compost & Vermi
culture. Tangible effect is seen by the farmers. The crop
which was reduced to 10 times is now growing upto 3 times
so far. |
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| Tamizhkumaranan,
a Jasmine cultivator in discussion with Fr. Ratchagar |
Fact
sheet
Immediate Relief :
* 110 families
are provided food commodities, vessels and clothes.
* 70 Semi-permanent toilets were constructed
Livelihood Restoration:
Boats and Nets:
* 104 new FRP boats are supplied to 363families.
* 104 new 10 HP Diesel Engine are supplied.
* 102 new FRP Boats were registered with Fisheries
* Department, Cuddalore and they are insured.
* 19 wooden Catamarans are provided to 38 families.
* 94 FRB IB boats were repaired and were sent
to the sea on 1st May 2005.
* 96 FRP IB Engines were repaired and fitted with
new
* original spare parts.
* 187 families are supplied with 30 Kgs. of kanankazhuthi
net, 20 Kgs. of Cola net given to 58 families
and 30 families are given 110 Kgs. of mathi nets
each.
* 96 families are given gill net with accessories.
* 17 IB launches fishing nets of each 40 Kgs.
are also given
* 17 IB Boat spare parts worth Rs. 34,000 are
given
Income Generation Schemes:
* Tailoring classes are conducted for women. A
first batch of 110 women successfully completed
the training. 20 of them are employed in garment
making companies. A second batch of 60 candidates
are undergoing their training now.
* A fancy bag tailoring training is initiated
for 20 women, who are members of SHGs
* 10 tailoring machines are provided for the fancy
bag making unit. The women are doing production
and marketing work.
* 3 Barbers and 1 Dhobi are supplied with essential
goods for continuing their job.
Agriculture and Farming Activities:
* Mushroom culture training is given to 4 farmers.
* 24 Acres of salinated land has been desalinated
with the sinking of a 900ft. bore well.
* Vermi compost is supplied to 128 farmers.
* Vermi culture techniques are taught to 49 farmers
and now they are doing Vermi culture in their
own lands.
* 750 Kgs. Onion seeds are given to 75 farmers
of Devanampattinam.
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Pancharatna
/ Navartna are the organic vermicomposts people
generate using the products of cow (including
cow dug, ghee, etc.)
I am really fortunate that such
a modern educational facility is available in
my own village. After attending my degree classes,
I can attend computer classes at my leisure and
benefit from it Sarada, Degree Student from evanampattinam. |
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| PMSSS - CARITAS |
| PARTNERS' INTERVENTIONS
in Devanampattinam |
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Community
Mobilisation and Organisation
Formation of SHGs
* 73 SHGs are formed in the community.
* 1276 members from 67 SHGs are given a revolving fund
of Rs. 38, 28,000 for starting micro enterprises.
* The 73 SHGs are given SHG management and accounts training.
* The SHG women are exposed to Information and Communication
Technology concepts.
Children - Youth & Education
* 3 childrens park are put up in the village in 3 places
and one at the Silver beach Devanampattinam
* 30 children are given training in Karate, 20 children
in Yoga, 12 children in Clay modeling, 26 children are
given drawing and painting trainings.
* 3 youth clubs with a total membership of 60 youth
are formed and gym materials are provided.
* A Computer centre is established in which 261 students
benefited in two batches.
* Now a 3rd batch of 130 students is undergoing training.
* Youth Leadership training is conducted.
Youth Career Guidance Programme are initiated.
Children are taught craft work.
* Morning and Evening study classes are conducted f
o r boys and girls at the field office. 60 Boys and
140 Girls are benefiting.
Medical Assistance:
* General Medical camp was conducted on 28.4.05 in which
504 and 263 patients attended respectively.
* Free Eye camp was conducted on 18.2.2005 in which
157 patients 18 persons had undergone cataract operation
and supplied with spectacles.
Services to the Disabled:
* Tricycles were given to 2 handicapped persons.
Psycho-social care:
* Two livelihood animators and one Psycho Social animator
have been appointed for working with the people for
the next 3 years.
* 60 Psycho social cases have been identified and are
taken care of.
ICT innovation:
* A Village Information Centre is established to inform
the people on Weather Forecasts and other information
collected at the Internet.
Permanent Housing:
* 648 permanent houses are being constructed to be handed
over on the 1st anniversary of Tsunami.
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Caritas
India along with its 22 local counterparts is intervening
in 300 villages of Tamil
Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and A&N Islands enabling
the village communities to move. |
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