Help Repair Flood-Damaged Huts & Build Toilets For Vulnerable Indian Communities
After the brutal floods hit Tamil Nadu in the final months of 2015, families living in thatched roof huts in rural and low-income areas found their dwellings in shambles. The water’s fury tore apart roofs and walls, severely damaged toilets and septic tanks rendering them unusable and ripped off doors at the hinges, causing serious security worries for the flood victims. Some others had the misfortune of completely losing their homes. A majority of these residents are daily wage labourers who had a hand-to-mouth existence even before the tragedy struck – now with all their hard-earned property destroyed, these families are attempting to rebuild their lives from scratch, with no means to pay for the much-needed repair of their homes. Currently living without privacy or basic safety, they are forced to adopt makeshift measures such as using clothing and carefully-balanced sticks in place of walls, draping tarpaulin sheets above the structure to compensate for the lack of shelter during fresh rains and stacking whatever little is left of their personal belongings outdoors. After completing relief distribution on a wide scale across Tamil Nadu, OfERR staff observed families in desperate conditions in the poorest of villages and is determined to band together once again and come to the aid of these communities. While hundreds of huts are badly damaged, OfERR has done damage assessment surveys across the state and identified the ones in imminent need of repair on account of family situations, fire safety issues, income levels and the extent of damage.
As and when these homes are repaired, the subsequent huts will be moved up the priority list. OfERR is also supplementing the government aid that is being provided to repair public toilets that have been severely damaged in flood-affected villages, while also funding the construction of low-cost rain water drains that will prevent future flooding in high-risk areas. With your support, we can lend a hand to each and every one of these families and help turn their homes into the safe havens they are meant to be.
DONATE IN MEMORY OF A LOVED ONE
The people you see here had their homes and lives shattered by the floods of 2015. They live in some of Tamil Nadu’s poorest localities and do not have the savings required to repair their dwellings, as the cost of materials is high and many of them are eking out a living as daily wage workers and domestic helpers. Further, most of these victims are currently residing in temporary thatched huts that are flammable and are a serious fire hazard during cooking.These families have shown tremendous spirit under impossible circumstances, and with your support, we can restore their living spaces so that they are no longer at the mercy of the elements, and do so with materials that ensure the safety and longevity of their homes.
You can honour a loved one who is no longer with you by donating in his or her memory, or celebrate the birthday of a family member or a wedding anniversary by making a one-time donation of Rs 25,000 that will cover the cost of completely repairing one of these homes. When we receive your contribution, we will feature your dedication message on a permanent plaque on the repaired residence.
