Tsunami Response Programme ends

New Delhi and Chennai, January 25, 2011: The scenes of monstrous tides swallowing their dear ones and livelihoods within a span of a few minutes may have left an eternal scar in their minds, but six years later, thousands of people in the coastal tsunami-hit villages of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have braved the trails of destruction to cope with life.

The tsunami survivors have sewn back the threads of their lives through competitive livelihood programmes, micro-insurance ventures, education, and above all the skills they learned in disaster management.

A fair share of the credit for the change in many of these families should go to CARE India, which mounted the comprehensive support system through one of the most extensive and sustained tsunami response programmes in the worst-hit districts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

After reaching 20,000 families through relief distribution system (including facilitating the development of 320 self-help groups and 20 livelihoods federations), imparting education to 3,600 women and training residents of 50 villages in disaster preparedness measures, CARE India is winding up its tsunami response project on a highly successful note. This is however not the end to CARE India’s intervention in needy areas. The organization will move on with fresh projects targeting the marginalized sections in other parts of the country.

“More than 6000 households report a direct increase in economic activity through strengthened dairy, poultry, goat rearing, micro enterprise development and micro credit options. Almost all the households have leveraged support from government and bank schemes to the value of Rs.10 million. A federation of 200 farmers has been able to purchase expensive farming equipment, for the first time. Around 150 vegetable growers have learned how to cultivate new crops and diversify their incomes,” said RN Mohanty, Chief Operating Officer CARE India on the impact of the programme.

“New cropping systems have resulted in more efficient use of land and improved incomes, which in turn is resulting in less dependence on credit from unregulated money lenders. New production methods have seen salt pan incomes increase by 33% while 100% of the education programme participants have improved reading, writing, numeracy and confidence,” Mohanty further added.

CARE, an international NGO working in 50 countries across the world and is present in as many as ten states of India was one of those first few humanitarian organisations to respond to the tsunami-ravaged areas in December 2004. It is the only organisation which stayed to work with the poorest and disadvantaged communities   to restore their lives and livelihoods when others pulled away. The tsunami work covered seven districts (three in Tamil Nadu and four in Andhra Pradesh) and two Union territories (Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Pondicherry).
 
“As part of our work in tsunami-affected areas we have reached out to over 20,000 families through relief distribution, provision of psychosocial care and support and provision of water and sanitation and rebuilding of houses,” said  Deveprakash, Project Director Tsunami Response Programme, CARE India.

 “Subsequently, we went on to work with the communities to rebuild them through focusing on their livelihoods. In this effort we have reached out to nearly 6,000 families, a large part of whom are dalits, tribals and women-heading households. To carry forward our work in preparing communities to be prepared for disasters we have introduced them the concept of micro insurance as a result of which nearly 100,000 families are protecting their lives, livelihoods and health through insurance cover . “After nearly six years of engagement with the communities, we are ready to move on to other issues that reach out to people in other backward districts of Tamil Nadu, CARE India will celebrate the resilience of the tsunami-survivors here on January 25 ’’ Deveprakash  added. 

CARE is a humanitarian organisation working in India since 1950. CARE India is an affiliate member of the CARE International Confederation based in Geneva. By developing the potential of women and girls, CARE helps millions of people effect real, positive changes in their lives, every year. Our relief and development programme addresses the needs and interests of millions of disadvantaged women and girls. We provide improved access to health, education and sustainable livelihoods in ten Indian states

Media Contacts:

New Delhi:
Amelia Andrews, Manager Communications,
aandrews@careindia.org,
Mobile: 09313869174

Visit us on: www.careindia.org
Follow us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CAREinIndia 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CAREIndia
Read more on: www.careindia.org/blog

Mon, 01/24/2011 - 00:00 by admin 0