Verghese V Joseph –
Reacting in double-quick time by reaching out to 1,400 families who were affected by the recent floods in Wayanad district of Kerala, Bangalore Claretians responded by providing 10-day survival food kits through Project Vision’s intervention called ‘Bangalore Cares for Kerala’ last Saturday and Sunday.
The August floods affected large number of lives in several parts of the country covering Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Assam. Kerala was in dire straits due to the fact it was affected second year in a row. People who has lost everything were just getting back to their normal life, picking up pieces whatever was left of their lives when floods hit again in the same fatal month of August this year. Project Vision which was just exiting from its disaster intervention programme for the last one year, again got into to action immediately.
Under the banner of ‘Bangalore Cares for Kerala’, Project Vision volunteers were immediately out on the field to identify the needs of the affected people. A total of 2,55,051 people were in the 1,341 relief camps across Kerala. Fatalities amounted to 120, mostly due to landslides in Malappuram and Wayanad Districts.
Wayanad district was the focus of work and it had 196 relief camps in which 35,878 people had taken refuge in. Unlike the previous year, great organisational strength was shown by the government which ensured good care in most of the relief camps. Therefore. Project Vision’s focus shifted to the people when they return home and to those who did not have to go to the relief camps, but had lost everything. They also did not have any job and income to sustain their families.
Having discussed with large number of people who were affected, Project Vison decided to provide them with food kits, as they returned to their ’empty houses’. A list of 20 essential items as suggested by the affected families that included five kilos of rice, one kilo each of dal, pulses, sugar, salt and all other items for them to sustain for a week including a bucket were provided. Each kit costed Rs. 1,000.
Project Vision reached out public support for funds. Big Family, a group based in Chennai under the leadership of Mr Soy Joseph, provided 150 kits. Ms Shirley and partners from Fixotech company sponsored 100 kits. St Joseph’s of Tarbes Sisters helped with 50 kits. The biggest contribution came from Mr Alphons Kannanthanam and friends in Delhi who contributed 250 kits. Fr Jovial from Calicut got the Kochi Airport staff to distribute 100 kits and the Cochin Income Tax department to give away 200 kits. There were many individuals who contributed to the cause. Project Vision mobilised enough resources to help 1,400 families.
Mr Prathish and his CEREN wholesale company helped by getting all that was required directly from the company at production cost. Twenty five of his staff spent four hours each for three days after their work and a full Sunday to pack the materials into small quantities for each family. They were glad to be part of a life-giving mission.
Fr Thomas Therakam and the St Sebastian’s Church at Edappetty opened the Church campus for materials to be stored and packed. The parish volunteers made family kits of all the materials that were sent in bulk by packing them in sacks or the buckets.
Project Vision’s staff on ground Mr Sibu George and Ms Simi Mathew coordinated with the community to identify the most needed groups in different areas. Ms Usha Kumari, the former zilla Panchayath President took us personally to the tribal communities in the banks of Kabini river. Mr Anes, a businessman in Panamaram, organised to gather in a resort all the affected families. Mr George Edavaka and Ms Usha Vijayan Edavaka panchayat president, coordinated the biggest distribution to 500 families at Kallodi near Mananthavadi.
Special attention was given to the tribal communities and the persons with disabilities. Hundreds of kits were reserved for the families with persons with disabilities. Fr George Kannanthanam and Fr Mario Zalki went to each of the 12 locations across Wayanad District to distribute the food kits to the families.
Fr George reminded in every place of distribution to the people receiving the kits that they should take responsibility upon themselves as they receive the kit to repay the same support to someone in their community in their moment of trouble.
“Most satisfying days of my life as we could personally provide the kits that would enable them to have a secure life for sometime.” Fr George.
Project Vision had made 330 temporary shelters and 25 permanent houses for flood affected in 2018.
Fr George has been involved with disaster management in various places starting with tsunami and then for earthquake in Nepal and now in Kerala.