When disasters strike, communities are devastated. Women are the human face of disasters. As first responders, they take on the onerous task of restoring life. Restoring home and livelihoods, providing health care to their families, sending children to school, reviving child care their list of contributions after disasters is endless. These first person accounts are from the heart. They are written by ordinary women who showed extraordinary strength. This account salutes these women survivors and highlights their invisible initiatives. It is hoped that readers will do the same.

“Why should others suffer when we are there?” – RESCUE IN SETHIATHOPPU

Recent rain created considerable damage in Cuddalore district. To rescue the islanded villages in and around Sethiathoppu, 25 boats from Sonankuppam went for rescue. The bridge at Alapakkam was broken and the lorries that were carrying these boats were not able to go across; however, they managed to reach the other side by crossing the river in boats to save the affected people..

They said “We have experienced and suffered a lot in the Tsunami and we don’t want others to experience and suffer the same from a calamity”.

“We Women will learn to drive a Commercial Vehicle”—ON THE ROAD IN SONAKUPPAM

The main livelihood for the populace of Sonankuppam is catching and selling fish; selling the fish posed a problem, because they did not have transport facilities. No local vehicle was available and the cost was also high. The women approached the SSP and asked for help to buy a Cargo Auto. The women said that it was difficult to appoint a driver and monitor him. When asked whether they could drive the vehicle and maintain the same, the women rose to the occasion. They thought for five minutes and said that if training were provided, they could. After a brief discussion amongst themselves they said that they would select five women from a SHG and ask to train them on driving a cargo auto and also maintain the same.

They all said in one voice, “We will do it together and also motivate other women to learn driving.”

“Can’t Women survive without the help of Men?—SUMATHI’S CREDO
Name: Sumathi , Age: 28, Village: Samiarpettai

Sumathi married at the early age of 17. She was just 19 when her husband left her and her two children alone. Seeing the innocent faces of her two girl children, she pulled herself together, gained confidence and started a small idli shop to feed her children and educate them. The tsunami hit and she lost everything she had. But she did not lose her will power. Over time, she became very weak and was not able to work in the heat. Since there is no other option, Sumathi approached a humanitarian organisation that was working at Samiarpettai to provide financial support for setting up a petty shop. This was sanctioned in a few days. Now she is happy.

She said, “Who said women cannot live without men’s help? God has given me good health and will power; I am very sure that one day my girls and I will come up in life. The society will witness the same.”

“My Children are my Future”— SIVAKAMI’S HOPES
Name: Sivakami, Age: 40, Village: Samiarpettai

Sivakami lost her husband at a very early age and lived alone with her two kids. Though during the early days she was very worried about the future of her kids, she decided not to spill tears anymore and aimed at educating her kids. Sivakami started buying and selling fish at the local market. But she failed to take care of her health and this led to a thyroid problem; the doctor advised her not to carry any load on her head. So she opened a petty shop to eke out her livelihood. Then the tsunami came and washed away everything. Sivakami was left with nothing except her two kids. With the help of some women in her village, she met the District Collector and requested for help. The collector saw her plight and after verifying her problem, he sanctioned a loan. With that loan amount, she is able to educate her children and start a new petty shop. Now both her children are studying well. She said, “ Earlier it was so dark, I was very worried about the future of my kids, but now though the future does not seem too bright, I can see a ray of hope through my children”.

“Will there ever be light?”— ALAMELU’S WOES
Name: Alamelu, Age: 60, Village: Samiarpettai

“Will there ever be hope ? ALAMELU’S WOES
Name: Alamelu, Age: 60, Village: Samiarpettai

Alamelu lost her husband 27 years ago. She slogged from dawn to dusk hard to bring up her two children. Her two daughters are now married and she is living with her elder daughter. Life went on smoothly, until she lost one daughter to cancer. Alamelu then bought two milk cows and also set up a small petty shop to feed her grandchildren. But her grandchildren were not kind at her and snatched her earnings and ill-treated her. One fine morning they sent her out of the house and now she is living alone. “I have spent all my life in struggle and darkness. Who is going to bring light? The government is not giving me a widow’s pension even though I approached them many times”, she said with tears on her eyes.

“Self-reliance through joining a self-help group”—MUTHUVALLI’S MUSINGS
Name: Muthuvalli, Age: 24, Village: Samiarpettai

Muthuvalli lost her mother at an early age and lived alone. But fortune favoured her and she was married to a kind person of the same village; her mother-in-law and father-in-law treated her like a daughter and her husband showered her with love and affection. She was blessed with two girls and was living happily till December 26, 2005. The giant tidal waves swallowed her husband and her mother-in-law and left her alone with her two kids. She was shattered and she felt that there was no future for her and her kids. The women of her village submitted a petition on her behalf to the District Collector and got financial help for her. A police officer came forward to provide educational aid for her children and now she is in a self-help group. “After joining a SHG there are many changes, now I have people to share my burden,” said Muthuvalli.

.“Will I be able to educate my Children?”—VANITHA’S CRY FOR HELP
Name: Vanitha, Age: 41, Village: Samiarpettai

Vanitha, 41 of Samiarpettai lost her husband 18 years ago and is living alone with her two boys. Before the tsunami, her sister and brother were providing financial support for her to run her family. But the tsunami washed away their belongings and livelihood, and they were not able to continue helping Vanitha. Vanitha applied for a widow’s pension. “They rejected my application,” with these words she burst into tears.

“Sharpen your knowledge and skills and shoulder your Responsibilities”—KALAVATHI’S CLARION CALL
Name: M.Kalavathi, w/o Mayakrishnan, Village: Pudukuppam

Kalavathi was living a happy life with her husband and four children. Since her husband’s income alone was not enough to run the household, she bought a sewing machine and started stitching clothes. Everything changed when the tsunami lashed their village. Kalavathi lost her house and her sewing machine. Everyone in her village lost faith and were very worried about the future. During this time many humanitarian organisations came to the village and provided relief. Kalavathi was one among the active women of Pudukuppam to form a SHG. She formed Kadal Pura SHG and started savings and credit activities. Now she could educate her children by availing a loan from the group and it was to repay the loan in easy instalments. .

She said, “My wish is, women should stand on their own legs and shoulder the responsibilities of men folk. They should learn new things and sharpen their knowledge and skills. In future every one should be educated in my village.”

Continuing Relationships - EFFORTS TAKEN BY PUDUPETTAI SHG WOMEN

SHG women of Pudupettai Village united and each group contributed Rs.400 . With that money they bought food grains and cooked the same to provide food for the people of Poovalai, who were the worst affected in the flood. They did not restrict their activities to serving food; some women gave their clothes and some even bought new clothes and gave them to the flood affected. Why did they help the people of Poovalai village? Kayalvizhi, a SHG leader said, “When we were affected during the tsunami, they were the ones who came first to provide food, clothes and shelter and it is our duty to help them when they are in need of big help. We did not do it just to repay their help but to continue our relationship forever. Since we had little money we restricted help to one village.”

“I pledged my wife’s last jewel to save my children”—KUMARAVELU’S STORY
Name: Kumaravelu, Age: 30 , Village: Dhanalakshmi Nagar

Kumaravelu, an auto driver by profession and the father of three children was very badly affected in the flood. All his three children suffered from fever because of the water quality. He took his children to the Health Team at the temporary shelters for treatment, and they referred him to public hospital. Even in the hospital, his kids did not get any medical help. He knew that the illness was serious and needed timely medical intervention. He pledged his wife’s jewels and consulted a private doctor. The children have been treated and are now much better.

“I can see a dim light in the distance” – THE STORY OF ILANJIYAM
Name : Ilanjiyam, Age : 35, Village : Ackkaraigori

K.Ilanjiyam, a mother of three children and wife of P.Kothandapani, lives at Ackkaraigori. Four months before the Tsunami, Kothandapani met with an accident while fishing at sea, in which he badly injured his leg. He was admitted to a private hospital and the doctors said that it would be very expensive to carry out the operation to cure his leg injury. Ilanjiyam found it extremely difficult to run her family, but she treated her husband at home.

When the giant tidal waves lashed their village, she held her husband’s hand she ran with him to the bridge. Water was everywhere; a kerosene barrel stagnated in the water. While running, the couples were not able to see the barrel under the water and both fell down and Kothandapani almost broke his leg. People carried him to the Government hospital, but the treatment was fruitless and his leg was paralysed.

Having lost everything, Ilanjiyam applied for a pension from the government for her husband, but her efforts were useless. Though their relatives were wealthy, none came forward to help them. Ilanjiyam was a portrait in courage. She managed to make ends meet by selling fish. Though the future did not seem bright, she saw light in the distance. She did not give up hope.

“Why don’t you reach us in time?—SUVILI’S DESPAIR
Name: Mrs.Suyili, Age: 45, Village: Elamvaluthi Nagar

Mrs.Suyili, leader of Amman SHG, Elamvathi Nagar, was badly hit by the floods; her house was damaged and water still stagnates. With tears in hers eyes, she said, “Is there is anyone in this world to take measures to drain the water?” The people of this village are trying to drain the water by digging a path and directing the water to the drainage.

She voiced her people’s plea:
“All that we need is minimum help from humanitarian organisations and the government or they can at least guide us. Why are they hesitant to visit our village?”
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