BACKGROUND

THE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI OF 26 DECEMBER 2004
The tsunami and earthquake in the Indian Ocean Region on 26 December 2004 left a trail of destruction in its wake. Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the coastline of mainland India were severely affected, with the southern state of Tamil Nadu bearing the brunt of the giant tidal surge. The Joint Assessment Mission of the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank undertaken in February 2005 at the request of the Government of India, estimated material damages at approx. USD 660 million.

UN RESPONSE
As part of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), the ILO responded immediately through co- operation and support to the operation of emergency-focused agencies in the UN system. In March 2005, when the UNCT launched the “Recovery Framework in Support of GoI for a Post-tsunami Rehabilitation and Recovery Programme,” livelihood restoration was included as a key component.

The “Restoration of Livelihoods Through Existing and New Jobs: Area-based Approach” - as the livelihood component of the Recovery Framework is termed - employs a two-pronged approach: the quick impact project approach and the longer-term approach.

Two key objectives of the quick impact project approach include improvement in the living and working conditions of as well as increased representation for affected peoples. These objectives were realized through new skills training in alternative livelihood options for immediate income generation, awareness creation on workers’ rights and confidence building to enhance the negotiating and bargaining capacities of workers with relation to livelihood.

ILO INITIATIVE IN TAMIL NADU

THE NEED
In affected coastal areas of Tamil Nadu state, there was clear and pressing need for the creation of alternative livelihood opportunities for the affected communities especially fishers. In the initial months following the natural disaster, fishing had virtually come to a standstill. The danger of affected communities slipping into a vortex of dependency and poverty loomed large. Given this ground situation, reviving/recovering people’s income sources and creating additional/alternative income generation opportunities became the needs of the hour.

As a direct response to these livelihood challenges posed by the natural disaster, the ILO initiated skills development training for people from affected districts in Tamil Nadu through its project partners as well as workers’ and employers’ organisations. The skills development initiative is in keeping with the overall ILO response strategy to the tsunami, which recognises the need for early planning and action aimed at generating employment and new forms of earning a livelihood. The aim was to empower affected members of the fisher community with extra skills so that they could earn additional income to tide over the present crisis. The trainees would be able to fall back on these newly acquired skills even after they return to the sea for work. In addition, such skills would enable affected people to brave crisis situations in the future. Women from the fisher communities were especially looking for means to generate additional income given that fishing had not returned to full capacity in affected areas. Some sections of women and youth - either unemployed or earning meager incomes - were also actively exploring alternatives employment options. The initiative thus sought to provide the necessary backing required to both inspire confidence in affected individuals and revive local economies as a whole.

In keeping with the ILO’s tripartite approach, all activities under the initiative were chosen after consultations with affected communities, workers’ and employers’ organisations and the local government. Sustainability and viability factors were studied in depth before finalisation of activities.

ACTIVITIES WITH WORKERS’ ORGANISATIONS
376 women have already been trained under the ILO livelihood initiative in association with workers’ organisations. By December 2005, a total of 1000 men and women from the affected districts would be trained in skills such as incense stick production, tailoring, soap making, simple chemicals, foot wear production, computer skills, electrical and auto repair works. The ILO has facilitated the project by supplying funds and equipment, raw material, infrastructure and other costs. The Unions have brought in technical support and marketing facilities.

ACTIVITIES WITH EMPLOYERS’ ORGANISATIONS
Three employers’ organisations - the Employers’ Federation of Southern India (EFSI), the Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) - have come together to work with the ILO under the post-tsunami initiative.

BEYOND SKILLS TRAINING
In keeping with the broader development objective of the livelihood component of the Recovery Framework, the initiative sought to organise affected unorganised workers in the informal economy. Large numbers of fishers - the worst affected community - remained unorganised prior to the tsunami. The ILO initiative served as a catalyst to organise fisher women into workers’ organisations. This has not only given them an identity as workers but has also brought them under the cover of the existing social protection programmes in the state. With the assistance of Trade Unions, fisher women have been enrolled in Welfare Boards of the Government of Tamil Nadu. Membership of the Board gives these workers access to a range of existing schemes such as marriage, maternity, education assistance, death and accident claims.

Several skills development beneficiaries have also organised themselves into SHGs. Resultantly, these workers in the informal economy have been able to enhance their productivity, representation and negotiating power. Even as they cope with the trauma of the tsunami and attempt to rebuild their lives, affected people - empowered through knowledge and organisation - are finding a voice of their own. Owing to the holistic development approach of the initiative within a rights-based framework, responses from the affected communities have been extremely positive.

ACTIVITIES THROUGH WORKERS’ ORGANISATIONS
PILOT PROJECT IN KANCHIPURAM DISTRICT

The temporary halt in fishing activities after the devastating tsunami proved to be financially disastrous for the fishing hamlets of Pudupattinam and Oyalikuppam in Kalpakkam, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu. It was in this situation that the fisher women expressed their desire to undergo skills training in an alternative income generating activity. Following consultations with members of the local community in Kalpakkam including women workers, the ILO initiated a pilot incense stick training unit through its project partner, the Indian National Rural Labour Federation (INRLF) in February 2005. An open training camp was held in Kalpakkam in February 2005. Selected beneficiaries were then trained in the pilot skills development units in Pudupattinam and Oyalikuppam hamlets. In all, 136 fisher women have been trained between February and July 2005 through pilot projects of the ILO skills development initiative. During the training period, the women rolled an average of 1250 sticks per day and were paid a daily stipend of Rs. 50 each.

Following a request by fisher women to a visiting ILO team in August 2005, a production unit has commenced work in Pudupattinam and Oyalikuppum in Kalpakkam in October 2005. Fifty women from both the villages are currently involved in full-fledged incense stick production. The women are being provided raw materials by INRLF and the finished goods are bought back and marketed through INRLF. Fair and viable wages have been fixed after consulting the women and INRLF. INRLF has tied up with the Indian Tobacco Company Limited for sale of incense sticks produced in Kalpakkam. Recently, the Union sold 3 tonnes of incense sticks to the company and the arrangement is likely to continue in the future.

During the commemoration of the first anniversary of the tsunami on 8 December 2005 at Pudupattinam, Kalpakkam, certificates were awarded by Ms. Leyla Tegmo-Reddy, Director, ILO Sub Regional Office, New Delhi to all skills development beneficiaries trained under the ILO initiative in Kalpakkam.

EXPANSION OF THE ILO INITIATIVE
The positive experiences gained in Kalpakkam are now being replicated in other tsunami-affected areas in Tamil Nadu including Nagapattinam, Kanyakumari, Cuddalore and Chennai Districts.

Nagapattinam District
A live demonstration of the incense stick training and production unit was exhibited during UN Special Envoy for Tsunami Relief, Mr. Bill Clinton’s visit to Nagapattinam on 27 May 2005. Fifteen fisher women from Nagapattinam, the worst hit district in the tsunami, participated in this demo along with INRLF’s trainers from Vellore and Kalpakkam.

Following an open camp, formal training with stipend commenced in Palayar village in early August 2005. Till date, 140 women have been trained in incense stick production in three batches. Technical assistance for the initiative is being provided by INRLF. A daily stipend of Rs. 25 has been fixed after discussions with the women. Of the women trained, 42 are now engaged in full-time production of incense sticks.

Cuddalore District
Skills training in Parangipettai in the tsunami-affected Cuddalore district was initiated through the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). The skills training unit was inaugurated by Mr. Gagandip Singh Bedi, District Collector, Cuddalore on 8 September 2005. 50 men and women have been trained in tailoring, production of handicrafts, DTP as well as repair and maintenance of boats and household electrical appliances. Certificates were awarded to 50 skills development trainees in Cuddalore on 12 December 2005.

Chennai District
The ILO through its project partner CITU has commenced skills development training in production of simple chemicals for 50 women in Kasimedu in North Chennai. The products of the trainees (including phenyl, washing powder and floor cleaners) have already begun to receive good response from local consumers. On completion of training, the women intend to continue production through three Self-Help Groups - Neydal 1,2 & 3 – that have already been formed. CITU is planning to establish a stall in the name of the organisation to display and sell the products manufactured in the Kasimedu unit. Certificates have been awarded to 50 skills development beneficiaries trained here under the ILO initiative.

Kanyakumari District
Currently, 50 women are undergoing training in tailoring in Kulachal in Kanyakumari district, another region severely affected by the tsunami. Another 100 women would be trained - in two batches of 50 - in footwear production in Nagercoil. A total of 200 affected women are to be supported in restarting fish vending as well as in setting up rice shops. Some are to be trained in tailoring. The activities in Kanyakumari District are being implemented through the Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

Kanchipuram District
Training in tailoring for 50 women commenced in early August 2005 at Neelankarai. The women trainees have since become proficient in cutting and stitching simple clothes for women. The initiative is being implemented through CITU and the Union is working towards establishing market linkages for bulk orders for school uniforms through their members in the organised sector.

FUTURE PLANS
Vocational Training Centers (VTC) are to be established in Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari in December 2005. CITU is to set up a VTC in Kanyakumari District to impart training in tailoring to tsunami-affected people. INRLF is to establish a VTC in Nagapattinam to provide training in computer skills as well as incense stick production. Both VTCs would be linked to the existing skills development activities in progress in the respective areas.

ACTIVITIES THROUGH EMPLOYERS’ ORGANISATIONS
Three employers’ organisations - EFSI, SICCI and SCOPE - are working together with the ILO on quick learning skills training and establishment of a Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) training resource base (based on ILO’s SIYB modular programme) to assist tsunami-affected people.

Three activities - tailoring and embroidery, preparing dry coconut for oil extraction and coir making - were identified for implementation through a local partner, James Memorial Charitable Trust in Kulachel, Kanyakumari District. Since July 2005, 100 women are undergoing training in tailoring and embroidery in Kulachel. On completion of the training in January 2006, the trainees would be linked to appropriate government schemes and banks to secure loans for purchasing tailoring machines. The other two activities are to commence shortly.

The SIYB initiative aims to revive and diversify employment in selected tsunami-affected areas in Tamil Nadu by transferring the relevant experience of the Tamil SIYB programme, successfully in operation in Sri Lanka. The pilot training programme, which commenced in Nagercoil in Kanyakumari District in July 2005, is currently in its third and final phase i.e. Training of Trainers. 80 trainees participated in Stage I of the programme, which focused on scoping and planning. 31 participants attended Stage II of the programme, which comprised of awareness workshops for potential partner organisations. Master Trainers from Sri Lanka have been training the selected candidates from the partner organisations. It is hoped that this pilot project will lead to the establishment of an autonomous and sustainable SIYB programme in southern India.

TOP

|  Best Practices  |  Response  | First Person  |

|   Readings | Community Profile  |  News  |