Fishermen’s Future Restored
Tsunami: DAHW Supports Survivors in Southern India
Items of clothing, building materials and broken household items are lying all over the beach…. Parents show us family pictures, indicating which of their children were swept away by the flood“, cited from the start of a report sent by DAHW CEO Jürgen Hammelehle from Southern India in January 2005. The tsunami had changed the life of the people along the coast.
25,000 people, most of them fishermen and their families were killed, tens of thousands were injured. The devastation was colossal, thousands of destroyed houses, smashed bridges, vast numbers of lost or damaged fishing boats, fields ruined by the salt from the sea. Several survivors looked desperately for their relatives. In some schools, more than half of the schoolchildren were missing. The people were absolutely shocked and traumatised.
The Indian DAHW staff provided immediate aid wherever possible: the Gremaltes hospital in Chennai sent doctors and medical staff to the fishermen immediately. Employees handed out kerosene stoves, saucepans, buckets, crockery and food rations, providing initial care for the people. As with other locations, we helped survivors to come to terms with their traumatic experiences.
1.3 million for reconstruction
The Indian government organised emergency accommodation so that families who could not reach relatives at least had a roof over their heads. Donations were received from all over the world. DAHW also appealed for donations and received some 1.3 million euros. In order to coordinate all the reconstruction efforts and to use the donations in the most efficient and effective way, government offices coordinated the efforts.
Reconstruction was planned under the management of Mr. Srinivasan, the person responsible over several years for the social rehabilitation of Leprosy patients, and the doctor and nun Dr. Agnes Xavier. The public was involved in decision-making right from the outset. A result being that new boats are each owned by several fishermen: they equally share the proceeds from the catch and lay two shares aside. This means that each fisherman receives his allocated amount, a further share goes to a family which has lost its provider and the final share is reserved for any necessary repairs.
A little more than a year later: fishermen are back on the seas and their wives sell the catch. In Chennai alone, DAHW has provided 35 fibreglass boats. Six small fish markets were re-constructed and two solar fish driers purchased. Five well organised child centres have been established.
Together with the Community of Mission Helpers and the Claretine Missionaries, it was possible to build 56 new houses and to rebuild 29 existing houses in the town of Cuddalore, located further south.
Even further down the coast, DAHW was involved in building an orphanage in Nagapattinam. A child centre was built in Tuticorin. The RTL foundation “We help children” provided DAHW with the funds for rebuilding a school.
Whirlwinds and heavy rainfall in the autumn of 2005 delayed several building projects. „We are happy that our Indian partners were able to help so quickly. Whilst helping, they were able to make use of their previous experience in assisting with the social integrating Leprosy sufferers“, Jürgen Hammelehle is pleased to report. „Our heartfelt thanks to everybody who has contributed to this!“
DAHW supported the construction of new houses. Photo: DAHW
Würzburg partnership alliance
Under the motto „A future for the fishermen“, the Würzburg partnership alliance helped fishermen‘s families in Southern India who had lost homes and economic existence as a result of the tsunami. Lord Mayoress Dr. Pia Beckmann initiated a well co-ordinated effort that included donations from the town and region of Würzburg, the Claretine missionaries, the Community of Mission Helpers, the Medical Mission Institute, the Company s.Oliver, the Newspaper group Mainpost and DAHW. More than a quarter of a million euros – exactly 264,230 euros – was raised by the end of the year through several campaigns. Twenty-one stable buildings, each with two semi-detached houses with a kitchen and a toilet were built at a new site in the fishing village Thoothoor. Ten motorised fibreglass boats with nets were provided. The DAHW coordinated the alliance relief.
The tsunami destroyed numerous villages. Photo: DAHW
