A team of 13, who have made noteworthy contributions to the COINS 3 Peaks Challenge over the years, were privileged with a life-changing visit to see the final outcome of CARE’s projects in Tamil Nadu, Southern India, an area devastated by the Tsunami. Bill Mellor from COINS reports:

Passing a number of temporary housing settlements that still remain two years on, we travelled south from Chennai (once Madras) to the Cuddalore District, the second most affected area in Tamil Nadu in terms of loss of lives and livelihoods. Here we witnessed our first three housing development projects. During construction of the new homes, the population had lived in temporary palm huts - the difference between accommodations was astounding. At one of the settlements an entire inhabited island had been lost, 39 people had died; we were told the numbers were, so low, as many were saved by the dense mango trees. Today, the old village is now nothing more than a desolate sandbar. The communities lost all their fishing boats, and with them their livelihoods. Here CARE micro-finance projects were helping to restore things and indeed improve them; for example through, the provision of capital funds for the community to manage and offer loans to families for the purchase of chickens and on a larger scale to buy a solar fish drying unit, multiplying incomes five fold and bringing sustainability.

A regular feature of life here is destructive cyclones sweeping across the area. The new houses, though simple and straightforward buildings, give for the first time completely weatherproof structures, as well as such basics as glazed windows and toilets - good sanitation previously being a very significant problem. Schools have been incorporated in the developments. Some 50% of India’s population is still illiterate; education is a key aspect of the new developments. We were particularly heartened to hear the speech from one village chief: ‘Last generation we were mere peasants. Now our children can start to read and write. Their own children one day will be able to study to become doctors and engineers. Just like you.’

From the Chennai area the team travelled to the very southern tip of India – the Kanyakumari District. At Keelamanakudi we paused at an estuary – the remains Contractors Migration of the bridge, a key link for the town, had been torn like paper. Here we heard a tragic account: more than 600 had died, mainly women and children. The women, trying to save the children and restricted by saris could not run well or climb the trees, caught up by the thorn bushes, most of them drowned. Somewhat disturbed by this, we moved on to visit the main CARE project in the area, a micro-finance project, Stella’s flour mill and chilli powder unit, run by 10 local women, which was providing them with a sustainable income.

Putting things in perspective, we learned that each new house costs in the region of £1,500, so minimally for every team entered into the COINS 3 Peaks Challenge this year, CARE can build four. We were also made aware that in many project areas more can be achieved with our unrestricted funds, since CARE can leverage as much as four times the amount raised.

The trip was an immeasurable success, giving all an understanding of what CARE can achieve with funds raised through the COINS event.