your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Mangaleswari
Donor
I have learned to live on my own and look after myself somehow because I know there is no one to depend on.”
Iramaji is a widow living in a neighbour’s home in Kilinochchi district. Her husband passed away many years ago, and all three of her children are married and live elsewhere.
When she was healthy, Iramaji worked odd jobs, looking after other people’s children and collecting seeds from a cashew plantation, and received a small government elderly allowance. Together, this was just enough to cover her basic needs. But now work is not always available, and there are times she is left without food or the basic things she needed.
Her children visit rarely, and she has learned to live largely on her own, with little support to count on day to day.
But Iramaji is still hopeful. She keeps at it, getting by however she could, holding on to whatever stability she had. She wants enough steady income to meet her basic needs, and to not be left without food when work runs short.
Please note for many women sharing in written form is not easy. We sit with women to support them to share their story and have added context so you can weave together what you have made possible.
Dear Mangaleswari,
Are you well? I pray to God for you to live well. My name is Subramaniam Iramaji. I live in the Kilinochchi district. My husband passed away many years ago. I have three children. All three of my children are married and live in different places. I live alone, cooking and eating by myself. I thank you for the support you have provided.
(At the time we met Iramaji, her family was deeply affected by the consequences of the war. With yours and Palmera’s support, the family began to recover and rebuild their lives.)
My health is not good at the moment. When I was healthy, I used to do jobs like looking after the children of those who went to work and collecting the seeds from a cashew land. With the income from that and the elderly allowance from the government, I was meeting my basic needs. My children visit me infrequently. So, I have learned to live on my own.
The members of my village savings group have been helping me in a big way. They are my comfort. For every meeting, someone will take me and bring me back. If I don’t have money for savings, they will even give me money. If I don’t have anything to eat, they will give me food, and also dry rations. They will buy things for me, and I will cook and eat with that.
(Palmera established the village bank in her village to develop financial literacy, a place to save and revolve their savings as loans to reduce their debt from predatory lenders. Through the village bank women come together each week to talk, to share what is going on and support each other. This is the foundation for change because change happens in community and that is exactly what these structures support.)
Since joining the village savings group, I have saved 14,080 Rupees. I am saving this money so that it can be used for my funeral when I die. I want to die with dignity, without being a burden to my children. I never take loans from the group because I cannot repay them. The income I earned was just enough for my food needs. I share my sorrows with the members of my group and find comfort.
Since my health is not good now, I do not go to work. I eat with the help that someone provides. Other than my need for food, I have no other needs. If I have to go to the hospital, I go to the government hospital. Even for that, the members will take me on a motorbike. I get more help and comfort from my group members than from my own children. I am happy about that.
I was first living in a house. When they told me to leave, I didn’t know where to go. At that time, a group member gave me shelter and asked me to provide security and look after a property they knew. They told me to stay there, and that I don’t need to pay rent. They also said to look after the property for as long as I am there. There are about 30 coconut trees on that land. They sell the coconuts that fall, split the money into two parts, and give me one part of the money. I use that to buy food items and cook, because I cannot go for any other work.
Now, with Palmera’s guidance and support from my group members, I am thinking of weaving and selling coconut leaves, and selling coconut leaf ribs. I am also thinking of starting small businesses like cutting and selling palmyra ‘vadali’ and ‘mattai’, and buying and raising 10 chickens.
(Palmyr vadali refers to a young palm tree leaves, while mattai refers to the heavy, fibrous leaf stalks attached to the trunk.)
The group members have said they will help me with that. And with Palmera’s continous support, I hope to earn the income needed to meet my food needs and also save the money needed for my funeral in the future.
(For food security, Palmera supports women to establish a small poultry farm. This is becoming more challenging with increasing diseases due to changing climate. Because of these challenges, many do not engage in poultry. Through your support, we are changing that, helping families grow their own food and earn an income from what they produce.)
Thank you, Mangaleswari. The support you gave was the foundation for my change. I am happy that I was chosen. I pray to God that you and your family may live in good health and with happiness.
Thank you.
Iramaji
Our work continues with Iramaji. She has begun the journey to stand on her own, but lasting change takes time. We will walk alongside her for one more year before letting go of her hand. It is this continued accompaniment that makes all the difference. And this is possible because of you. Thank you.
