your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Kiran
Donor
Kajeepa wanted to help her family move beyond day-to-day survival, but she had no income of her own and few opportunities to begin.
When Palmera first met Kajeepa, she was living with her parents and younger brother in Kilinochchi. Her father was seriously unwell and needed regular hospital care. Because his health prevented him from working, the family had lost the person they would normally have depended on for an income.
There was no dependable income coming into the home. Kajeepa’s married elder brother helped the family when he could while also providing for his own household. His support was important, but it could not give Kajeepa and her parents the security of knowing that their everyday needs would always be covered.
Kajeepa was not earning and had no savings of her own. When an expense arose, she had to depend on informal help from people around her. Living this way meant she could not plan ahead and had little freedom to make even small financial decisions for herself or her family.
Since leaving school, much of Kajeepa’s life had remained within the home. She had not had many chances to take part in community activities, develop a practical livelihood skill, or build connections that could help her find a way to earn.
Their house was another serious concern. Cracks in the walls made it unsafe, yet repairs were beyond what the family could afford. With their limited resources already needed for food, healthcare and other daily expenses, creating a safer home felt out of reach.
What Kajeepa needed was a practical starting point, the chance to build useful skills, connect with other women, and gradually create an income of her own. This could help her contribute to the household, respond to expenses without relying entirely on others, and begin making plans for the future.
Your support over the next two years can help Kajeepa gain the skills, financial access, and support network she needs to begin earning and work towards greater security for herself and her family.
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 Kiran,
Are you well? I pray to God that you live well. My name is Kajeepa Arumugam. I live in the Kilinochchi district. My family consists of my father, mother, and younger brother. My father’s health is not good enough for him to work and support the family.
M married elder brother takes care of my family as well. My brother also has a daughter. With the hardships we faced in our lives, I kept my needs to myself without telling anyone and carry on with my life.
(At the time we met Kajeepa, her family was struggling with deep vulnerability. With yours and Palmera’s support, she found the strength to save her own money and start a business, helping her family recover and rebuild their lives).
During this time, at the request of a neighbour, I joined a village savings group called Lakshmi in my village of Nedunkulam. By joining the group, I also learned the habit of saving. In line with the saying “small drops make a mighty ocean,” I started by saving 100 rupees weekly.
(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 to support each other. This is the foundation for change because change happens in community, and that is exactly what these structures support.)
After that, even though I had limited basic sewing skills, I attended a 1.5-day advanced training class provided by the organisation for those already in the sewing trade, and I learned the skill. Now, I do my work for my neighbours and the people of my village. With the money I get from it, I am fulfilling the wishes I couldn’t fulfill before, and I also save between 500 and 1000 monthly in my savings. It has now been 01 years since I joined the group. I have 28,000/= rupees in savings. This is the first time in my life that I have this much savings. I feel proud thinking about this.
(We undertake a series of business identification and planning processes. Kajeepa could sew but she needed more advanced skills to fill the gap in the market, that is why she joined the advanced tailored training programme. She savings of 500 – 1000 LKR is what she can now save, after her income and meeting her expenses. Previously she had no source of income and now she is able to save).
Before I joined the group, if I needed money, I would borrow it from my relatives and neighbours and pay it back. There were also times when some would turn me away saying they had no money, and I would go home and cry. But now, we don’t have to be in a position of begging from anyone. If I need money now, I can get a loan or an emergency loan from the group according to my savings and fulfill my needs. I bought my sewing machine with a loan I got from the group. Because of this, I feel very happy and proud.
Previously, after I finished school, I rarely went out to public places or any events. But now, after joining the Lakshmi Village Savings Group as a member, I have taken on some group responsibilities, such as providing loans to members according to the constitution’s procedures, checking the cash-in-hand, and, to commemorate members’ birthdays, collecting 100 to 150 rupees from everyone and depositing it into their savings. I am carrying out these responsibilities. Along with this, by going to monthly meetings, different places, and training classes, I have embraced the outside world and leadership.
After joining the Lakshmi village savings Group, I have met many friends. As a result, they suggest the right ways to handle my problems and also give me moral support. This has been a great help to me.
(A strong social support structure is critical in these areas but we find many women like Kajeepa are isolated when we meet them. The village bank is not just a place to save, to access working capital, to learn about business but a place for peer to peer support in business and personal life, critical for resilience in these areas where government services are thin).
Also, I am able to sell my manufactured products to my own group members. In that way, I am also able to save money. In addition, I am able to attend the happy events of the group members, and when sad events occur, we provide help through our group. Through such activities, I find great peace of mind.
I express my thanks to our group, which helped me to receive all these resources.
Beyond this, I have planned to increase my income in the future through my sewing work. I am thinking and planning to buy the fabrics myself, sew clothes, and sell them at the district level.
(When we met Kajeepa she had no ability to dream, so much of that part of the brain shuts down when we are in survival mode. To address that requires survival to be addressed and once that is, women can dream and move forward. Hearing her share this is a great indicator of where she has come to because of your support).
Thank you, Kiran. The support you gave became the foundation for my family’s growth and change. Thank you for choosing my family. I am truly happy. I pray to God that you and your family may live with health, happiness, and a long life.
Thank you,
Kajeepa
Our work continues with Kajeepa. 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.
