your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Winitha
Donor
“My father passed away during the war, and after his death, my mother abandoned us to remarry.”
Karthika lives in a village called Theravil in the North East of Sri Lanka with her four sisters. Their uncle helps look after them, but since Karthika is the oldest, she is the one who has to find work every day.
She goes out to do manual labor so she can buy food for everyone. She works very hard but it’s not a steady job, so some days there is no work and they don’t have money coming in. It is a lot for her to handle because she is responsible for all her younger sisters.
The youngest sister is in Grade 9 right now. Karthika really tries to keep her in school, but it is hard for them to afford the notebooks and pens she needs for her lessons. They also have another big worry because one of the sisters has a heart condition. There are many times when they cannot afford to pay for her medicine or her doctor visits.
But Karthika keeps going out every morning to find work every day so that she can look after her sisters. Even though things are very difficult, Karthika wants to make sure her sisters have enough food and that the youngest one can finish her education.
She is doing everything she can to keep the family together and make sure her sister with the heart problem gets her treatment. Her hopes for the future are for her younger sisters. She wants them to live with enough to eat, study and be healthy.
Please note for many women sharing in written form is not easy. We sit with women to support them to share their story and added context so you can weave together what you have made possible.
I am Karthika Arundhavarasa from Theravil village. I live with my four sisters. During the past war my father passed away and my mother remarried. The five of us were living in a very hard way and we couldn’t even meet our basic daily food needs.
(At the time we met Karthika, her family was deeply affected by the consequences of the war. With Palmera’s support, the family began to recover and rebuild their lives.)
Then Palmera came to our village and gave us many kinds of support. I was also chosen to receive livelihood support. First, during the time of the big economic struggle in Sri Lanka, they gave us rice through our village savings group. Because of that we were able to satisfy our hunger and meet our food needs. I am also a member of this village savings group.
(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)
I took a loan of 10,000LKR (Approx $45 Aud) from my village savings group and started raising eight chickens. I am very happy to say that I now earn 200LKR (Approx $1 Aud) every day from this.
(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 challenge, 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.)
Palmera also supported me to buy a sewing machine to help with my livelihood. Using that machine, I sew clothes for women and children. I am so proud and happy to tell you that I am earning 1,600LKR (Approx $8 Aud) every day from my sewing work.
(Karthika previously was not engaged in earning a living income, but today through continued mentorship and training she is able to engage economically and this has allowed her income to increase and to meet her basic needs.)
My goal is to give jobs to three more women through this business and become a good example in my village. I have a strong belief in my heart that I will reach this goal within the next two years.
When we had no income and were in a very difficult state Palmera supported us with so much love and care. I want to say a big thanks to Palmera and your family, Winitha Bonney, with all my heart, for supporting us. I pray to God that your family live a very long and blessed life.
Thank you
Yours sincerely,
Karthika Arundhavarasa
Our work continues with Karthika. While she may appear to be able to stand on her own two feet, 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.
