your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Zathana Thanigasalam
Donor
When we met Mathevy, her quiet resilience stood out. She is a mother of three, carrying the weight of her family almost on her own. Two of her children go to school each day, while the youngest stays at home with her — making it impossible for Mathevy to seek steady work outside. Her husband’s support is uncertain, and when he does contribute, it is rarely enough to cover even the essentials of food, schooling, or medical needs.
Yet, in the middle of this struggle, Mathevy holds tightly to her determination. She finds small ways to earn from home, balancing childcare with the desperate need to bring in income. Each coin she earns goes towards filling her children’s plates, paying for their school, and keeping the family afloat.
Her days are not easy — they are a constant battle between sacrifice and survival. But beneath the hardship is a mother’s unbreakable hope: that her children can have the opportunities she never had, and that one day, their story will be brighter than the one she now carries.
We’ve captured their voice so you can hear their story.
How is your family situation now?
The Palmera support transformed our lives by providing cows and helping us build a proper cowshed. They also equipped us with training in grass cultivation.
Palmera has provided us with a stable livelihood that brings many benefits. It has enabled us to cover our children’s education expenses and manage our family needs. We cultivate grass and grow Azolla, which provides nutritious food for the cows. By selling milk, our income has increased significantly.
(Palmera established a village bank in our community to develop financial literacy—a place where we could save and access loans to reduce our debt from predatory lenders).
Have you joined the village savings group? Have you received such benefits through the group?
Yes, we have received numerous benefits by joining this village savings group. Through the savings group, we have accessed loans that have enabled us to start fruit and vegetable cultivation and poultry farming. These initiatives have allowed us to engage in various self-employment activities, improving our livelihood. Additionally, the group has provided us with valuable training, such as learning how to raise chickens and manage their health if they get sick.
In our fruit and vegetable cultivation, we sell the vegetables we grow to the village savings group. The income we earn is saved and used to repay our loans. In the same way, our village savings group has been tremendously beneficial to us.
Has unity increased in your family now?
As a woman, being self-employed and earning an income. Previously, my husband was the sole provider, but now, I am contributing financially as well. This has brought immense happiness and harmony to our home. Our children and I are joyful, and we can comfortably meet our family’s needs.
What is your future goal?
I am currently doing dairy farming, but I aim to expand this by adding five or six more cows. In addition, I am raising chickens, and I plan to scale this up to a farm level. My goal is to continue supporting my children’s education, ensuring they have a strong academic foundation. I also want to invest in their higher education, and to achieve this, I am determined to further increase my income and grow my business.
Zathana Thanigasalam has supported you so that you can live happily.
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to her, who has done so much for me and my family. Even though I have not had the privilege of meeting her in person, My heartfelt gratitude to you — thank you!
