your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Mayurapriya Raviskanthan
Donor
When we met Nagappan and his family in the village of Theravil, their quiet resilience spoke volumes. Six members—Nagappan, his wife, and their four children—holding on tightly to hope in the face of relentless struggle.
Since the war ended in 2009, steady work has been out of reach. Without a permanent job, each day is a battle to stretch whatever little they have just to feed their family, keep a roof over their heads, and send their children to school. The worry lines on Nagappan’s face tell stories of nights spent wondering if tomorrow will bring enough to survive.
Their 1½ acres of land and a small home by the forest hold untapped potential, but the weight of poverty keeps them trapped. Nagappan carries with him six years of experience in goat rearing—a skill that could be their lifeline if only they had the means to invest.
Goat rearing could bring more than just income—it could bring dignity back to this family’s life. It could mean regular meals on the table, books in the children’s hands, and the chance for a future that isn’t defined by hardship.
Despite everything, they refuse to give up. Their hope is quiet but fierce—a hope that with a little help, their hard work will blossom into a stable, brighter tomorrow for their children.
We’ve captured their voice so you can hear their story.
I live in Ilangopuram (village name).There are six people in my family. My husband worked as a wage laborer. We did not get much income from it. Since we have six children, my husband’s income does not cover their education and food expenses. We could not afford to pay these expenses with one person’s labor.
We have two acres of land. We could do fruit and vegetable cultivation, but we did not have the facilities to do so. My husband goes to work as a wage laborer whenever work is available. Even though we have two acres of land, we could not cultivate fruits and vegetables because the elephant problem is very serious. So we wanted to raise goats, cows, chickens, etc. We decided to start fruit and vegetable cultivation to provide nutritious food for the children.
(Palmera established the village bank in our village to develop financial literacy—a place to save and revolve our savings as loans to reduce debt from predatory lenders).
In that situation I joined a Palmera village savings group. In general, I would not go to any house or talk to anyone because I am a shy person. Only after joining this group, which was built through strength, did I start talking to everyone and getting to know them.
Also, the Palmera team often comes here. Because of their advice, I am no longer afraid. I wanted to do business. They considered that and gave me a goat shed and goats. I bought five goats with Palmera’s support. Our goat gave birth to another goat. We sold one of them. I used that money to fulfill the children’s educational needs.
I also took a loan from the savings group and bought the necessary materials for a bicycle. We happily celebrated the Pongal festival with the goats. We learned from the group and started fruit and vegetable cultivation accordingly. In our fruit and vegetable cultivation, we grow brinjal, okra, long beans, corn, etc. We use them for food.
Sister, a person named Mayurapriya Raviskanthan has helped your family. What would you like to say to them?
You have helped us so much from somewhere. I wish you and your family good health. On behalf of our family, we express our heartfelt gratitude to you.
