your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Anne Remigus
Donar
When we first met the Nanthakumar family, their resilience in the face of hardship deeply moved us. Nanthakumar, once a hardworking man, lost his hearing during the war. Since then, finding consistent work has been almost impossible, and the silence he now lives with is a constant reminder of the struggle he carries. His wife, though battling her own visual impairment, steps in whenever she can to earn a small income, but her opportunities are limited. Together, they do everything possible to keep their family afloat.
Their three children are their greatest hope. The eldest daughter, determined and strong, has fought her way into university, while the younger two are still in school, clinging to the dream of education as a path out of poverty. But the family’s reality is harsh. Welfare payments, though a lifeline, are barely enough to cover daily meals, let alone the costs of schooling, healthcare, and the extra support their parents need.
What struck us most was their courage to keep going, even when everything seemed stacked against them. They dream of a future where their children can break free from the cycle of poverty, but today, every step forward requires extraordinary sacrifice.
We’ve captured their voice so you can hear their story.
Mother, do you think there is any difference between what you were before and what you are now?
We cook two curries and eat better than before. We live without such worries. Our lives with the dairy business are going well. Even though there are a few difficulties, we send money to that girl and live happily.
Who are you talking about when you say that girl?
I am talking about my daughter, who is studying at the university now.
Do you send the milk income to your daughter?
Yes, I do. If you sell milk and tell them to give that money for this day, they will give it for that day. I will send it to my daughter.
Will you send it through the bank? Yes.
What did you do for a meal before?
We bought a kilo of rice and gave it to the children. We took some of it, added coconut milk to it, added onions, etc., and my husband and I would drink it like porridge. We would both talk about how many days we would drink like this. We thought that what we would do now is that others would not know the hardships we were facing.
(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).
Then we joined a village savings group. We think we could get money there. Initially, they did not give us any. But we went to the meeting. They gave us a cow as a means of livelihood. We started a dairy business. They also gave us training for the dairy business and told us to cut grass for the cow to eat. We took good care of them. The cow gave birth to a calf. We got milk. One of my daughters is studying at the university. I sold the milk and sent it to her for her education, and we used the remaining money for our expenses.
When my daughter got selected for the university, she was crying, wondering what to do. I went to the group and said, “I don’t have money to educate my children; give me some.” I got money through the village bank. They gave me 20,000 LKR (Approx $100 AUD). I took the child the next day, bought her clothes, and sent.
Anne remigus’s family helped you in your family’s hardship. Do you have anything to say to them?
We are getting great benefits through this dairy business. We are doing well through dairy business. I thank them. I pray to God. I pray to God for their good life.
