your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Kirushanthy Ganeswararajan
Donor
“My husband is very sick, and we struggle to meet even our basic needs.”
Parameshwari lives in Poonagery, in Sri Lanka’s Kilinochchi district, with her husband and their three children. Her husband works as a daily wage laborer, but his poor health makes earning a steady living difficult.
His income is never enough or to cover the household’s needs. It’s not a steady income either. Parameshwari manages the family on what he brings home, and when it falls short, she doesn’t know what else to do or where else to turn. There is no other income to fall back on.
So to help make ends meet, Parameshwari works a small plot of land to grow vegetables. Even preparing the soil is a struggle, because the family doesn’t have the money to invest in it properly. On top of this, one of her three children is very sick. And she says that it worries her very much. The extra cost the medicine and visits to the clinic take makes their struggle even harder.
Despite all this, Parameshwari keeps working the land and caring for her family every day. She wants her husband’s work and health to be steadier, her sick child looked after, and enough coming in to cover what her family needs. That is what she looks forward to the most.
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.
To dear Kirushanthy, this is written by me, Parameswari.
We are all well. How are you? I pray to God that you are well. I live in Kilinochchi, with my husband and 3 children.
My husband does daily wage labour. My eldest child is 11 years old. The younger one is 09 years old. The last daughter is 4. Two of them go to school. My last daughter, who is 04 years old, has an eye problem. I take her to the hospital for a monthly check-up.
My husband goes to nearby villages for daily wage work. I was managing the daily household expenses with the money my husband brought home from his daily wage work. My husband’s income was not enough for us. There was no other way. I didn’t know what to do.
(At the time we met Parameshwari, her family was struggling with the deep poverty. 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.)
It was at this point that an ‘anna’ [older brother] who does social work in my village showed me a way; he came to me and told me about the village savings groups, asked me to join one, and explained the benefits of the group.
After listening to him carefully, I discussed it with other members in the neighbourhood and we formed a village savings group. We named our group ‘Mugalan’. We started it with 15 members who are over 18 years of age. We don’t have positions like President or Secretary in our group. Instead, on a rotational basis, a different person takes the lead each week. Everyone brings money to save without fail every week.
(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 also used to bring a small amount from the money my husband gave me and added it to the group. Now, from our group, I have received an assistance scheme to start a small home garden and rear chickens. I have used that to set up my home garden. I am getting crops and fruits from it. I give the excess vegetables to the neighbours. They like my vegetables and buy them. The reason is that I only sell vegetables that are grown with natural fertilizers and are suitable for nutritious, non-toxic food. I sell them and save the income I get from it in my savings group. My monthly income is Rupees 35,000/=. Currently, my savings in the group is also Rupees 35,000/=.
(For food security Palmera supports women to establish their own home garden, this is getting more challenging with wild monkeys, limited access to seeds and increasing pests with changing climate, because of all these challenges many do not engage in home gardens. Through your support we change that.)
Initially, I took a loan from my savings in the group for school supplies and medical expenses, and I was able to fulfill my needs. Later, I took a loan from the group and bought a cow. From that, I am now getting milk and selling it. Also, I took a loan for the home garden and have expanded my home garden further. Now there are gardens all over my land.
I have repaid the loan with the income from selling the milk from the cow I bought through livestock rearing and from the income from the home garden. I am repaying it on time. As well as providing nutritious food and fresh cow’s milk in the morning for my children, I am also providing nutritious and beneficial food items to others in my neighbouring village.
(For food security, Palmera helps women start dairy farming with milk cows. This is becoming more challenging with increasing diseases due to the changing climate. Because of these challenges, many do not engage in raising animals. Through your support, we are changing that and helping families earn a steady income from selling milk.)
It helps my family to get enough income, to consume good food, and to move forward with a healthy education. Because I have developed in this way, in order to help others in the village like myself, I go for my needs and for their needs, I go to the relevant authorities to ask about and obtain their needs and some needs for others. I am like this. I am living out all these changes only because I joined the self-help group.
I am now serving as a role model for my home, my village, and for everyone. All of this is because I joined a village savings group. In the coming future, I intend to turn my garden into a large plantation and make use of it.
Therefore, to good souls like you who help me and women like me to develop economically and socially, my heartfelt thanks. The services you are doing are a great joy and a great thing for us, so I express my heartfelt thanks to you.
Thank you.
Parameshwari.
Our work continues with Parameshwari. 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.
