your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Amalan Loganathan
Donor
When we first stepped into Piremnath’s home, the air felt heavy — not from heat, but from the quiet weight of unspoken struggles.
Four generations live under this roof: her mother, her husband, her son, and her bright-eyed little girl. Yet laughter feels like a guest who rarely visits.
Both she and her husband live with the quiet battles of mental illness. Work comes and goes like the wind. He labors far away in Jaffna, sending home what little he earns, but the coins disappear into meals that never seem to last. Some days, the children stay home from school. The walls of the house are still bare, the tap they dream of is still only a dream.
Water is a daily burden. Every drop must be carried from far away. But when Piremnath speaks of her dream, her eyes light up — if she had a water tank, she would begin fruit and vegetable cultivation, filling her small yard with life. It is her passion, her quiet rebellion against hardship, the seed of hope she refuses to let die.
We’ve captured their voice so you can hear their story.
My name is Annalakshmi (Piremnath Annalakshmi), and I live in Mazhippo village. I live with my husband, two children, and my mother. My husband works as a laborer. We were in a very difficult situation.
There was no water facility. No water to drink, no proper toilets, and no safe house. I was constantly worried about what to do, especially for my children. We didn’t even have drinking water. A kind sister from our neighboring house saw our hardship and gave us water. It was very difficult for my children to go to school and use the toilet without water. That sister was the only one who helped me by providing water. We were completely without water, struggling to figure out where to go for help.
(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).
At that time, I joined a village savings group established by Palmera, it. I spoke to the Palmera team and shared my struggles. I told them that I had two children but no water for them to bathe or use the toilet. I explained my situation, and the Palmera team came to visit me. They saw my situation, and they provided us with water, built toilets, installed windows, and made our house safe. They provided us with everything we needed.
I built a water tank (with Palmera’s support) and started a small fruit and vegetable garden. I grew pumpkins, long beans, eggplants, cassava, sweet potato and spinach. Every day, I cooked these fresh vegetables for my children. My children, my mother, and I no longer had to go anywhere for food. We were able to eat healthy and nutritious meals at home.
I also started saving money in village savings group, likewise 100, 150, or 200 LKR. This makes me very happy. I also requested Palmera’s support to help me raise goats as a source of livelihood. They have assured me that they will help, and I am confident that goat farming will bring great benefits to my family.
Sister, the person who helped you with this is Amalan Loganathan. What would you like to say to him?
I wish the brother and his family who helped us have a long and healthy life. I express my sincere gratitude to them from the bottom of my heart. Thank you very much and I wish him!
