your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Gayathri Krishanthan
Donor
When we met Rathika, the weight of her daily struggles was clear in her eyes. She is the mother of three children, all of whom are trying to continue their education despite the hardships at home. Her husband works as a laborer, but severe kidney disease makes it impossible for him to work regularly or handle heavy tasks. The family survives on what little he earns during the days he is able, supplemented by a small welfare payment.
Rathika bears the responsibility of managing the household, ensuring her children eat, go to school, and have hope for the future. Each day brings uncertainty, and she often worries whether there will be enough to cover their basic needs tomorrow. Yet, in the midst of this hardship, her determination to care for her family never wavers. She dreams of a life where her children can learn without fear of hunger, and where her family can feel secure despite the challenges that surround them.
We’ve captured their voice so you can hear their story.
How are you now? Have there been any improvements in your family?
I am doing well now. I am somewhat better than before. My husband is sick; he cannot go to work. He used to work well, but suddenly he has been sick for one and a half years.
(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).
By joining this village savings group, the Palmera support us to do dairy business. Later, the cow gave birth to a calf. I am getting milk and selling it to the farm, so I am doing well to some extent. In an emergency, I can pay all the monthly fees for the tuition classes. I get money once every 15 days, and I take it and pay for household expenses. My second child is ill, but the third one is well. We save in the village bank. We save little by little in the village bank and get loans through it. We take emergency loans so that we can manage household expenses.
Now, is the income from the dairy business your only income, or do you have any other source of income?
That is our main income for now. Earlier I went to work as a laborer. I worked harvesting peanuts for wages. Now I raise chicken and sell eggs. My eldest child is studying advanced-level studies. Paying tuition was a real hardship. Anyway, we are managing with this now.
My aim is to raise the dairy business well, make it multiply, and feed my children three times a day until they are satisfied. My aim and goal are to educate them well.
The family that helped you, the Gayathri Krishanthan family. Do you want to say anything to them?
I want to thank them. I thank them a million times. I don’t have any siblings; I grew up in a hostel. Then I came to this village alone and experienced enormous hardship. Thank you so much for giving us this help to encourage us. And thank you so much a million times.
