your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Ranjan Kana
Donor
When we met Selventhiran, the weight of struggle was visible in every corner of her home. She has two daughters and two sons, all attending school, while she works tirelessly in a garment factory to provide for them. Her husband risks his health collecting and selling honey from the forest, and they fish in the pond whenever they can for extra income. Despite their relentless efforts, poverty shadows their daily lives, making even basic needs and school fees a constant challenge.
Every day is a careful balance of survival. The children go to school with hope in their eyes, but their meals are never guaranteed. Selventhiran carries the heavy burden of ensuring her family has food, clothing, and care, all while dreaming of a life beyond scarcity. Each coin earned is stretched to its limit, and every small success is a lifeline for her family.
Yet, even in the face of such hardship, Selventhiran’s determination shines. She dreams of a future where her children can grow without hunger, where they can study and pursue their passions. Her courage and tireless effort reveal the depth of a mother’s love — a quiet, unwavering strength that refuses to surrender, no matter how heavy the burden.
We’ve captured their voice so you can hear their story.
Hello, I am Selventhiran Tharsini from Manikkapuram. I have four children, and my husband and I make up a family of six. My husband has high blood pressure, so he cannot go out to work anywhere. If he takes up an outside job, it might cause him distress. However, I still go out to work because I need to manage household expenses and my children’s education costs.
(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).
There is a village savings group happening near my house. The Palmera team there approached me and spoke to me about it. Later, I joined the group and started saving whatever I could for small amounts like 50LKR (approx. $0.25 Aud) or 100LKR (approx. $0.50 Aud). Because of this, whenever I needed urgent money, I could take a loan and fulfil my children’s needs. Additionally, I took a loan of 60,000 LKR (approx. $300 Aud) from the savings group to start fruit and vegetable cultivation. With that, I have been growing vegetables like spinach, eggplant, and chilies, which help us with household cooking.
I sell some of the vegetables from my fruit and vegetable farming at the market and keep the rest for our family’s meals. If my children need meat or fish, I buy and cook it for them. Whenever there are hospital expenses, I manage them by selling vegetables. My fruit and vegetable farming has been a great support for me.
Palmera provided me with groundnut seeds, and I have enough to plant them two or three times. Using these seeds, I plant three times a year, and the money I earn from it is used for various expenses.
I requested the Palmera team to support me in starting a dairy business. I have already built the cow shed, and I believe that the milk I get from it will help meet my household needs, medical expenses, and my children’s educational expenses. I am happy that I am going to start this dairy business, as it will help reduce my expenses.
Sister , The person who helped you with this is Ranjan Kana. What would you like to say to them?
Truly, there is no one around us to help. For people like us, who are unknown and unseen, they have come forward to help us. Thinking about that makes me genuinely happy. My children are truly bright and eager to study well. Because of the help we are receiving, they can continue their education. I am very happy that I was selected for the dairy business, as it will help cover my children’s education expenses.
May God bless you abundantly. You are helping so many people, and because of that, you will always be blessed. Just as you support others, God will always support you. It takes a kind heart to help the poor, and you have that in abundance. Since I am struggling, I truly understand the value of such help. There is no one here to support us, and what you are doing is a great help. Thank you!
