your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Thasayini
Donor
“We don’t have enough to eat. My daughter is sick because she is malnourished.”
Suppamma was born in Kandy but moved to a village called Irangopuram a long time ago. Now it is just her, her husband Muthusamy, and their daughter Pavithra living together. Their older children already got married and moved to different villages.
(Her other children have families of their own to look after. It’s one of their children, a grandson of Suppamma’s that you can see in the photo, standing in front of her.)
This family had a really hard time during the war in 2009. They had to leave their home and stay in a displacement camp in Settikulam for two years. They finally got to come back to their village in 2011, but they had to start over from nothing.
Her husband, Muthusamy works as a wage labor, which means he does hard physical work for daily wages. He goes out looking for work every day, but the money is not steady. Some days there is work and some days there isn’t. Every bit of money he brings home goes straight to buying food and medicine. And there is nothing left.
Their biggest worry is Pavithra. She is 22 now, but she is weak and sick because she does not get the right nutrition. Because the money from daily labor is not much, Suppamma and her husband have to choose between buying enough food or getting the medicine their daughter needs.
They are living way below the poverty line, but they keep trying. Suppamma looks forward to a future where her Pavithra is healthy. Muthusamy keeps looking for labor jobs every morning to take care of his wife and daughter. They are doing everything they can to manage with what they have, hoping to give their child a chance to live a better life than theirs.
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.
My name is Suppamma, and my family has eight members. In the past, I struggled very much to raise my children. Now my children have married and gone to other places. I am living with my husband and my daughter, who is not well and is suffering from malnutrition.
Palmera came forward to support us in so many different ways. For my daughter’s nutrition, they helped us with rice, poultry farming, rearing goats, and a home garden.
Palmera also helped to start a savings group in our village. I am a member of this group and I save money there regularly. I have also taken loans from the group to support my livelihood.
(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.)
Because of these activities, my food situation has improved. I received support for a home garden and poultry farming. And I was able to buy chickens. I sell their eggs and earn an income from them. And now we get eggs for our food as well.
(For food security, Palmera supports women to establish home gardens and small poultry farming. This is becoming more challenging with wild monkeys, limited access to seeds, and increasing pests due to changing climate. Because of these challenges, many do not engage in home gardening and poultry. Through your support, we are changing that, helping families grow their own food and earn an income from what they produce.)
Through this income, I am able to fulfill my daughter’s educational needs. Palmera also supported me with goat rearing by helping us build a goat shed, and buy goats too. One of my goats has recently given birth to kids, and they are growing well. I am very happy about that.
(Palmera introduced goat rearing as an additional livelihood. It creates a sustainable source of income, bringing her hope and happiness.)
I am very happy with the progress I have made. I want to continue taking care of my goats, poultry, and garden so I can earn a stable income. With this, I want to take care of my husband and my daughter and help them become healthier.
My family and I are very thankful to Palmera and your family, Thasayini Krishna, for supporting us. I pray to God that your family has a long, healthy, and happy life. Because of this help, my family and I are now living with more happiness.
Thank you
Yours sincerely,
M. Suppamma
Our work continues with Suppamma. 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.
