your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Inthi Parameswaran
Donor
When we met Uthayakumari, her eyes held the quiet sorrow of someone who has carried a heavy burden for many years. She has been living without her husband for 23 years—abandoned when life became difficult, leaving her alone to care for their daughter.
Her daughter suffers from an illness that makes it impossible for her to work consistently or help with the family’s needs. This has meant that Uthayakumari must bear every responsibility herself. She works as a wage laborer whenever she can, but her income is never enough to cover even their most basic needs.
Their home is fragile and floods with every rain, and they live without simple facilities like a toilet. The struggle to provide food, shelter, and care feels endless.
Yet, even in the midst of these hardships, Uthayakumari holds onto a quiet hope—that with a little support to start a stable livelihood, she can build a safer, more secure life for her daughter and herself.
We’ve captured their voice so you can hear their story.
Vanakkam (greetings). I am talking from Theravil village. My daughter and I are living at home. My husband has been separated from us since 2002. My daughter and I have been living in the village. So it was difficult for us. Without a proper house, my daughter and I were living in a very difficult situation when it rained. We have half an acre of land in which we have planted 25 banana trees. We planted two or three coconut trees. We cultivated them using pure water carried by hand, and we earned an income from them. We would sell bananas and fulfill the needs of our child and me.
(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 women’s village bank in our Theravil village. I joined it thinking that when everyone went, I would also join it and save the money I had. I used to save 20 LKR ($0.10 AUD) or 50 LKR ($0.25 AUD), according to the amount I had in my hand. While doing this saving, I felt sick. They also helped me with my medical expenses and hospital expenses. When I asked for a loan, they would give it to me immediately. They would give me a loan for medical needs. Now I am raising chickens. It is a big help for me. I will sell the eggs to meet my daily needs. If I have to repay a loan, I will sell those eggs and repay the loan. This small savings has been a big help for us. We have made progress by joining this village bank. I express my heartfelt gratitude to Inthi Parameswaran.
Please note for many beneficiaries sharing in written form is not easy. We sit with these men and 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 Uthayakumari – Navaratnam. I live in a village called Iramal. My family is a family of two members. I live with one daughter. My husband and I have been living separately for 24 years. He is elderly and sick. He does not work. His income comes from a small coconut and firewood business. This income is not enough for my family.
In our village, because there is no well facility, my family and I were in a very poor state, suffering without facilities for our daily food and living, and without savings. I did not have the income or money to save. I faced hardship in getting a proper income to even buy daily food items.
(At the time we met Uthayakumari, her family was struggling with the deep poverty and loneliness that followed her husband leaving them. 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.)
I am proud to express my family’s heartfelt gratitude to you for helping us when we were in this situation of poverty. While things were like this, a village savings group was started in the village by Palmera, and the staff came and spoke with me directly. I discussed my state of poverty with them without hesitation.
When I discussed my worries with the Palmera’s staff, they were loving and supportive. I expressed my wish to join the village savings group, but I realised that I was unable to save even 20 or 50 rupees. But slowly that changed, with their guidance.
One day I needed money for my daughter’s medical needs. I asked the neighbours, but I couldn’t get any. So I went to my group and got an emergency loan of 5000 rupees and was able to cover my daughter’s hospital expenses. It made me very happy. The thought that I would no longer have to beg from anyone arose in me. So, self-confidence grew in me.
I told myself that from now on, I will not stop saving. I will do it without fail. So today my savings amount to 17190 rupees.
(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, people come together each week to talk, to share what is going on and support each other. This is a foundation for change. Because change happens in community and that is exactly what these structures support.)
Before, to meet my family’s food needs, we faced various difficulties for many days. It was in this situation that, through Palmera, seeds for things like eggplant, chilli, tomato, and okra were given. Using that, I made a small home garden. After taking what I needed for my food, I would sell the rest to my neighbours. And I would use that money for my expenses.
In this way, through my group, I was also selected for chicken rearing and was given chickens. Today, I have 15 chickens. I sell what is left of the eggs, after our food needs are met, and save that money. Sometimes I will use the money I make for my group savings.
(The assets Uthayakumari has built through the programme -her animals, her cultivation, her skills- belong entirely to her. When Palmera’s support ends, these income sources do not disappear. What she has built continues. This is what sustainable economic independence looks like.)
Also, through their care, I am living without debt. That was difficult to do before. But today I wish more for my daughter and I. Living alone as a woman, with one daughter is a very difficult thing in the village. Even when I decided to join the group, some women tried to stop me. But in our savings groups, there are true friends and relatives. Because of that, I feel I am progressing.
To further increase my income, I am thinking of increasing the number of chickens and also raising a good cow too. You have helped me stand up and get established.
I pray to God and wish that you and your family, may live a long life with good health. We have never seen you in person. Nevertheless, through this assistance program, I see you in the form of God.
I pray to God that many good things should happen to you and your family.
Thank you,
Uthayakumari
This is our final letter from Uthayakumari. The programme is complete. And what she has built will not end when our work does. She came to us with no savings, no reliable income, and no clear path forward. She leaves with all three. And with the skills, confidence, and community to keep building what she has started long after this programme ends. Thank you for making all this possible. We couldn’t have done it without your generosity.
