your family update
You Backed them and things began to change
Athire
Donor
“I would scold the children when they asked for food because I had no money and then go away and cry in secret.”
Venuja lives with her three children (one daughter and two sons) in her sister’s home, in Pallikuda village, Kilinochchi district. After her husband remarried and left the family she struggled to make enough to feed her children 3 meals a day.
One of her children was born with a cleft lip and needs regular hospital care that the family cannot afford this. With no income of her own coming in, even getting her children the school supplies they need or the food they ask for is often out of reach.
There were many days when Venuja had to say no when the children begged for food. She would scold the children because there was no money, then go away and cry in secret. When she had no other option, she would go to neighbours and relatives to ask for a loan, and it felt shameful every time. Natural disasters in the area have made things harder still, on top of everything else the family is already carrying.
Despite all this, Venuja holds her family together and keeps her children in school. She wants steady support for her child’s medical care, and she wants to be able to provide for her children without having to beg or go without.
She hoped for a future where they have good jobs and a better life than the one she leads. This is the dream she clings onto.
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.
Dear Athire,
Are you well? I pray to God for you to live well. My name is Venuja.
I live on Sevayar Road in the village of Pallikuda, in the Kilinochchi district. I have one daughter and two sons. My third son, Prabakaran, was born without an upper lip. Because of this, I spent a lot of time in my life at the Periyam Hospital with my daughter.
(At the time we met Venuja, her family was struggling with the deep poverty. With Palmera’s support, she found the strength to save her own money and start a business, helping her family recover and rebuild their lives.)
My three children study well. My husband does not get a large, regular income. He works in the fishing trade.
(previously Venuja’s husband left the family, but has returned and lives with them now.)
While we were in this situation, my mother, younger sister, and sister-in-law, who are part of the Lakshmi village savings group operating in Nedunkulam village, asked me to join their group.
I also joined the group. In the beginning, my savings were only 200, 300. After joining the group, I was able to get a basic loan from the group for my son’s hospital expenses. Because of this, I felt a sense of peace. The reason is that in the past, when I went to the homes of neighbours and relatives to ask for a loan, it would be a shameful situation. But now it is not like that. My money is also secure in the group.
(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.)
After I joined the group, I have been facing my problems. In the beginning, I couldn’t tell anyone and kept my problems buried inside me, which led to mental stress. I wouldn’t go to my neighbours’ houses or talk to them when I saw them. But now, even if I have a small worry, it disappears when I go to my group. We all wait for the 4:00 PM meeting on Sunday.
That day, we have birthday celebrations, and we bring our products to the group meeting to sell. We have discussions about important news and activities happening in the village. I can say that this is a great blessing for me.
Before I joined the group, there were many days when I couldn’t buy the necessary equipment for my children’s education or cook the food they wanted. I would scold the children because I had no money and then go away and cry in secret.
But after I joined the group, I got a loan of 7,000 for the first time. With the help of my brother, I started a home garden. Through that, I received a good income. I am now able to buy the necessary school supplies for my children and prepare the food items they ask for. I have also enrolled them in after-school classes at the nearby Nalvi Centre. Because of this, I feel great happiness and contentment.
(Through the programme, Venuja has been able to place her children’s education at the centre of her household planning. When a mother can pay school fees without crisis or borrowing, children stay in school. And with that, the path forward for the next generation begins to open.)
(For food security Palmera supports women to establish their own home garden, this is getting more challenging with wild monkeys, limited access to seeds and increasing pests with changing climate, because of all these challenges many do not engage in home gardens. Through your support we change that.)
I offer my thanks to my Lakshmi group, which has been helpful with many benefits like this. Later, I plan to take a loan of 2 lakhs, and I am planning to expand my business garden from ½ an acre to 1 acre and am making use of it well.
Now, with the income I get, my savings have increased to the level of 500, 1000. One year after joining the group, I have saved 47,000 in my savings. This is a happy matter for me because I have never had a bank account of my own before. After joining the group, I have developed good leadership and the ability to take on responsibilities.
Thank you, Athire. The support you gave has been a great help for my family to achieve economic and social change. I am happy that my family was chosen by you. I pray to God that you and your family may live with good health, happiness, and a long life.
Thank you,
Venuja
Our work continues with Venuja. 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.
