Livelihood story

Given below is a livelihood story from Batticaloa. I have included the original story
I received from Batticaloa below and the edited version that we included into the tsunami brochure. We had to limit the amount of words in the brochure to around 300 per story.

Holistic approach of EHED

My name Nishanthi and I am 32 years of age. My mother is engaged in the sewing trade ever since I can remember. Hence I too followed her example and I am reasonably good in that trade. After I became established in the business, my mother started a small business of selling fruits in the market while assisting me in my trade during her spare time. I married in the year 2004. Unfortunately one month after marriage my husband left me. Since I was left without any help I thought it prudent to become an expert in my trade to earn maximum income.

On Sunday the 26th of Dec 2004 I was getting ready to go shopping from my home which was written in my name as dowry on the occasion of my marriage where I lived with my aged mother. My mother was at the market, tending her fruit stall. Suddenly I heard people crying a loud and running here and there, in a state of panic and I too ran, not knowing the direction, where people were heading for.
Only later I came to know that a big wave was coming towards the land from the sea. My mother too had heard the story and came looking for us in a frenzy. We met each other on the street and ran together to the nearby school.

My self, my mother and my elder sister who also survived with her two children are members of Caritas EHED National Animation group. Hence EHED provided us with a Temporary shelter initially after we spent about 6 months in a refugee camp and under went many hardships. The temporary shelter was comparatively more comfortable than the refugee camp because we had privacy, it was well built with cement paved floor, roof with tiles, kitchen and with barrier walls.

Animators from Caritas EHED carried out a survey of beneficiaries and in early 2006 I was given sewing machine since I had declared my livelihood was tailoring. On the day of the tsunami I had many orders, which were not delivered and all of them were washed away. Subsequently some of those who ordered new clothes began to press me to return their money or to replace their orders.

Because of this situation I felt that the timely assistance of Caritas EHED with the brand new sewing machine was a God send to get me out of my plight. I started my livelihood once again with the new sewing machine and earned sufficient money to repay my debts little by little.

Since my house was totally destroyed I obtained Gov compensation of Rs 21/2 lakhs. I commenced building a new house at the site of my old house with the Gov compensation and the savings from my trade and built it up to the lintel level. There after I appeal to Caritas EHED for more assistance, since I was destituted by the tsunami. Having received my appeal the Director of Caritas EHED visited my place and inspected the half built house and observed my plight. I was requested by Caritas EHED to continue to build my house and informed that they would pay me by stages. I completed my house out of my own savings and kept the financial assistance from EHED for my self. Although the house was build under my own plan, Animators and technical staff from EHED constantly monitored the building process; I was inspired to see EHED staff in the site, where I was always there during construction and supervised the people involved. When the house was completed I made use of some of the balance money and a further loan obtained for the purpose of constructing a sunshade and also purchasing few household utensils.

Since my mother’s fruit stall at the market was lost to the tsunami and she is of advancing age, she is assisting me in my trade. People of her age bring orders to her. I am also getting orders from my own customers. As a result, our joint income has increased. I was able to repair my old sewing machine and bought a new sewing machine without any outside contribution. My income which was once Rs.5,000 has now increased to about Rs.15,000. I am getting more and more orders from individuals and from ready made wholesale dealers.
I have designed a few readymade garments and placed them for show in the window of my tailoring parlor. I have also decided to expand my business by recruiting two skilled tsunami affected tailors.

I am thankful to Caritas EHED for the support extended to me from which I benefited immensely and I am now leading a fruitful & useful life with a bright future.

Given below is what we edited and included into the 3rd year tsunami brochure

Story of Change- Caritas Batticaloa/Kalmunai-EHED

Nishanthi goes back to dressmaking

Nishanthi(32) became a dressmaker following her mother’s footsteps. “I am reasonably good in that trade,” says Nishanthi proudly. Her only ambition was to become an expert in this trade since the day her husband left her a month after her marriage in the year 2004.

Marking one catastrophe after another, the tsunami destroyed everything she owned. Nishanthi had earlier received a Temporary Shelter from Caritas Batticaloa/Kalmunai-EHED as a member of their Animation group, prior to the tsunami.

In early 2006 Batticaloa-EHED provided her with a sewing machine to replace the one she lost in the disaster. “On the day of the tsunami, I had many sewing orders which were not delivered. All of them were washed away,” she says. “I started my livelihood once again with the new sewing machine and earned sufficiently to repay my debts little by little,” she explains of how she repaid the cost of the orders of her customers.

Nishanthi received the compensation of Rupees two hundred and fifty thousand (LKR250, 000) from the government for her completely destroyed house. She then appealed to Batticaloa-EHED for more support. “I was requested by Batticaloa-EHED to continue the construction and that they would pay me in stages,” says Nisahnthi of the Batticaloa-EHED’s response. “Although the house was built under my own plan, Animators and technical staff from Batticaloa-EHED constantly monitored the building process,” she continues.

Nishanthi’s mother is now assisting her in the trade. “As a result, our joint income has increased. I was able to repair my old sewing machine and also bought a new sewing machine without external support,” says Nisahanthi who is still a member of her Animation group. “I am getting more and more orders, both from individuals and from wholesale dealers of readymade garments,” she continues. “I have also decided to expand my business by recruiting two skilled tailors who are themselves tsunami affected,” concludes Nishanthi.