Today was our smallest distribution of 443 students held at a local high school. We were greeted by a delightful band and then had the assistance of about 50 young men of NSS - National Service Scheme. Needless to say the day went very smoothly with their help and the aid of the teachers some of which have been at the school and assisting with SCAW for 11 years.
We then went to the homes of 2 students who received bedkits today to see their homes.
In the first house lived a widowed mother - aged 30, who pays 2500 rupees per month rent for a thatched roof hut covered with multiple layers of plastic tarps.
Picking up plastic, paper and bottles from the trash, she makes about 6000 rupees per month - more if there has been a festival.
The 2nd mother owned her house also with a thatched roof which was destroyed in the cyclone in December 2016. In order to replace the roof, she took a loan from the bank and pays 1000 rupees ($20.00) per month on the loan which is half of what she makes per month as a house maid for 2 families where she works 6 hours per day (3 in the morning and 3 in the evening.) Grandmother lives with them and another daughter.
They are so happy as they don’t know any different but what they do know is that their lives have just been so graciously enriched because the the SCAW donors. We promised to come back and see them next year to see how they have been able to use their new items.
Theresa Carravetta for Team Chennai 2018
In the first house lived a widowed mother - aged 30, who pays 2500 rupees per month rent for a thatched roof hut covered with multiple layers of plastic tarps.
Picking up plastic, paper and bottles from the trash, she makes about 6000 rupees per month - more if there has been a festival.
The 2nd mother owned her house also with a thatched roof which was destroyed in the cyclone in December 2016. In order to replace the roof, she took a loan from the bank and pays 1000 rupees ($20.00) per month on the loan which is half of what she makes per month as a house maid for 2 families where she works 6 hours per day (3 in the morning and 3 in the evening.) Grandmother lives with them and another daughter.
They are so happy as they don’t know any different but what they do know is that their lives have just been so graciously enriched because the the SCAW donors. We promised to come back and see them next year to see how they have been able to use their new items.
Theresa Carravetta for Team Chennai 2018
