Kerala Floods - August 2018

‘NALLA AYALKARAN’ (good neighbor)

Reaching out to Rain Ravaged Lives

Phase 1: Initiating the concept of Project ‘Nalla Ayalkaran’

On 10th August, four Jesus Youth leaders met together to discuss the urgent need of providing JY support in Kuttanad, Idukki, Wayanad and other Malabar areas. They decided to call a wider meeting of Jesus Youth key leaders the very next day to discuss these plans. All present at the 11th August meeting agreed to coordinate all these relief works under a project named ‘Nalla Ayalkaran’. Initially the plan was to send trained volunteers and other material supports to the above-mentioned areas and so a volunteers’ training was organized on 14th and 15th August at Kalamassery in which around 50 participated. But by 15th evening, most of the places in Kerala were fully affected by the flood. So ‘Nalla Ayalkkaran’ was forced to stretch to its maximum & reach out to more areas devastated by flood and landslides.

Phase 2: Rescue Operations

From the very start of this flood disaster, Jesus Youth volunteers were widely involved in the rescue and relief operations all over Kerala. Some were fully dedicated to locating and verifying information about stranded and marooned people in isolated locations. They were also able to direct the government and other private rescue agencies to correct locations and thus saving many lives. Many volunteers were directly in the field - Jesus Youth members from the fishing industry came with their boats and rescued many, working tirelessly all through the day and night.

Phase 3: Camps

Jesus Youth from all over Kerala were involved in supporting the relief camps, joining hands with people from all communities, organisations, political parties and NGOs to ensure the proper functioning of the camps. In Kalamassery, the Revenue Department requested us to take up the total coordination of a few camps and it was done successfully. Sites to store goods were created in 5 places across Kerala and materials were supplied to various camps from there. By using boats and heavy vehicles like Taurus trucks, materials were supplied to even remote places.

Phase 4: Supplies & Medical Camps

Eight different Kits (Grocery, Clothes, Medical, Cleaning, General, Food) based on the immediate needs of the affected areas were prepared and supplied.

Many companies, NGOs and individuals generously contributed towards procuring materials required in making these kits. From the Kalamassery centre alone, nearly 13,000 kits have been distributed till 30th August. So in total, there should be more than 18,000 Kits.

Medical Camps: Jesus Youth Doctors’ Network initiated medical camps in thevarious affected areas and there are plans to conduct more.

Phase 5: Cleaning and other manual work

Around 1500 Jesus Youth volunteers are already involved in the cleaning process till date. As cleaning kits and volunteers’ kits (with gum boots, cleaning solutions, heavy duty and surgical gloves, cleaning equipment) were already prepared prior to the disaster escalation on 15th August, many people and organisations other than Jesus Youth too joined in the cleaning through our coordination. Cleaning kits and volunteer’s kits were provided for all as per request. The cleaning undertaken in central Kerala has been completed.

Now the focus is on Kuttanad and Idukki for cleaning works.

Phase 6: Rebuilding Kerala (Rehabilitation Phase)

We have decided to adopt 12 villages all across Kerala. The focus will be only on these 12 villages for the period of one year. The places have been identified and the local responsible areas approached. A JY committee has been formed for each area and the work has already begun. The one-year plans are as follows:

 Identifying urgent needs and supplying immediate assistance

1. Toiletries, 2. Grocery, 3. Dry Foods, 4. Medical Kit (First Aid),

5. Cloth Kit

 Identifying the people who have lost their kitchen utilities, furniture, beds, pillows and other items because of flood and landslides. The following items will be provided as per need based on authentic verification.

1. Kitchen Utilities, 2. Pressure Cookers, 3. Buckets, 4. Beds,

5. Cots, 6. Tables 7. Pillows, 8. Chairs, 9. Gas Stoves.

 Identifying the needs of school or college students of these areas. (Providing immediate assistance and items, while taking care that it is not a duplication of those provided by the government)

 Identifying the requirement of skilled labours

1. Electricians (for electrical wiring checking, repairing fittings, etc)

2. Plumbers, 3. Motor repairing technicians,

4. Construction workers, 5. Carpenters, 6. Welding

 Addressing the need for psychological and emotional support. House visits by Jesus Youth families (family to family approach), sisters, and trained youth leaders have been planned. Identifying people who need professional help and providing the same is also a priority.

 There is a need for medical camps and so it will be organised.

 Supplying drinking water through tanker lorries especially in the Kuttanad and other flood affected areas.

 Support needy families with Rs. 3000/- per month for 12 months through family to family sponsoring. Identify the people who need regular monthly financial assistance for a year based on their income, loss and damage due to these calamities, lack of any possibility of a job or income generating endeavour, sick/aged people at home, etc.

 Need of assistance for few income generating endeavours or small

businesses, help for farming, assistance in buying a few cows, goats, etc.

 Assistance for repairing houses/ building new houses. Again care will be taken not to duplicate government offers for house maintenance and constructions.

 Efforts are afoot to coordinate a centralised office manned by two government retired personnel with experience to help people to get their assistance from the government.

Jesus Youth plan for one-year accompaniment of 12 villages across Kerala

Pathanamthitta: 1. Kurichimuttam

2. Maraman

Kuttanadu: 3. Pallathuruthy

4. Kelamangalam

Kottayam: 5. Nattassery

Idukki: 6. Panniyarkutty

7. Bethel

Ernakulam 8. Kurumbathuruthu (island)

Thrissur 9. Poovathingal (Chalakudy)

Kozhikode 10. Vendekkumpoyil

Wayanad: 11. Kottathara

12. Panamaram

Jesus Youth formed ‘Jeevana Samridhi’, a social charitable trust (Reg.no.409/2006) in the year 2006 to open up channels of solidarity and support to extremely needy sections of society, irrespective of caste or creed. The Outreach Child-Support project is one such large scale initiative undertaken since 2009 to provide financial support to under privileged children; currently the project supports nearly 3200 students across India each month. The project ‘Nalla Ayalkaran’ also operated under the name of Jeevana Samridhi for all legal and official purposes.

Jesus Youth New Zealand would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your generous support, your help will take us a long way in reaching out to the rain ravaged lives in Kerala. May the heavenly provider bless you more abundantly.