Fighting CORONA Fighting HUNGER...

Update on 19th May

1857 most vulnerable families reached with Rice and Ration Kits!

Entering 9th week of lockdown.

We are trying to raise more funds to reach out 500 more such families and are looking at helping women restart their livelihoods.

Distribution photos at https://photos.app.goo.gl/1T9ruhzR4C8THm4w7

Vishwa is a KG student at our Vanavil School and his mother Selvi is one of the many women who seek alms at the Velankanni Cathedral in Nagapattinam. The COVID pandemic which has put all lives in threat has cast a double spell on Vishwa and his family. The complete lockdown clamped by the state can help in challenging the spread of the disease but has plunged families like Vishwa’s into a state of hunger and despair. Going without work or mobility for almost a month has put these families into dire situation and almost all of them do not have savings or resources that they can use in this critical juncture.

A majority of the Boom Boom Maatukarar and Narikuravar families lie outside of the social security net and many do not have clear identity documents. We have been working with 500 such families in Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur districts for the last 14 years in the areas of child protection and education.

Nirmala is a conservancy worker in Nagapattinam municipality, and she is an unsung corona warrior who reports to work every day at 6 be it 144 promulgation or curfew. Cleaning the town in this time of the pandemic Nirmala and the 231 conservancy workers of the Nagapattinam municipality need community support at this time.

We propose to provide dry rations for the 500 plus 231 families during this pandemic to keep hunger away and help them to be healthy and safeguard themselves from this pervasive pandemic.

The dry ration kit would consist of

• Rice 10 kgs
• Pulses 1 kg
• Rava / Sooji 2 kg
• Oil 1L
• Tamarind 250 gms
• Chilly powder 250 gms
• Tea powder 100 gms
• Sugar 1 kg
• Milk Biscuits 1 packet

The estimated total cost of 1 such kit is Rs.833. We’re looking at supporting 731 families @Rs 833 per family for two weeks.

***Apr 11th 2020: The cost of the kit is going up and currently it is between Rs 880 - 900.***

Help us to reach out to the most vulnerable people fighting this Corona pandemic!

About Vanavil

Vanavil is an alternative residential school working closely with two of the most marginalized communities in Tamil Nadu. Boom Boom Mattukarars and Narikuravars are ancient nomadic tribes who have been forced to make a living through begging and selling minor wares. Vanavil was started in 2005 in the aftermath of the Tsunami by a handful of youngsters and has grown with the help of individual donors and foundations who are committed to the cause of education of marginalized and underprivileged children.