Here is the most recent report from our India team on the Tribal welfare project in India.
We have surveyed the government allotted area for Gypsy Tribals (66 families) at Acharapakkam, Chengalpet in the District of Tamil Nadu. There are roughly 55 families living in the area. Their location is quite remote from nearby villages/towns, and the nearest town area is about 5 km away. Access to shops, transport, and medical facilities are difficult and limited. Most of the people are in severe poverty conditions, with no proper shelter, clothing, food, and water.
Here are two of the major challenges:
1. They were having extremely leaky house tops (made of stiched coconut leaf), which were worn out due to aging. Since they have such leakages, these people cannot stay at home when it rains heavily, so they walk to a nearby village and take shelter in front of closed shops, wherever they can find places of shelter till the rain stops. This is a sad condition of the people, especially where children and babies are also affected. Then of course their homes are muddy which creates further complications for them with cleanliness.
2. The Water that comes from the nearby local villages is extremely polluted. Even the locals complain that some children have developed kidney problems and have died because of drinking the highly contaminated water. These families must travel by foot to the other Villages and carry water for their drinking.
What we have provided so far:
Since the rainy season is starting, we decided to provide them with tarpaulin covers to immediately solve some of their problem. In September, we provided 44 houses with tarpaulin covers, and they are absolutely happy and comfortable in their own homes. (Now it is the heavy rainy season in this area).
We are working with them regularly, visiting them frequently, and helping them with all the additional challenges they have, We are also looking for possibilities to improve their earning through handcraft work and more. Kindly keep them in your Prayers.
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