Avangalukku Nandri

This Morning the members of the Rotary Club of Chennai Kilpauk went to the relief camp which was visited by Peggy Carswell and where she had promised steel trunks.

Peggy had deisgned the trunks so that not only would they serve the purpose of keeping the belongings of a family but would also serve as a sort of table if required,

180 trunks were given away this morning and I reminded them that it was Peggy who visited them a few months ago who had arranged for this. A group of women came over and said "Avanagalukku Nandri" which means "Thanks to her". Widows were given preference in the distribution of the steel trunks.

Nothing much had changed at the camp, except that it had become a little cleaner, while some of the men had gone back to fishing not all of them had, it is now over4 and a half months after the Tsunami and the effects still remain.

Something needs to be done before it is too late, I think what is required is a lot of talking to and to infuse courage into these people. Start rehabilitating them and motivating them to find their feet.

Here is where Rotary can come in. Bring in people not just money and relief materials I think what is required are people who can come and spend time with the Tsunami affected and change their outlook. Get them to move ahead in life.

Counsel, counsel and counsel. Someone with patience, knowledge of dealing with people who have been through such disasters.

Someone help, read this and tell us what is to be done, someone who is not emotionally touched by these people someone who will take an unbiased view and tell us what is to be done for these people who have suffered so much in just one day.