Theppankulama Family Development Project
In 2015 Chakra Network started project to assist 12 under-privileged families to help themselves to improve their living conditions. Apart from helping the families, we expected to learn how to assist such families by implementing this project. Therefore, we considered it as a Learning Project.
The project is family oriented and did not have any pre-conceived ideas on what should be done to assist the families except to enable the families to understand the reasons for their unsatisfactory living conditions and how to improve them. For this purpose the project employed an experienced Motivator to work with the families to educate them on understanding the reasons for their unsatisfactory living conditions, what resources they have to change that situation and how they could use them more benefit. Unlike other projects working with under-privileged people that assume income poverty is the cause for their condition and focus on income generation, we followed a holistic approach.
As the families were isolated from each other both physically and socially, the Motivator discussed with them the benefits they could gain through group action especially when they were short of financial resources. Creating this awareness and building relationships were important to enable them to utlise their limited resources. They did not realise that there was much they could do for themselves by working together. As a result of this education, beneficiaries formed small groups and formed the groups into a Society. The beneficiaries work as groups and the Society to help each other in repairing or improving their housing and conducting their livelihoods. By working collectively, they have also been able to improve their children's education. Most importantly, they have started to save and use their savings to provide small loans and released them from borrowing from sources that charge high rates of interest.
Housing Improvement as at May 31st 2016
Under the Theppamkulama Poverty Alleviation project Chakra had started a housing improvement programme by providing a grant of Rs. 12,000/ to each family to undertake critical improvements of their houses to improve their quality of life. Though most of the families have had some sort of shelter to cover their heads, majority of them were not suitable for a comfortable living due to various reasons. Initially discussions were held to educate them on the programme and to identify the most critical improvements possible to be undertaken with the grant and their contribution. Secondly an estimate was prepared in consultation with the beneficiary, identifying activities to be funded with the grant and with her/his contribution expected to be made in cash or kind to the job, along with an activity plan and a timeframe. Thereafter the project was implemented. So far 12 families were assisted and 11 were completed and one got stuck half way as the member passed away suddenly. Following photographs shows the condition of the houses before and after the assistance. This small grant has motivated every family to mobilize their labour, materials and small savings to improve the house. Particularly collective effort of the families made a large contribution to this activity.
As all the beneficiaries placed a high priority on housing, you can see in what follows, they have been able to improve their housing with a little financial help from us.
