Sharing experiences.

With $60,000 in immediate relief funds from PWS&D, the women's associations of long-term PWS&D partner the Institute for Development Education (IFDE) distributed rice, oil, cooking utensils, kerosene lanterns, blankets, bed sheets, mats, clothing, soap, water containers and other basic goods to 1,250 families in remote fishing villages in southern India.

Anitha Mahendiran, Executive Director of IFDE, reports that the people from the fishing villages appreciated how the women visited them and assessed the needs of the community before distributing anything. Their discussions resulted in some changes being made to the initial relief plans. The survivors asked if kerosene lamps could be provided instead of candles, as local people felt that candles would not work well in the windy exposed areas where they were living, and posed a fire hazard in their temporary shelters. Kerosene stoves for cooking and wool blankets for cool nights were also added to the list. The villagers indicated it was the first time an aid agency had discussed their needs with them, which made them "feel treated with dignity and respect," Ahitha explained.

Women from IFDE's women's associations come from very poor and marginalized communities themselves. With the support of PWS&D and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) they have been working together creating literacy classes, advocating for basic services from the government, and fostering small businesses through self-help groups and small loans. In the face of the tsunami disaster, they saw an opportunity to look beyond the local community to neighbours in need. Now they are eager to pass on what they have learned about community development to these fishing villages, and have committed to helping in the long term. Plans are already underway to replace fishing boats, motors, and nets, start literacy classes and other development work. A $40,000 grant from PWS&D will help them accomplish this work.