Church helps Indian tsunami victims restart livelihoods

Published: 2005-06-15

DEVANAPATTINAM, India (CNS) -- The effects of December's tsunamis are still being felt in this small village, but with help from church agencies, families are optimistic about getting back on their feet. Although the family of a woman named Chinnaponnu did not suffer any causalities -- about 100 of Devanapattinam village's residents were killed -- the saltwater dried up her jasmine plants, depriving her family of its sole source of income. Each jasmine plant was used to make hundreds of garlands that were sold in the market in Cuddalore. However, the Pondicherry Archdiocese's tsunami rehabilitation program came to the aid of Chinnaponnu, 65, and other tsunami victims. The Pondicherry Archdiocese's social action wing, the Pondicherry Multipurpose Social Service Society -- working in collaboration with Caritas India and Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops' international relief and development agency -- gave $70 grants to help Chinnaponnu and hundreds of other mostly Hindu Indians restart their livelihoods.

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