On festive weekend, the nation comes out to help rebuild Kerala

Onam this Saturday had a sombre note for many due to the ongoing suffering of survivors of the flooding in Kerala. With over 400 dead, close to one and a half million in relief camps, and 23,000 families left with damaged homes, the usual festivities of Onam were missing this year.  It however turned into an Onam of compassion for the entire country, as relief and prayers continued to pour for those hit by the calamity.  Sunday also saw the celebration of Rakshabandhan, wherein many chose to donate for the cause. 

Volunteers associated with SEEDS (Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society, www.seedsindia.org), a key humanitarian actor in the country, organised a collection drive across 11 cities this weekend in support of Kerala flood survivors. 

The campaign focussed on #Back2Home and #Back2School, the approach taken by SEEDS to focus on quick repair and reconstruction of buildings so that families can get back into homes and children can return safely to schools. While doing so, SEEDS is also focussing on drinking water and toilet facilities that are badly hit by the floods and are posing a health hazard to the displaced families. 

Volunteers who led the campaign across various cities came from all walks of life, a number of them being college students, teachers, professionals, local leaders and designers.Local organisations stepped in to support the effort. Yuganter in Patna, Eco-Logic Foundation in Pune, Evoke Centre for Artsin Ahmedabad, Vivesvarayya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) in Nagpur and Kaaya Learning Centre in Dehradun mobilised their networks to support the effort.Over 20 volunteers devoted their time towards the campaign, mobilising the crowd to support the cause.    

Pacific Mall joined the campaign as a venue partner in Delhi and Dehradun, where people thronging the popular weekend venue in larger numbers than usual due to two back to back festivals came to the donation stall in large numbers.  Donors were from very varied backgrounds, and hailed from almost all parts of the country. 

While informing visitors of the needs on the ground and ways of extending support, volunteers also highlighted the fact that unlike many other parts of the country, Kerala gets a second wave of heavy rains in the retreating Monsoon that hits Kerala between October and December. This phenomenon, called the Northeast Monsoon, will bring a second wave disaster for families already rendered homeless by the present flooding.

The drive was well received by different cities, and by different age group of masses. As young as 8 year old Hridaan Atul Phule, donated stationary for his fellow compatriots in Kerala, expressing desire to do his bit for them. Such instances of inspirational gestures were witnessed across the different centres, making the collection drive an overall success.

The resources raised through the campaign are being used by SEEDS to support housing and school recovery work among the worst affected districts Wayanad, which is also one of the most marginalised and tribal regions of Kerala. The interventions will be carried out over a period of one year. Currently SEEDS is organising health camps, providing shelter support kits comprising tents, utensils and bedding; and school kits comprising school bags and stationary to the affected groups.