Housing work done by Catherine Hope Foundation in Theni District
Laksmi is a resident of Genguvarpatti which is a village in Theni District in the foothills of Kodaikanal. She got married and had a baby girl. Unfortunately, within a few years of her marriage, her husband deserted her and her child also passed away at the tender age of two. This sent Lakshmi into a shock and she suffered a stroke which affected her arm and leg on one side. Now unable to fend for herself, she tried to contact her relatives for some support. But they also forsook her and she found herself on the streets. She had been homeless for many years. She would take refuge in the verandah of a house at night to sleep as she had no place to stay.
Touching Lives, Gifting Hope
130 persons in the villages around Genguvarpatti and Bathalakundu with different disabilities namely blind, deaf, paralysed, people who had lost their limbs, dwarfs, children with special needs, etc were the beneficiaries of the events which were held in three different villages. Masks were distributed and everyone were allowed inside the premises after sanitization. After singing the Tamil Thai Vazhthu song, the Panchayat Presidents who had come, were welcomed and honoured. Mr.Selvinson, gave a brief account of his daughter and how they were inspired by her life to start this Foundation. He encouraged all the people with disabilities present there to live a full life.
All essential groceries for one month including a bag of 5kg rice, Co-optex double bed sheet and a towel were given to the beneficiaries present there. There were some people who could not come to the place of distribution, so the boxes were handed to them personally.
A similar program was conducted in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh. Where groceries and bedsheets were distributed to 25 persons with disabilities. These people belong to tribal areas in the state. They were extremely happy to receive the gifts and profusely thanked CHF.