Irulas name village
after ActionAid founder
Irula tribals of the tsunami-affected village of M G R
Nagar in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu have renamed
their village after ActionAid founder Sir Cecil Jackson
Cole.
Sixty houses built by the Bharathi Trust with
ActionAid’s support have replaced fragile thatched huts
washed away when giant waves struck the India’s south
coast. But changes the Irula community has embarked on
go far beyond bricks and mortar.
In a bid to show their appreciation, residents now call
their village Cecil Nagar. The district administration
has updated the village name in its official records.
Amma Kannu, a woman who lost her husband in the
disaster, says, “This house built by Bharathi Trust and
ActionAid was essential for my survival.” Today her
life’s mission is to work for her community.
While Kannu was struggling with the waves, she rescued a
crying baby who was about to drown. That orphaned child
is being brought up in Cecil Nagar by a community that
is far stronger today than before the tsunami hit.
Coming together
To manage the construction and a host of other concerns
faced by the community, ActionAid and Bharathi Trust
helped Irulas in three villages (Kalingar Nagar, North
Pichavaram and Cecil Nagar) form their own association
called Sarpam.
Sarpam members have been involved in every step of
construction, from design and purchase of materials to
monitoring the building work. Two families with disabled
children have had ramps, hand-rails and heightened
toilets built in their homes.
The new homes brought together sixty families who were
earlier living dispersed alongside beaches on land for
which they had no titles. All families will have
ownership deeds in the name of the female head of
household. “We now feel like a united community,” says
fisherman Seeni Vasan.
More fish in the sea
“ActionAid has helped mobilise our people to fight for
roads and water and livelihoods,” says Balakrishnan,
Sarpam Sarpam president for Cuddalore district.
Caste-based discrimination has traditionally relegated
Irulas to backwater fishing. Now Irulas local villages
not only have boats and nets but they have succeeded in
negotiations with other fishing groups to allow them to
fish in the sea.
Boats, nets and confidence are reducing reliance on
money lenders.
Some of us were bonded labourers working in the fields,
others relied on work from fishing boat owners, and of
course whatever we could catch from the backwaters. Now
we can fish in the sea we catch more.”
Future agenda
When Babu Mathew, Country Director of ActionAid India
was invited to unveil a plaque dedicating the housing
project to Sir Cecil Jackson Cole, over a thousand Irula
men, women and children assembled.
Siddhamma, a well-known local activist working with
Irulas said: “It’s important that Cole’s family know
that people from a far off country are still benefiting
from his vision. We remember the great man for his
deeds.”
Babu Mathew reflected on the community’s achievements:
“The strength of any struggle lies in organisations of
people. Sarpam is one such organisation that is making
Irulas stronger. In future I hope to see a Greater
Sarpam, one which will include people from other
marginalised communities such as Muslims, Dalits and
other indigenous (tribal) groups.”
“The Indian Constitution has given several rights to
citizens of this country – right to health, shelter,
food, education, and free speech. Organisations like
Sarpam can help people claim those rights. All villages
should have a functional school and public health
system,” he said setting out an agenda for advocacy with
local authorities.
