|
Cynthia Rodrigues
Drawing on people and resources from
across the Group, the Tata Relief Committee has
been working overtime to help rehabilitate those devastated
by the Indian Ocean tsunami
The memories
of December 26, 2004, will remain branded on the consciousness
of the many millions who were, in one way or the other,
affected by the cataclysmic Indian Ocean tsunami. Four
months down the line though, the imagery of death and
devastation is fast being replaced by symbols of renewal
and revival, of hope and resurgence. That's the picture
that presents itself in the coastal regions of Tamil
Nadu, among the places most severely stung by a natural
disaster of gargantuan proportions.
The repair and rebuilding effort,
of lives as much as infrastructure, under way since
the tsunami unleashed its fury has been driven by an
unusual if not unprecedented alliance involving government
agencies, non-governmental organisations and corporate
bodies. One of the most significant contributors in
the last of this troika of categories has been the Tata
Group, which has set a shining example of how much can
be achieved by sustained commitment.
The Tata initiative to lend a
helping hand to India's tsunami victims has been directed
through the Tata Relief Committee (TRC), the vehicle
through which the collective resources of the Group
are used to organise relief and rehabilitation activities
in the wake of natural disasters. TRC's credentials
for such a task have been enhanced by the experience
in has gained in dealing with similar, if not so damaging,
situations in the past, most notably the Gujarat earthquake
and the Orissa cyclone.
In the Tamil Nadu districts where
TRC has been working, the organisation has succeeded
in encouraging local youth to act as the link between
itself and the larger community. The intention was not
merely to restore what once was, but to transform the
face of the affected districts by strengthening infrastructure
and creating model villages.
In doing so, TRC took care not
to alienate the wider community. Local aspirations and
wishes played an important role in shaping the course
of the rehabilitation process. TRC knew only too well
that building a community is not just a matter of constructing
concrete walls: hearts must be fortified and spirits
renewed as communities set out on the journey from despair
to hope.
This is the story of how
a dedicated band of 'outsiders', in partnership with
the state administration, is enabling some of the many
people overwhelmed by the tsunami to bring a measure
of meaning back to their lives.
Uploaded on
April 27, 2005
|
