Mahima’s family lost everything. An unexpected fire broke out and destroyed their home and all their belongings. Thankfully, no one was injured, but the family of five came home to discover that all their possessions had burned. It was going to take a lot of work to recover from this.
The twenty-one-year-old and his family live in a neighbourhood near our Nellore site in India. His mother, Saramma, runs a vendor cart to earn her daily living. Thanks to the support of Chalice sponsors, Mahima, Eliah, and their little brother Paul are all studying.
In 2023, a fire broke out at one of their neighbour’s homes from a wood cooking fire that was unattended. The fire spread fast but everyone in the house got out safely. Their neighbours rushed to extinguish the blaze and called the fire department.
Despite their efforts, the fire consumed the house where it began, as well as the two houses beside it. The families in the two nearest houses were both out at their temple.
“The family lost all their belongings during the fire,” Nellore staff say. “The house was burned fully. The vendor cart, which was used to earn their daily living, was burned. The children lost their school bags, notebooks, and bicycles.” All their essential belongings.
The Nellore site staff visited the affected families immediately after the accident. “The family was helpless and homeless, and they were in distress.” Nellore staff say.
The site staff could see that they needed all the basic items for living, like nutrition items, clothing, education materials, and dishes. They also replaced Saramma’s vendor cart, the children’s bicycles, and provided a tarp for a temporary roof cover.
The Nellore staff requested emergency relief through Chalice’s Critical Needs Fund. Thanks to our generous donors, they helped the affected families, totaling 15 people. They received hampers of essential dry goods such as lentils, flour, cooking oil, and hygiene kits with soap, sanitary pads, and toothpaste. Additionally, they provided educational materials, dishes, utensils, cooking pots, and clothing.
They also supported Saramma’s family to replace the cart, bikes, and roofing materials. “The family started earning their living through the support of the vendor cart, and the support of Chalice brought a sense of happiness to Saramma’s family,” Nellore staff say, “and the children were able to continue their education. They regained their confidence.”
Critical Needs are used to provide immediate support in times of crises, like Mahima and her neighbours. Learn more about how you can provide urgent care for those who are in desperate need of support through our Critical Needs Fund.
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