The Victims Information, Sensitisation, Welfare and Assistance Society (VISWAS), a voluntary organisation working for the welfare of the victims of crimes and excesses, built 18 houses for the families who were devastated by last year’s floods at Vellaparakkunnu colony near Nemmara.
The VISWAS constructed the houses under an aid scheme titled Awas with the support of the Kerala Club of Detroit, US, and Jakarta-based philanthropist Sreejit Chalakkal.
Cost
Each house in 360 sq ft cost ₹2.5 lakh, said VISWAS secretary P. Premnath.
Renowned social activist Daya Bai gave away the keys of the new houses. She called upon the people to instil the feeling of familial relations in the young generation.
“The depths of our relations are becoming shallow every day,” she said.
She said helping the victims and those in need of aid was not merely an act of charity, but the responsibility of a society.
Ms. Bai also sought help for the endosulfan victims of Kasaragod.
Sujith Menon, former president of the Kerala Club of Detroit who took initiative to raise $90,000 to help the flood victims, inaugurated the electrification of the houses at a separate function held at Vellapparakkunnu.
Mr. Menon said that the Malayali community in Detroit had stood with the victims of the floods by contributing liberally at various levels, including their Go Fund Me programme.
Schemes
“We could reach out to the flood victims across the State through over a dozen schemes, including the VISWAS Awas housing project,” said Mr. Menon.
VISWAS vice president V.P. Kuriakose presided.
Actor Rajesh Hebbar was the chief guest.
Philanthropist Sreejit Chalakkal, Shanti Diagnosis director Uma Preman, Centre for Life Skills Learning (CLSL) director Ashok Nemmara, U. Liaqat Ali Khan, N.V. Shankar, V. Suresh Babu, B. Jayarajan, and R. Devikripa spoke.
Awas scheme
The VISWAS had also constructed a house for a poor woman at Yakkara in January under the banner of its Awas scheme.