COINS 3 Peak Challenge Visit to India

CARE Post Tsunami Reconstruction Projects and Micro Credit Schemes

A team of 13 relative strangers met at Heathrow on Saturday 20th January, destination India.  The trip, the second of its kind, was the initiative of COINS Chairman, Larry Sullivan designed as a reward and incentive, for both participants and fundraisers involved with the annual COINS 3 Peaks Challenge event.

The group visited six CARE International post Tsunami reconstruction projects and micro-credit schemes in the state of Tamil Nadu, one of the southern states hardest hit by the 2004 tsunami in India.  It was plain to all, that CARE had not only responded to the emergency but had also succeeded in helping the communities to rebuild and improve their lives, they now have real hopes that the next generation will be well educated and be able to enter the professional world.  For now, working together with CARE the communities' livelihoods have been restored and enhanced, living conditions, general sanitation and hygiene improved significantly.  With CARE's help the communities have also learned how to support each other in dealing with the psychological impacts of the post Tsunami trauma.  Uniquely, the initial emergency response from CARE has effectively migrated to become sustainable development in the communities.

INDIA ITINERARY

The itinerary was very full, with no single night being spent in the same place and the constant 'adventure' of travel in India.  Over the six days the team were able to fit in visits six CARE International projects in the region. Watch this area for very personal accounts from all those on the trip.

20th  ~ Day 1 
Journey to Chennai

21st ~ Day 2
CARE Project briefing 
Journey to Pondichery

22nd ~ Day 3
Project 1. Kalaigar nagar Cuddalore District Re housing project with micro credit schemes to provide livelihoods, such as chickens farming.
Project 2. Permanent Housing Project at Pillumedu & their micro finance scheme that had provided  a Fish Dryer and increase the income from this area five fold.  With visit to the devastated island where the village was previously situated
Project 3. Micro Projects, Shanmuga Nagar including the provision of a Water tank, Retail Shop, Community Hall.

23rd ~ Day 3
Sight Seeing in Pondichery
Journey to Nagerkoil on overnight train

24th ~ Day 4
Project 4. Permanent Housing Project, Neerodi, Kanyakumari District
Project 5. Pond Renovation and Cashew Nut micro finance project, at Azhikal
Bill’s Birthday Party

25th ~ Day 5
Town with the Broken Bridge - story of the thorns
Project 6. Stella’s Flour Mill, Keezha Manakudy
Story of the girl with Hemiplegia
Island trip to monument
Visit to Care India Office
Journey back to Chennai on overnight train

26th ~ Day 6 
Sight seeing Chennai

Delegates included;
Christopher Banham, Multiplex
Jo Franklin, COINS & OASIS
Adam Halford, Weston Homes
Richard Hancock, Weston Homes
Paul McCulloch, Osborne
Judy McFarlane, Explorer Software
James Meaden, Westfield
Bill Mellor, COINS
Jan Smith, Besso
Louise Sullivan
Kate Unwin, Robinson Group

All were awarded places on the trip based on the team or companies fund raising success in the 2006 event or their regular commitment to the COINS 3 Peaks Challenge event over the past four years.  COINS also kindly sponsored two CARE International representatives to accompany the group, Michele Evans and Nicole Seeff.