ThyssenKrupp support projects for tsunami victims
Help for untouchables and the Irula people
A project to support the poorest groups of the population is also planned - the Untouchables and the Irula people in Kanchipuram and Cuddalore.
The Irula are a tribe of around 150,000 people. They are among the poorest sections of Indian society and have little means of enforcing their rights. The Untouchables or Dalits, India's caste-less population, are in a similar situation. Although both groups were also hit hard by the tsunami catastrophe, they are not receiving any support from the Indian government. International relief organizations also have little access to these people. Aid meant for these poorest of the poor often ended up in the hands of higher and more influential castes.
The Irula and the Dalits are therefore the focus of a further project being funded by ThyssenKrupp: in cooperation with the charity Kindernothilfe e.V., these people are being helped to help themselves under the motto "Building a new livelihood". For example, 700 families will receive fishing boats and nets. Permanent housing is to be built for a further 400 families currently still living in crude temporary shelters. In addition, a basic medical service and counseling are to be provided for these extremely disadvantaged people. The exact financial scope of the project is currently being determined by Kindernothilfe e.V.
