NOMADS OF INDIA: 50 Nomadic families got New Houses in Deesa

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

50 Nomadic families got New Houses in Deesa

HOME... this magical four lettered word, a safe and secure place filled with love, laughter, joy, hope, dreams, happiness, and so much more! A place we all wish and desire to create atleast once in a life time. As someone has rightly said, “There is nothing more important than a good, safe, secure home.” The privileged like us who might own one or two or even more physical spaces, will never understand the value of it but there are millions, who for generations have never lived in anything more than a shanty hut or under a tarpaulin owning a house is worth achieving a million dreams.

Thus, when the Deesa Nagarpalika decided to allot homes to nomadic families under the Rajiv Gandhi housing program, on a concessional rates it was a dream

come true moment for many. On 13th July, the Deesa municipality organized a program to handover two room homes to 55 nomadic families of Deesa. It was the enthusiasm and hard work of Shri Pravinbhai Mali, President, Deesa Nagarpalika and his team of officials that remained instrumental in making this into a reality and helping the families realize their dreams.

The applicant families had to deposit Rs. 55,000 as down payment, but neither these extremely poor families have seen that kind of money nor did they have any source to raise this much amount. But Shri Mali and our well-wishers helped us raise this amount. The families were provided aid of Rs. 45,000 through District Social Welfare Department. VSSM sent an appeal to its well-wishers to raise the balance Rs. 10,000 to be given as interest free loan to each of these families. We haven’t managed to raise the entire amount but the families have received possession to their homes. On the day the were handed over the keys to their homes, the families performed a small Pooja of their family deity as part of their house-warming ritual.

“We have become house owners, no one from our previous generations has ever lived in a proper house, we are so blessed to have seen this day, I suddenly feel young and alive…living in barely covered houses in the woods exposed to the elements and wild life is dreadful but now we have nothing to fear, no rain or sun or cold….” said an elated Mafiben who is an aging widow from Deesa. This was the sentiment of all the families who received houses from Deesa Nagarpalika.

It would have been impossible to experience this moment without the support and cooperation of Deesa Nagarpalika and our Government. The actual price of the house is much higher but their compassion towards the nomadic communities made the authorities allot these homes at negligible price. We are extremely thankful to the Deesa Nagarpalika officials and government for their decision. Also, the endless love and support we receive from our well-wishers, we are grateful for the faith and support you provide to these endeavors. The amount you have donated has helped in providing interest free loan of Rs. 10,000 to these families.

The list of VSSM well-wishers who have extended their generous support to this appeal is as tabled under:

No. Amount Donor Organization/Individual

1 1,00,000 Amita Memorial Trust, Mumbai

2 50,000 Res. Shri Pradipbhai A. Shah, Mumbai

3 50,000 Shri Dayaben Girjashankar Sheth Trust, Mumbai

4 50,000 Res. Shri Kirtibhai Sheth, Mumbai

5 10,000 Res. Shri Rajeshbhai Kadkiya, Mumbai

6 10,000 Res. Shri Alkesh Mashruwala - Ahmedabad

7 25,000 Res. Paresh vora - Ahmedabad

We have managed to raise Rs. 2,95,000 but still fall short of Rs. 2,05,000 nonetheless, we are confident of raising this balance amount soon. For now, we have extended the loans to these families from our corpus.

The pictures reveal the before and after living conditions of the families who received homes in Deesa…