Photo Essay

India 07/05

March 17, 2005

Returning to sea, returning to work in India

Geneva, March 16, 2005

Photos by Lutheran World Service India (LWSI)/ACT International.

The sea has always meant life for many villages along India's eastern coast. Before the tsunami, many families and communities depended upon the bounty of the sea for their food and their way of living. Now, as tsunami survivors progress through their recovery, many fishermen are eager to return work and start earning an income again, to return to their way of life. However, many boats and equipment were damaged or lost in the tsunami. Working together, Lutheran World Service India (LWSI) and the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India, members of Action by Churches Together (ACT) International, a global alliance of churches and related agencies, are assisting some of these fishermen in their return to the life the sea brings.

The first of the "fishermen’s collective livelihood kits" that are being distributed to fishing communities by LWSI and UELCI were delivered recently. New fiberglass boats are the main part of these kits. Upon delivery, fishing crews took their new boats out on the water to try them out.

The livelihood kits also include a 10-horsepower engine for the boat and two sets of nets. Each boat with its equipment is intended to be owned and managed collectively by approximately ten families.

LWSI director Howard Jost says the launch of the first boats was the culmination of a lot of work by ACT members following the tsunami. He adds that the men caught a few fish and shared them with people back on shore. "It was a wonderful taste to eat the result of everyone's sincere efforts," he says.

LWSI and UELCI plan to purchase and deliver at least 90 boats to coastal communities, including the villages of Annappanpettai (Cuddalore), Anichankuppam (Villupuram) and Nallavadu (Pondicherry).