2008 Fire Relief

70 families lost all their possessions in a slum fire.

When a fire broke out in the Vyasarpadi slum in Chennai, around 280 people lost everything they had; things like clothes, cooking utensils, and children’s textbooks. The fire was a result of an electrical short-circuit, and took 3 hours to extinguish.

The victims needed basic resources.

Left with nothing but the clothes on their back, the victims needed bare essentials in order to restart their lives. The government would provide rice and even compensate the families, but that would take some weeks.

We worked as fast as we could to bring supplies.

Within 3 hours of the fire, five of our volunteers brought items like food, clothes, kerosene stoves, vessels, and mats. They immediately assessed what more was needed and addressed each need. For example, there was an instance where a girl lost her exam fees in the fire and our volunteers helped her pay the amount. 

With the combined efforts of well-wishers, the families were soon able to recover.

Other groups also responded to the incident - for example, some corporate organizations helped with children’s education. Each of us played specific roles, and in the end our combined efforts helped the families move past one of the most devastating moments of their lives.