Terre des hommes

Risking life in forests where danger lurks, no more a daily routine

“We are from Punkuduthivu village in Jaffna. My mother and father are dead and my sister also went missing during the height of the conflict”, said Malar wiping away a tear.

A twenty one year old mother of a 5month year old baby boy, Malar had to flee from their home in the height of the war in Punkuduthivu in Jaffna district in Sri Lanka. Now, she with her family has been resettled in Sivapuram in Mallavi in Mulathivu district. Her husband being a wage labourer can hardly make the ends meet.

Having a toilet for their household was a necessity. Yet it seemed almost a luxury with the meager daily income secured by Malars husband. Adjoining Malar’s house was a shrub land covered with Palmyra trees. They had no option but to go to the shrub land where danger lurks not only from serpents but sometimes even from land mines.

Five months ago immediately after delivery Malar no longer had to take the risk of going to the forest area, as her family was among many other families selected by the Water and sanitation Team of Terre des hommes to provide with a toilet. Now, as a result life is less of a hassle for Malar.