Siddharth and RJ Balaji throw light on long-term rehab plans
Siddharth and RJ Balaji have thrown light on long-term rehabilitation plans for Chennai to get the disadvantaged familes back to track. At the Chennai Micro meet organized on Saturday, they also granted a solatium of Rs. 3 lakh to the kin of volunteers who lost their lives rescuing others in the unprecedented deluge that ravaged the city.
“When we started out, our focus was on rescue operations. Later, we got involved in the much-needed relief work. Our hardworking ground teams ensured that the affected citizens received drinking water hot packed food, biscuits, diapers, sanitary napkins, medicines, milk powder, blankets mats, mosquito repellents, coils and clothes, among many other crucial relief material. The Chennai Micro team reached out to various flood-affected areas in Chennai and Cuddalore, with relief material. Chennai Micro saw 5,695 amazing on-the-ground volunteers across Chennai and Cuddalore. These committed and dedicated people provided momentum to our movement. In all, 24,500 volunteers lent us their time online too, helping us in #ChennaiMicro movement! We were incredibly touched to receive over 100 trucks containing life-giving relief material from Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and beyond! In all, we received relief material worth around Rs. 6.5 crores,” read an official statement from Siddharth and Balaji.
“We, at Chennai Micro, have realised the amazing power of humanity and the mountains it can move. We have received a whopping Rs 3,39,18,793 from across the world as contributions to the V Trust. We have now officially stopped receiving funds. We have signed an MOU with Aid India, a reputed institution which works in the field of Education and Rehabilitation work. We will work with them towards rehabilitation measures such as a) Health/Malnutrition related issues amongst children b) Rebuilding/Repairing homes affected in the floods & c) Sanitation in flood-affected areas in Cuddalore and Kalpakkam. Our team has so far identified 50 villages that needs immediate attention and we will offer them our support over the next 6 to 12 We want this fund to reach the most needy. In this process, we have identified seven orphanages and one animal shelter as of now where Rehabilitation work will start. We will partner with more such organizations through our dedicated team. Our aim is to rebuild, refurbish, and meet the other infrastructural needs of these places, besides total livelihood rehabilitation in old-age homes Chennai Micro also facilitated the augmentation of funds for Bhumika Trust (which has recognition for acceptance of foreign contributions). The Trust is engaged in providing extensive relief work and rehab through small entrepreneur programmes. We learnt of the untimely deaths of Bharath and Imran, two amazing human beings who lost their lives during volunteering and rescue operations (not related to Chennai Micro). We salute their spirit and would like to offer their families a solatium of Rs.3 lakhs each.The Chennai Micro movement would not have succeeded without the inspiring, amazing people who make up our home, the city of Chennai. We have a long-term goal to continue working towards creating livelihoods for the underprivileged through Chennai Micro,” Balaji and Siddharth added.
