After the brutal floods hit Tamil Nadu in the final months of 2015, families living in thatched roof huts in rural and low-income areas found their dwellings in shambles. The water’s fury tore apart roofs and walls, severely damaged toilets and septic tanks rendering them unusable and ripped off doors at the hinges, causing serious security worries for the flood victims. Some others had the misfortune of completely losing their homes. A majority of these residents are daily wage labourers who had a hand-to-mouth existence even before the tragedy struck – now with all their hard-earned property destroyed, these families are attempting to rebuild their lives from scratch, with no means to pay for the much-needed repair of their homes. Currently living without privacy or basic safety, they are forced to adopt makeshift measures such as using clothing and carefully-balanced sticks in place of walls, draping tarpaulin sheets above the structure to compensate for the lack of shelter during fresh rains and stacking whatever little is left of their personal belongings outdoors. After completing relief distribution on a wide scale across Tamil Nadu, OfERR staff observed families in desperate conditions in the poorest of villages and is determined to band together once again and come to the aid of these communities. While hundreds of huts are badly damaged, OfERR has done damage assessment surveys across the state and identified the ones in imminent need of repair on account of family situations, fire safety issues, income levels and the extent of damage. As and when these homes are repaired, the subsequent huts will be moved up the priority list. OfERR is also supplementing the government aid that is being provided to repair public toilets that have been severely damaged in flood-affected villages, while also funding the construction of low-cost rain water drains that will prevent future flooding in high-risk areas. With your support, we can lend a hand to each and every one of these families and help turn their homes into the safe havens they are meant to be.