HCL Foundation organised a Cyclone Relief Distribution Drive in Semmencherry, Chennai

New Delhi, January 20, 2016: As part of its Disaster Relief and Risk Reduction (DRR) programme to support the victims of the recent Cyclone Vardah in Chennai, HCL Foundation organised a Relief Distribution Drive in Semmencherry. Approx. 7,000 households from the severely hit Semmencherry community received the relief kits during the drive which was organised on January 11, 12 and 13.

Semmencherry, primarily a resettlement colony of labourers and daily wage earners, is one of the worst affected areas in Chennai that has incurred colossal damage to property and livelihood of the residents due to Cyclone Vardah. Immediately after the cyclone, HCL Foundation analysed the situation and initiated a collection drive within the HCL offices to distribute immediate relief items to the victims. HCL Foundation team went door-to-door to provide tokens to the affected families. The relief kits reached a large number of people in need that included pregnant women, children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Each relief kit consisted of rice, dal, salt, milk powder, chilly powder, atta, tea, sanitary napkins and a mosquito net. While the procurement of the items was done by HCL Foundation, HCL volunteers and the youth from the community came forward to make this noble cause a success.

Semmencherry has been identified for holistic and integrated community development by HCL Foundation as part of their ‘My Community Project’, which is supported by the volunteers from the company. HCL Foundation is also running a Gurukul (after-school coaching centre) with an NGO partner in the community where currently 170 students from Class 6 to 12 are enrolled. The Foundation also runs a Yuvakendra centre for skills training where around 30 youths are being trained presently in various trades for sustainable livelihood.

Corporate Comm India(CCI Newswire)