Vocational training certificates were awarded to the victims of last year’s devastating landslides in Mundakai and Churalmala at Wayanad, under the guidance of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and Mata Amritanandamayi Math. The initiative, led by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, aimed to empower survivors by providing them with skills to rebuild their lives.
The event was graced by T. Siddique, MLA of Kalpetta, who praised the collaborative efforts of Mata Amritanandamayi Math and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in supporting the disaster-affected community. “It is a great thing to bring the victims of the landslide disaster back to life. That great duty was carried out by Mata Amritanandamayi Math and Amrita University together, as per the instructions of Amma,” he remarked, emphasizing the profound impact of Amma’s disaster relief efforts in the region.
The vocational training program, initiated in December 2024 by AMMACHI Labs, aimed to support the rehabilitation of women in the worst-hit villages of Mundakai and Churalmala. To date, 87 women have received training in tailoring, while 26 others have been taught computer-based skills, such as MS Office and Tally. This training has provided a sense of hope and confidence to those affected, giving them the opportunity to earn a living and support their families.
Brahmacharini Karunyamrita Chaitanya, who heads the Amrita Sustainable Livelihood and Disaster Resilience Programme, shared the vision behind the initiative: “Through this program, we aimed to provide these women with vocational skills to help them overcome the challenges they face and improve their lives. We have successfully achieved this goal. They came here as a group, and maintaining this solidarity is what we aim to achieve going forward.”
The day before the event, community members and survivors gathered to plant trees in memory of those lost in the 2019 Churalmala landslide. The tree planting was accompanied by an all-faith prayer session, fostering a spirit of unity and healing among the affected community members. Many survivors described the act of returning to the site and planting saplings as a form of emotional renewal.
This vocational training initiative is a crucial step in the long-term recovery process, offering not only essential skills but also a sense of hope and purpose to the survivors, helping them move forward with confidence and strength.
