By PUNNEN KURIAN | Project Coordinator
When the Waters Rose
Naalumanikaattu is a community-owned ecotourism facility developed as a unique village roadside conservation project, bringing together environmental restoration, local enterprise and community livelihoods. What began as an effort to transform a neglected marshland has grown into a vibrant community space that welcomes visitors while creating livelihood opportunities for local women.
Today, Naalumanikaattu has 12 food stalls run by 24 local women. For these women, the stalls are not simply small businesses—they are their primary and sole source of livelihood. They have invested in their businesses by availing loans from Kerala Grameen Bank, making the continued operation of the stalls essential for supporting their families and meeting their financial commitments.
In August 2026, severe flooding at Naalumanikaattu caused extensive damage to the stalls and their supporting facilities. Floodwater affected electrical wiring, plumbing systems, tiled surfaces, platforms, cooking burners and other essential infrastructure. The burners used by the women to prepare food were also destroyed in the flooding, adding another significant expense to the already difficult process of rebuilding their businesses.
The situation has become even more difficult for the families depending on these livelihoods. With the stalls unable to function normally and some households also affected by the flooding, the financial burden has increased significantly. The women are now faced with the challenge of recovering from the physical damage while continuing to meet their existing financial responsibilities.
What had been built through years of effort, investment and community participation was severely affected in a matter of hours. The damage is therefore not only to buildings and facilities—it has directly disrupted livelihoods.
The Work Ahead
The immediate priority is to make the stalls safe and functional again. This includes replacing damaged electrical wiring, repairing plumbing systems, restoring tiled areas and platforms, replacing the destroyed cooking burners, and rebuilding other components affected by the flood.
For the 24 women who depend on these stalls, restoring the facilities means more than reopening a business. It means restoring an important source of income and helping their families regain some financial stability after the flood.
TIES is supporting the rejuvenation of the affected facilities and working towards restoring the stalls in a safe, practical and sustainable manner. However, the scale of the damage has created a significant financial challenge, and additional support is urgently needed.
Help Us Rebuild
The flood has damaged infrastructure and essential cooking equipment that these women depended on for their livelihoods. With timely support, we can help restore the stalls and give the women an opportunity to return to their regular source of income.
Your contribution can help us:
Every contribution, regardless of its size, can help turn a damaged space back into a functioning livelihood.
Join Us in Rebuilding Naalumanikaattu
Naalumanikaattu represents what can be achieved when community participation, conservation and livelihoods come together. The 12 stalls are more than roadside food outlets—they are the foundation of the livelihoods of 24 local women and an important part of a community-owned ecotourism initiative.
Today, Naalumanikaattu needs support to rebuild what the flood has taken away.
The flood may have damaged the stalls, destroyed essential cooking equipment, and disrupted livelihoods, but it does not have to end the livelihoods built around them.
Please contribute to the rejuvenation and rebuilding efforts at Naalumanikaattu and help these women get back on their feet.
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