Leaving Pitchandikulim

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LAURIE Our last day in Pitchandikulim. It's almost cool or we may be getting used to the heat. We went yesterday to Puducherry. Saw the temple elephant (poor thing shackled most of the time in a garage size room.) Bought some lovely Indian sweets and books to keep us amused on our travels.

This week we saw more of PRBC work in Chennai and on the coast. The have got some money from Union Bank Swiss to work with a fishing village affected by the tsunami. The village wasn't actually damaged by the wave but the tsunami of aid has built new houses in a different area and given fishing boats to people who don't know how to use them. PRBC is doing the same kind of work here, helping develop women's groups and doing environmental education. They are particularly working with the Uluru Children's Home (run by 2 Melbourne doctors) and building a coastal envirmental education centre and a women's centre. We went on a fishing boat around the estuary and to the beach.

They are also working in Chennai, rehabilitating a lagoon and part of the Chennai Tip. This is contract work for the govt. Joss and Anita, the directors of PRBC are very well regarded and Joss particularly is like a CEO of a major corporation, always on the mobile, talking to govt people, directing operations, making things happen. It's not the small operation I imagined. It is making a difference. I'll look forward to coming back and seeing what they are doing next.

Off to Mysore tomorrow at 6am by taxi. Will meet up with Fiona, Mark and Jaden on Wednesday.

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