CYDA is a non-profit voluntary organization based in Pune. The major focus of the organization is to mobilize and motivate young people and professionals and channel their energy towards social development as well as youth development.
CYDA’s out-of-town volunteers have provided consistent support to the community; they have made an 18-month commitment to work in the village. Unlike many organizations that distributed relief materials to several villages and then left, CYDA has a big difference in the community because of their constant presence since the tsunami.
CYDA volunteers were one of the first to reach Nagapattinam just after the tsunami hit. The CYDA volunteers later settled in Pushpavanam, a village that had not received aid from any source. Three communities –fishermen, farmers and dalits live in this village.
Since the tsunami, there have been over 150 volunteers from this organization working with the Pushpavanam community. They live with the community, on the temple grounds. Every ten days a new group of volunteers 10-15 is sent to this village, providing a continuous presence in the community. CYDA has made a commitment to help this community for 18 months. The volunteers interact with the community to provide physical, psychological and emotional support. With the help of AFARM (Pune agriculture specialists) they taught the farmers how to save the affected cashew nut trees. This group’s efforts and their constant presence also provide stability to this community. CYDA is also now looking into providing scholarships for over 70 tsunami-affected students.
Bhoomika Trust had the opportunity to work with Aniel Mundra, a CYDA volunteer who stopped by at Chennai on his return from Nagapattinam.
