By Thomas Scaria

Kalpetta, Oct 7, 2025: Project Shelter, a Claretian initiative with the people’s participation, celebrated its second anniversary by handing over five houses to the needy in Wayanad, a Kerala district devastated by landslides a year ago.

The project, started to support victims of landslides in the hilly region, focuses on families affected by chronic diseases, disability or orphaned by the death of a breadwinner.

“As the government is building houses for the victims of the landslide, we have selected some other families based on our eligibility criteria,” said project founder, Father George Kannanthanam, who raised funds with a contribution of 1,000 rupees from people.

Five families who received the houses were felicitated on October 2 by local legislator T Siddique, journalist Shajan Scaria and child prodigy Fathima Anshi at De Paul School in Kalpetta, a major town in Wayanad.

Siddique thanked the Project Shelter for “completing the incomplete houses in Wayanad” which were originally covered in the Life Mission project of the government, but several families could not complete their dream houses with the government alone.

“The donation of one thousand from several people fulfilled their dreams today,” Siddique said.

One of the donors is Fathima Anshi, a blind girl doing her graduation. She donated 1,000 every month from her disability pension income. Anshi is also the brand ambassador of the Project Shelter and a national award winner as the ‘Shreshta Balika Purashkar’ from the Indian president.

“If I can contribute 1,000 rupees every month, anyone can help people get their dream house,” she said.

Scaria, editor of Marunadan Malayalee news portal, said it was unfortunate that people who lost houses in the landslide still do not have their houses. He applauded Father Kannanthanam for initiating the project. He expressed the hope that the project could hand over a house every day, with support from more people. He too promised his support.

Scaria also launched the AI-supported website of Project Shelter projectshelter.org.in at the program.

Father Kannanthanam thanked and honored the 10 founder members of Project Shelter at the program. He said some donors have contributed 1 million each to build a complete house.

The priest announced the launch of Project Harmony, another project for the care of the elderly in Belthangady, near Mangaluru, in neighboring Karnataka state. The donors of the land, Thomas Vettickal and his wife Annie, were honored on the occasion.