Tough grandmas

LIM SIAO LANG (Text & Pictures)

26th December 2004 - a day remembered by many around the world. It is an especially painful day for 57-year-old Mrs. Rajaluxmy and 55-year-old Mrs. Gunalakshumi, for it was when these two sisters each lost a daughter to the tsunami.

They now live at the temporary relief tents at the Main Relief Camp at Periyaneelavanai, Kalumai, Sri Lanka.

Since that fateful day, they have taken over the responsibility of looking after their dead daughters' children.

Out of her daughter's five children, Mrs. Rajaluxmy is looking after two of the girls-- Kulanchali, 13, and Pritha, seven, while Mrs. Gunalakshumi is also taking care of her two granddaughters-- Diluxsha, 11, and Kishanthini, eight.

Her two other grandsons had already dropped out of school and are now working in their uncle's goldsmith shop in Colombo city.

After the tsunami, neither of their son-in-laws have been contributing much to the family income. To earn a bit of money, Mrs Rajaluxmy is now a cook for the construction workers building the permanent houses near the relief camp, earning about 3,000 rupees (S$50) per month.

Mrs Gunalakshumi continues to make string hoppers daily which earns her about 5,500 rupees (S$90) a month.

Taking on the role of a mother for the second time is not an easy task, but the two grandmothers are hardly complaining. Mrs. Gunalakshumi's biggest wish is for her 2 granddaughters to study hard and eventually graduate from university.

"Only with a good education will they be able to find suitable partners for themselves in the future."

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