All the 28 beneficiaries of the Wayanad landslide victims were given the raised funds of over £ 100 Ks at Meppady Panchayat hall, Wayanad on 20th November 2024. The local MLA Mr T  Siddique was the chief guest in the brief ceremony and local Panchayat president Mr K Babu presided over the meeting. Mr. Shajan Skariah, Chief editor of Marunadan Malayali & the founding chairman of BMCF, Mr. Soni Chacko, the advisory committee member of BMCF were also in the meeting. Mr. Pankajakshan, director of Santhigram, a local charity in which BMCF implemented the project and the local Panchayat members along with local representative Mr. Ajay were other attendees in the meeting.

This was the single largest fund ever given by British Malayali Charity Foundation along with Marunadan Malayali, an online newspaper based in Kerala India. The BMCF funds were sent through Santhigram, a local charity in India since BMCF was unable to channel the funds due to the restrictions of FCRA regulations in India. An amount of £ 71,600.00 was raised by BMCF through skydiving charity event conducted at Nottingham on 9th September 2024 and this fund was transferred to Santhigram’s bank a/c which realised in the tune of Rs. 77,44,000.00..

Also, a separate campaign was run by Marunadan Malayali to raise funds in India and an Rs. 36,26,251.36 received in Santhigram’s bank a/c including the receipt of Rs. 21,361.00 in director’s Google pay a/c in India. A grand total fund of Rs. 11,370,251.36 was raised/transferred and out of which Rs.1,12,000,00.00 given to 28+1 landslide victims. 

Out of the remaining Rs. 1,70,251.36 from the above, BMCF trust decided to send another £ 1,250.00 ( Rs. 1,25,000.00) to utilise the remaining funds to support 5 bright but financially backward nursing students in Kerala , India and also to organise some medicines for the affected poor people in the Wayanad tragedy.

From the total balance amount of Rs. 2,95,251.36, it was decided to support 5 nursing students with Rs.50,000.00 each to the total amount of Rs. 2,50,000.00 and the remaining balance fund of Rs. 45,251.36 earmarked to buy medicines.

Please visit www.britishmalayali.co.uk for the above news in Malayalam…

BMCF successfully conducted the skydiving charity event with participation of 28 kind-minded people including young students, priest, business people and several professionals from all over the UK.

A total of £ 71,600.00 raised and allocated for the selected applicants from the  disastrous landslide, which struck in the early morning on 30th July at Churalmala & Mundakai regions of Wayanad district killing hundreds of people with loss of houses and properties.  When all the skydivers raised an amount of £ 63,596.20, £ 1,215.00 received in BMCF general fundraising link. Also, £ 3,530.00 generated through BMCF Wayanad Appeal and  Gift Aid of £  10,750.00 added. BMCF bank a/c received £120.00 and Omni, Belfast’s fund of £ 560.00. Out of total 79,771.20 receipt, kindlink fee of £ 1,340.00, the skydiving cost of £ 6,720.00 &  SWIFT Fee of £ 150.00 were deducted subsequently.

Balance after costs £ 71, 561.20 derived and rounded it up to £ 71,600 taking 38.80 from the charity’s general account. The list of skydivers including the raised fund has attached below.

British Malayali Charity Foundation  finalised the list of 28  beneficiaries towards the Wayanad landslide disaster project and pleased to publish the same as follows.

There were many more people affected who were  otherwise eligible for the funding but the charity had to stipulate to its strict criteria of students who lost their parents or those are affected but in  nursing education. The foundation received more than 70 applications, which was collected through   local entrusted representative Shri.Ajay. A stringent enquiry/verification was conducted through right from local MLA, Meppady Panchayat President, ward members, Asha workers, local NGOs such as Arshabharatha Bahujana Samithi etc to find out the deserving applications.

Out of 28 applications selected, BMCF had to categorise them into three as per the severity of the tragedy, their current situation and age.

There are eleven 1st priority beneficiaries who will be receiving Rs. 5,00,0000.00 each and twelve 2nd priority applicants will be receiving 3,50,000.00 each. The remaining 5 people has been grouped into the 3rd priority with allocated fund of Rs. 3,00,000.00 each.

A total amount of
Rs.1,12,00,000.00 has been earmarked for the project to support the above 28 beneficiaries.  This was facilitated with joint venture with the local charity in Kerala, India I i.e Santhigram, who also collected an amount of Rs.36,26,251.36 collected. BMCF’s
£ 71,600.00 realised into the FCRA a/c of Santhigram in India to the tune of Rs. 77,44,000.00.

As such, a grand total amount of Rs.1,1370,251.36 has made available for distribution. After the earmarked fund of Rs 1,12,00,000.00 for Wayanad landslide victims, Rs. 44,651.36 will be  disbursed to buy medicine to the affected people in due course and the rest of Rs. 1,25,600.00 to the 5 nursing students in Kerala, who are bright enough but facing financial difficulties. The charity has decided to support them with Rs. 50,000.00 each ( approx £ 500.00) and the rest of the funds will be used from the general fund. An amount of £ 500.00 given to Alzheimer’s society UK, using from BMCF’s general fund. Secretary Biji Jose handed over to the cheque at their Belfast office.

As far as Wayanad victims are concerned, there are small children under 10 years  right from  4 months to 9 years old in the selected list, who  lost their parent(s) including the siblings. 9 years old boy   escaped miraculously and was found only next day in the debris with little signs of life. Now he is recovering slowly and his mother is still bedridden with injuries. A little girl in the family is still missing and unaccounted. Another 8 years old girl has not come to the terms of reality with the loss of her parents and the little brother.

The charity have accommodated small children into the 1st priority and comparitively seniors into the 2nnd and  have given special consideration to the children under 18 years in the 1st preference.  24 years old Shruti was also came under this category due to the special circumstances. A family of 2 nursing students, who lost everything but survived with no loss of lives have also taken care of with 1st category.
There are 6 nursing students, who lost their houses and and other assets into the selected group.

The foundation has already requested the parents of children under 18 years old to make arrangements for depositing the funded amount in FD along with their local guardian to get matured at them being reaching the age of 18. Rest of the applicants will be receiving the cheques in their names to utilise the funds for their further education.

BMCF chairman Mr Sabu Sebastian has thanked skydivers for their effort, hard work and dedication which helped  to support the victims of Wayanad tragedy with such an incredible amount. Also expressed  gratitude and admiration towards each one of them for their  sympathy, compassion and willingness shown towards their fellow human beings when they were in pain and grief in the event of an unforeseen disaster.

Mr. Sabu also thanked Shri Shajan Skariah, the founding chairman and Chief editor of Marunadan Malayali for his great effort in reaching the hand over amount to over Rs 1 crore, young participants were a great encouragement to the whole team including professionals,  priests and businesses fraternity and to a great number of people from Kerala, India, all had positively reacted to Marunadan news urging them to donate said his  thanks and appreciation.

He also thanked Mr. Pankajakshan , director of Santhigram, the BMCF charity partner in India, who had  played a vital role. His word of appreciation also given to  local MLA Shri S. Siddique, co ordinator Shri Ajay, Meppady Panchayat president Shri Babu, Panchayat members, Arshabharat Bahujana Samithi, Asha/social workers, Shri Abraham.

The fund distribution will be organised later.

Please visit www.britishmalayali.co.uk for the above news in Malayalam..