BY Daniel Harkins | October 5 | 
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SSVP Scotland donates £30,000 to flood-hit Kerala
The Society of St Vincent de Paul Scotland have sent £30,000 to flood victims in India after learning of the plight of fellow SSVP members in the Kerala region.
Unusually severe monsoon rains in Kerala—which has a large Catholic population—led to more than 400 deaths and 20,000 homes destroyed.
Among those affected was Johnson Varghese, SSVP Indian national president, who was forced to move his family out of his home due to flooding.
Mr Varghese said the SSVP is in a good position to help in Kerala as they have a presence in all the affected areas.
“Implementation of emergency aid plans is carried out by our network of 36,000 volunteers linked to parishes across the state,” he said.
“Around 800,000 people are living in relief camps. We are doing our best to support the people.”
Jim McKendrick, SSVP Scottish national president (inset left, with Mr Varghese) said: “This tragedy is particularly poignant for the SSVP here in Scotland as many of our conferences provide prayers, friendship and financial assistance on a regular basis to conferences in Kerala, and I have met and befriended Johnson.”
Joseph Pandian, SSVP international vice-president general, who lives in India, said: “At the hour of our great worry and agony, we appeal to our Vincentian brothers and sisters all over the world for the solidarity of prayers.”
The SSVP’s appeal is ongoing and recently received a further £8,000. The charity have also sent £30,000 in response to an appeal for assistance following the recent earthquakes and tsunami in Indonesia. The SSVP in Indonesia has 366 conferences and just over 4,000 active members.
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