Gender issues were debated strongly during interim and long term planning activities. A shift of focus was on concerns on exploitation, vulnerability and more importantly participation of women in reconstruction. The relief materials were given to the women groups by the NGO. The NGO showed much works, through their women employees, which did result into greater confidence building of the locals, more so the women.

The NGO will take up PRA exercises right at the initial stage of the project for the effective implementation of the project and to involve the community in the management of the project. The establishment fish drying unit, value addition and marketing will implemented through existing women SHGs who will be trained in the operations and maintenance of the units. Once the NGO exits from the area, the SHGs will be responsible for carrying foeward the activities.

The agency will be working with the existing women SHGs and local fisher community for the implementation of the project. The income generating activities can be replicated among other local women SHGs in the coastal belt as the community is predominantly dependent on primary or secondary fishing activities.

The community members have been organized into Self Help Groups and capacity of the members are being built through thrift and credit activities and trainings on various activities like fish processing and marketing, composting, nursery raising and waste management. The project organized training and capacity building of the fishermen communities on management of sonar tracking systems, fish drier unit and traditional medicines. Relief materials were distributed to 192 affected families involving population of around 1000. Relief materials included ration, sports equipments for children, utensils, buckets, beddings, etc. A nursery equipped with bore well and an overhead tank has been established in a space donated by the church authority within the church premises. The nursery consists of 15050 saplings belonging to 25 different indigenous species. 2500 saplings belonging to 60 different species have been planed in an area of approximately 8 acres of land that was affected by tsunami. 3 sheds for storing recyclable waste have been constructed in 3 hamlets. The waste from these hamlets would be stored in respective sheds. Each shed has a storage capacity of approximately 1000kgs of recyclable waste. 1 tricycle has been procured for waste collection, 20 dustbins have been placed at the various locations within the village. 1000 small bags for storing recyclable waste have been distributed to the households. 50 big bags have been placed at various localities in the village. A training program on solid waste management was conducted for youths and SHG members. Herbal garden with 40 medicinal plant species has been established in a school premises in Pattaipulam village. 1 pond of approximate area 2400 sqmt has been renovated

The fishing community is being provided with sonar tracking equipments for fishing and enterprises will be built around dry fish processing and marketing. In addition, trainings are being provided to the SHGs on vermin composting, collection and segregation of waste, plastic shredding and raising of herbal mother garden. Gainful income generation enterprises will be initiated among the SHGs around these activities. Vegetative measures are being undertaken through plantation of multi-purpose trees and orchards.

The project adopted a participatory planning and management approach to build local institutions of the fishing communities and to build capacities of these groups to enhance incomes. Villages were selected through Participatory Appraisals for interventions under the Small Grants Programme for immediate relief and reconstruction and long-term rehabilitation.