Kozhencherry: Athira and Avani can now sleep safely within the walls of a newly built home — a gift of compassion from Kozhencherry Powravali, a local citizens’ collective. Their story, once marked by hardship, came to light in the most unexpected way.

The turning point came when a KSEB official arrived at their old, crumbling house to disconnect the electricity due to unpaid dues. What he found instead was a handwritten note that read:

“Sir, please do not disconnect the fuse. Money is kept here.”

The incident, reported by Malayala Manorama, struck a chord online after a photo of the note went viral on social media. Deeply moved, Joji Kavumpadikkal, president of Kozhencherry Powravali, contacted the lineman, C.M. Vinesh Kumar, to learn more about the family’s situation.

What Joji saw on visiting the home was dire: a doorless, dilapidated structure, held together by worn-out walls and covered with a cloth curtain. The house, located in Cherukol, belonged to Anilkumar, a struggling father working at a small clothing store, raising his two daughters with minimal income.

Recognising the urgency, the collective stepped in. They dismantled the dangerous roof and began reconstruction, retaining only the few sturdy walls. The family’s hardships were many, including having to buy drinking water, as the nearby Kerala Water Authority pipeline had not yet begun supplying water in the area. Construction was carried out using water brought in by tanker trucks.

The newly built home now spans 900 square feet. Two members of the collective donated ₹3.80 lakh to kickstart the project, and further contributions brought the total to ₹5.60 lakh, according to Joji Kavumpadikkal.