31 families get houses at Eric Correa’s Souharda Nagar II

31 families get houses at Eric Correa’s Souharda Nagar II

Mangalore Today/DHNS

Moodbidri, April 21, 2013: The project draws inspiration from Souharda Nagar I, where Eric Correa single-handedly contributed 34 houses to poor in January 2012

“I slept in peace after a long time, as I slept in my very own home,” says an overwhelmed Safiya Alim.

Safiya is one of the 31 people, who received a free house from Souharda Foundation under the Souharda Nagar II, Phase I project at Puthige village (Paladka) in Moodbidri.

Safiya, wife of an auto-rickshaw driver used to stay in a small rented place in Moodbidri. "I have four children and the rented house was very small. We could not afford a bigger place for rent and owning a place of our own was beyond imagination. However, Souharda Foundation managed by philanthropist Eric Correa and other donors made my dream come true," she said.

Keys were handed over to 31 families under the Souharda Nagar II, Phase I project which was inaugurated at Paladka on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The project draws inspiration from Souharda Nagar I at Padumarnadu, where Eric Correa single-handedly contributed 34 houses to poor people in January 2012.

Souharda Nagar II will come up in a total area of 2.77 acres. Around 64 houses are planned in two phases, of which 32 are completed. Each house is built on 450 square feet and comprises of a hall, a kitchen, a bedroom, a toilet, a bathroom and a store room. Each house was built at a cost of Rs 3,05,000 (excluding land price).

Inauguration

NRI Entrepreneur Ronald Colaco and Property Infra Tech India Pvt Ltd MD Rohan Monteiro who donated Rs 20 lakh each for the project were the chief guests on the occasion. Ronald Colaco along with Eric Correa unveiled the Sourdha Nagar name plaque.

SCDCC Bank President M N Rajendra Kumar inaugurated the Ronald Colaco road and philanthropist Frank Fernandes who donated Rs 5 lakh for the project, inaugurated Rohan Monteiro road. St Joseph’s Seminary Rector Rev Fr Joseph Martis blessed the houses. The other philanthropists who have donated for the project are Roy Castelino (Rs 3 lakh), Gautham Krishnan (Rs 2.75 lakh), Jossie D’Souza (2.5 lakh). Mary Rebello, Amar, Mohammed Ashraf, Prakash Bhat have donated Rs 1 lakh each.
More than 600 applications were received of which 80 families were called for interview.

Grateful families

The inauguration of the houses was held with all grandeur. A brass band kept the mood cheerful and the residents of the houses along with their relatives were seen bustling around in the colony in glee.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Mary D’Silva says that she used to live in her mother’s place and always longed for a place of her own. "Being a young widow, I have the responsibility of my family on my shoulders. I work as a cleaner in a bank in Mangalore. When I came to know of this project, I submitted an application. This house is a greatest gift," she said.

Another beneficiary Mamatha Kotian is all smiles. "My husband works as an auto-rickshaw driver and we were fed-up living in a rented place. Now, I long to build a good-family in my dream house," she said.