NT Bureau
Chennai, July 11:
 

Standard Chartered Bank regional head Sumeet Singla handing over the keys of the renovated school complex at Semmancheri to Kancheepuram district Collector Pradeep Yadav at a function in that village on Saturday.

        Having to live with deep scars in the mind and trauma in the aftermath of tsunami for children of Semmancheri kuppam was definitely a scary experience. But of all such nightmares are now consigned to memory cells.

        No more these young ones have to sit on the open floor for studies, fearing of broken walls that may come down anytime. No more do they have to suffer poor amenities at the government primary school. Thanks to the rehab projects of Standard Chartered Bank (Stan Chart), their school, anganwadi and community centre have been renovated at a cost of Rs 5 crore.

        Sumeet Singla, regional head, Corporate Affairs, Stan Chart, formally handed over the new-look buildings with sturdy walls and ceilings and pleasant look to Kancheepuram district Collector Pradeep Yadav at a function in Semmancheri on Saturday.

        Conveying his heart-felt thanks and appreciation for the work done by Stan Chart as part of its rehabilitation projects, Yadav said, 'At the time of tsunami I was in Cuddalore and had witnessed large sufferings caused by it.' All the NGOs and other organisations like Stan Chart have done a good job for the victims of tsunami, he said.

        'When we decided to help the tsunami-affected coastal region, a detailed study was needed. In the first phase, we gave them relief, resource materials for livelihood and school fees for children through AID India, an NGO,' said Sumeet Singla.

        Stan Chart did its best to remove the trauma of children affected by tsunami, he said. After initial rehab efforts, the MNC bank took up its second phase of reconstruction, including renovation of destroyed classrooms in this school and an attached community centre.

        'Our staff volunteers came here almost all the day. The refurbished six-class rooms have now got all the facilities, like proper windows, fans, sufficient furniture like desk, benches, blackboards and cupboards,' he informed. The anganwadi, next to the school, has been provided with a well-equipped kitchen, he said.

        Recalling the pathetic conditions from which the school, anganwadi and community centre were renovated, he said in the beginning it was really hard to kickstart the project as there were minimal facilities and children were left open on the ground, deprived of even decent toilets.

        'Now, the bank is planning two new projects. One is to restore vision through a project 'Seeing is Believing', and the other one is 'Living with HIV'. We are sure of cooperation from 45,000 staff at Stan Chart to these two global initiatives,' Singla told the media.