Members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) are doing odd jobs to raise funds to build houses for the displaced people in landslide-hit Wayanad.

The DYFI launched the drive the day after the July 30 landslides and had originally planned to raise enough money to build 25 houses.

“But to our surprise, we have so far enough money to build at least 50 houses, thanks to the response from the common people who have also been making donations and paying extra wages when our cadres go to them to do odd jobs,” DYFI state secretary V.K. Sanoj told The Telegraph on Wednesday.

The organisation had raised money by collecting scrap newspapers and recyclable metal when the state government was hard-pressed for financial resources during the Covid-19 pandemic. “But this time we have enhanced the fundraising avenues by taking up odd jobs like cleaning houses, washing cars and running tea shops,” said Sanoj.

The Youth Congress had on Tuesday launched a 20-day Newspaper Challenge to collect old newspapers and sell them to build 30 houses in Wayanad.

Many DYFI cadres have also been working for authorised timber loggers. “It’s not about the work. It’s only about raising funds to build as many houses as possible for the displaced people in Wayanad,” he said.

A tea shop in Kanhangad, in the northernmost Kasaragod district, has been attracting a good crowd, while several bus operators have been donating their daily collection to DYFI’s #RebuildWayanad drive.

“Most bus passengers offer more than just the ticket fare when we say we are raising funds for Wayanad. Little children have been donating their piggy banks while many women have donated their gold jewellery. One man donated his dead mother’s jewellery,” he said.

Even children in Theyyam costumes, seen mainly in Kannur and Kasaragod districts during the ongoing Malayalam month of Karkidakam, pitched in by donating the offerings locals made to them.

“Many parents have donated money they had set aside for their children’s birthday celebrations while others donated the gold rings of their children. It’s so heartening to see how Kerala has responded to help our suffering brethren in Wayanad,” he said.

Political parties, business houses and actors have also announced plans to build houses to accommodate the displaced people of the two Wayanad villages that have been flattened.