From Shelters to Schools

Photos: Darshan Chakma

Less than a decade ago, when a cyclone hit the south-west-coast of Bangladesh, authorities, though aware, were not prepared for the massive damage that was to follow.

In the dark hours of November15, 2007, Cyclone Sidr struck the south west coast of the country with winds up to 240 kilometers per hour. The high tidal waves, flooding of low-lying areas, damage of homes, roads and bridges – this category 4 storm had, in a nutshell, destroyed lives of many. The second natural disaster to hit the country in a year, Bangladesh was clearly vulnerable to frequent hydro-meteorological hazards – and to become worse because of climate change.

Cyclone Sidr destroyed more than a million households in the south-west region alone. The number of deaths was estimated at 3,500, with more than a 1,000 still missing, and over 55,000 people sustaining physical injuries.

In the wake of Cyclone Sidr, along with the government many private organisations had come forward to offer support and rehabilitation. Grameenphone, as part of its rehabilitation plans in the SIDR affected areas, committed to provide financial assistance to build four education center-cyclone shelters.

The cyclone shelters are used as education centres throughout the year to provide non-formal primary education to underprivileged children of the locality and they are named as Alok Deep (lighted island). One of the shelters in Sarankhola, an upazila in the Bagerhaat district in the division of Khulna, has now been transformed into a regular-running school. The three-floored shelter-school, with an open ground floor, is divided between students ranging from ages 4-9 years accordingly. "We share this space with the little kids as well," says a 9-year-old boy, pointing to the first classroom on the first floor. Surely enough, children as young as 3 and 4 years of age take up a little space in the classroom, colouring and learning how to count.

Resource Development Foundation (RDF) and Shushilan, two local NGOs that operate in the selected areas, are responsible for the overall management of the project Alok Deep, including the construction and operation of the schools. Each of these school-cyclone shelters are two-storied buildings along with an adjacent playground.

Such initiatives, where segments of society are provided with support to eventually become independent, financially and also intellectually, are appreciated. One hopes that many more will come forward to right what went wrong.