The youth steps forward for flood relief
Recent floods have had catastrophic effects on the lives of many people across the country, causing a severe insufficiency of resources, along with the increase of waterborne diseases such as dengue. In response to this situation, several youth-based organisations started working to provide relief and support to the communities battling this crisis. We talked to the teams of some of the organisations to getter idea of the current landscape.
Footsteps Bangladesh
The social organisation began its flood relief campaign on June 17. The entire team worked tirelessly to send emergency supply packages to at least 2,585 people in the most remote villages in Sunamganj and Sylhet under its Disaster Resilience Programme (DRP).
Launched in 2020, the DRP intends to aid and rehabilitate vulnerable communities experiencing various forms of disasters. The DRP team has designed two types of emergency packages; an emergency bucket of dry food, medicine, soap, lighters, torches and water for 340 families and another emergency bucket of groceries containing rice, potatoes, lentils and other survival tools for 300 families in Sunamganj. In addition, Footsteps also distributed around 2,100 cooked meals in the Derai and Tahirpur Upazila.
The organisation is also planning to deploy its Dreamwater Portable Filter, which can convert flood water into drinking water, in flood affected areas of both Sunamganj and Sylhet. At the same time, they will soon begin their home rehabilitation and mitigation efforts, once water levels come down in the northeast.
Give Bangladesh Foundation
The organisation began its flood relief program on May 23 by distributing packages containing dry food, saline and medicine to 300 water-locked families in the Chhatak Upazila of Sunamganj. They were the earliest responders to the situation in Jamalganj Upazila of Sunamganj, and reached out to 400 families across 4 villages with dry food, candles and water purification tablets.
The same ration was also distributed to 100 families in Chiksha village of Tahirpur. Moreover, 300 people, sheltered in houseboats, received cooked meals.
This weekend, their team went to Chhatak to assist 400 families with heavier ration packages.
Poriborton Kori Foundation
The foundation their fundraising activities on June 16, with a swift distribution of aid. Their flood relief package initially consisted of biscuits, puffed rice, flattened rice, drinking water, saline, medicine and reusable sanitary napkins.
They also distributed cooked meals among 1,200 people from three villages in Tahirpur near the Tanguar Haor watchtower. So far, they have extended their support to 15,000 people.
Soon, the team will provide displaced families with financial and technical assistance to restore their houses. The organisation also conducted an event, "Stand Up for Sylhet", in collaboration with Naveed's Comedy Club to raise funds for Sylhet and Sunamgang.
Jaago Foundation and Volunteer for Bangladesh
Jaago Foundation and Volunteer for Bangladesh actively engaged in flood relief activities, supported by an energetic group of young volunteers. So far, the organisations have helped more than 100,000 people.
Their current relief packages include flattened rice, jaggery, fresh drinking water, water purification tablets, candles, and lighters.
The organisation's campaign, "Bangladesh ektai, sara dibo shobai", invites people to support their volunteers in their relief distribution efforts.
Obhizatrik Foundation
The Obhizatrik Foundation has been supporting flood victims through various activities and welfare programmes. They prepared cooked meals for 23,000 people in the Sylhet and Sunamganj areas.
They also distributed emergency dry food to over 1,500 people in Kurigram and Sylhet.
In the future, they plan to implement Project Shokkhom to create micro business models that will provide livelihood to 500 families.
The author is a student of IBA, DU and a freelance journalist who likes reading, scribbling, and blogging. Email: mislammonamee@gmail.com.