Silver Spring, Md. --Eight months after the worst flooding in 50 years devastated large areas in northeastern India leaving millions of people homeless, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is beginning a long-term recovery phase to bring development opportunities to communities in the state of Bihar.
"Now that the waters have receded and families are back in their homes, our attention turns to helping the most vulnerable families recover from the effects of this devastating flood, as well as helping them to be more resilient against future natural disasters," said Nitin Kenny, emergency management coordinator for ADRA India.
To meet those needs, ADRA is preparing a recovery project in the Supaul district that will begin in mid-May. The project will continue to help survivors through livelihood development initiatives, including livestock replacement and the provision of animal fodder, as well as water and sanitation projects and disaster risk mitigation education. Approximately 20,000 families will benefit by the end of the 12-month project.
Following the flooding, over 73,000 people in the Supaul district benefited from the Bihar Kosi River Flood Response project, an initiative that provided emergency supplies and medical assistance. ADRA also distributed rice, molasses, salt, multivitamins, baby food, Oral Rehydration Sachets (ORS) and other supplies to nearly 8,000 survivors. Funders for the initial response included ADRA International, the ADRA Asia Regional Office located in Bangkok, Thailand, the Northern Indian Union of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and the Southern Asia Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Based on a detailed needs assessment conducted in the severely affected region, ADRA provided additional support to survivors, distributing thousands of supplies, including winter blankets, tarpaulins, antibacterial soap, candles, wheat flour, salt, and mustard oil.
From December 2008 to February 2009, ADRA helped more than 7,500 people receive medical care through a medical team of doctors and nurses, and by providing access to free medicines.
"If it wasn't for ADRA, my child would have died," said a beneficiary whose four-year old son suffered severe burns after falling on hot coals. "I truly believe ADRA was sent to save my son."
The Bihar Kosi River Flood Response project ended in March 2009 and was valued at $365,000. Financial backers included the German Foreign Ministry and Aktion Deutschland Hilft (ADH) through ADRA Germany, the Latter-day Saints Charities (LDSC), ADRA International, ADRA Australia, ADRA Portugal, ADRA United Kingdom, ADRA Netherlands, ADRA Sweden, ADRA Norway, ADRA Canada, and ADRA New Zealand with funding from the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID).
To help ADRA respond to the needs of vulnerable people in India and around the world, please give to the Disaster and Famine Relief Offering by contacting ADRA at 1.800.424.ADRA (2372) or online at www.adra.org.
ADRA India was officially registered in 1992. Its current areas of focus include Health, Emergency Management, Economic Development, Education, Water and Sanitation, Environment, Anti-Human Trafficking, and Gender Equality.
ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race, or ethnicity.
For more information about ADRA, visit www.adra.org.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
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