Dear Friends,
Our help camp for the Phailin (cyclone) affected many families in recent days. It is been many days, but we are still struggling out in the field to reorganize families and damages.
It was and indeed is a deep bonding moment for me with these families. Many of them attended our URI global assembly in Mayapur [India] from this tribal community. They were also asking about all of you and they still want to attend global assemblies. The leader of the village sent his deepest gratitude and thanks to our URI community for this great support.
Eastern India is highly damaged with a cyclone known as "Phailin" that struck a few days ago. Millions of families lost their homes along the coastal areas.
Heavy rainfall following the cyclone made the situation impossible for many villages located in much deeper areas to stand. Harekrishnapur, a prominent village in Bankura district in West Bengal, met the Phailin’s path. Harekrishnapur is a significant area for URI tribal communities.
Since October 19, members of URI, especially RDS CC, Ektaan CC, and Rainbow CC, started working hard to collect funds, in kind donations , food, and other materials to save 40 families that were directly involved with URI activities highly effected by this calamity. We started setting up help camps in various small places, providing tarpaulin, utensils, blankets, more important food materials.
Today we were able to take some steps and plan for sustainable development, otherwise the food crisis is going to increase in the near future due to the terrible damage of the crops and firming landslides where most of these families rely on farming. Temporary rescue is a great help but sustainable program is the only way to make provisions for food.
We are working very closely with the local government to run an effective program. Rev. Kisku and I have been discussing with the representatives from the district level to measure government's support and plan strategically. So far, we have planted more than 700 mango plants and the lake has been leased for fishing.
Dear friends, we still have to continue for a few more days until the Depavali festival, and this will be our gift to celebrate the lights with the smile on the faces of the children from these families. We still need to provide materials to families as we get.
We will publish a report about the support we have received shortly.
