European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and HCL Foundation joined hands with Caritas India to support the flood-affected families of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji in Assam. Caritas India has organised the combined project orientation for the field staff of both the programme at North Lakhimpur on August 22, 2019.

The major focus of the orientation was to brief the staff about ECHO and HCL projects to plan future activities in the fields. ECHO through its humanitarian assistance project will provide multipurpose cash transfer and Water Sanitation & Hygiene (WaSH) support to the 20 most vulnerable flood-affected villages of Lakhimpur district. Whereas, HCL will reach out to 10 worst affected villages in Dhemaji district with Livelihood and education support.

The orientation was facilitated by Caritas India Disaster Risk Reduction Manager Mr. Anjan Bag along with Mr. Jonas Lakra (Zone Manager), Mr. Bablu Sarkar, Philip George (Finance Officer). 10 project staffs from ECHO and 11 from HCL project were briefed about the nitty-gritty of the project implementation.

Mr. Anjan Bag shared the overview of the project, its targets and different components with the staff. ECHO supported the project would reach out to 2596 most vulnerable and flood-impacted families with Multi-purpose Cash Transfers (UCT) and WaSH intervention. This will be implemented among the 20 village communities of Telahi and Nawboicha block of North Lakhimpur.

Similarly, HCL project would reach to 547 families with a population of 2490 in 10 villages of Lotak block of Dhemaji district with WASH, Education, Health and Nutrition for children and women. The HCL supported project gives special focus to mother and children with Women-Led Comprehensive Recovery of Flood Affected Communities in Assam to support local-based livelihood restoration, AWW refurbishment, CFS, etc. The project aims towards community-based disaster recovery in the Dhemaji district of Assam with the active participation of women and children. Women and children are at the receiving end of nature’s fury with issues emerging around their health, nutrition, education, sanitation, livelihood, and protection.

Participants had a group discussion to plan out activities for next one month. The planned activities scheduled for village level orientation, committee formation, baseline survey and identification of beneficiaries for cash transfer, water pump installation points and schools where education and nutrition activities would be carried out.