After disaster, communities bouncing back to life

With extended funds from Emergency Appeal, Assam is moving swiftly from humanitarian relief work to lasting development.

Time and again, Assam has been hit by floods and finds it difficult to start from scratch as everything swayed away by flood water and people are left with nothing.

Survivors face real time issues of survival and livelihood to sustain their families and forced to migrate or take meagre jobs.

After relief phase of Assam Flood 2016, Caritas India through local partners namely Women Development Centre (WDC) and Bongaigaon Gana Seva Society (BGSS) had supported livelihood option in 25 flood affected villages in three districts of Assam.

The intervention has helped 497 families to start 609 piglets and 124 goat rearing for their livelihood in three districts of Assam. The yarn support extended by Caritas India to 200 women in Morigaon has helped them to start weaving local clothes.

The report states that 70% livestock has been vaccinated and the balance will be done in the coming days. It is remarkable that 40% livestock has been insured by the livestock insurance company. The project also targets to insure 80% beneficiaries through this project.

Under livelihood support, training on livestock management and insurance was conducted in collaboration with veterinary department, insurance company and Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

Community has revived the age old practice of ‘Saroi Fund’ with the support of Caritas India to help each other through group work in the village. The practice entails returning of their share after 10 months in form of cash or kind (depending on community) who has received piglets and goats. The return share depends on the profit that they get from the piglet or goats given by Caritas India. Community can use this fund during emergency or starting entrepreneurship avenues for the youth.

Ms. Jaquelline and Ms. Armelle from Caritas France visited Patalmari village on 2-3 February, one of EA and FARM NE II project in Chirang district of Assam.

The team were received by the Boro and Adivasi community with the traditional dance. There were more than 250 people gather in the village for the meeting.