July 22, 2020: Over 5.5 million people have been affected due to floods in India this year and the state of Assam has experienced the worst flooding over the last ten years affecting over 3.6 million people till date as per the recent government reports. This time, affected communities are facing additional threat given the ongoing COVID crisis that requires health care services, health and hygiene safeguards and to maintain social distancing in the relief camps
Committed to reach out to the bottom 1% of most vulnerable community members, SEEDS is promptly reaching out with safe drinking water, dry food, hygiene and family utility kit. This also includes key items required for COVID safety, emerged as the most urgent need based on the information from SEEDS volunteers on ground. SEEDS stands with Assam in these difficult times and is reaching out to 100,000 affected people with their immediate needs in the districts of Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Barpeta and Morigaon.
A SEEDS team member from the region informed, “The situation at the ground level is worse than ever. There are drinking water, food and hygiene issues. Thousands of families are battling with the intense flood situation coupled with the challenges of ongoing coronavirus pandemic. They are in need of urgent humanitarian aid.”
Dr Manu Gupta, Co-Founder, SEEDS, said, “With millions of people displaced by the floods, it has become critical that relief reaches them at the earliest. Our team is working relentlessly to analyse and meet the immediate requirements of the affected people in an effective manner. We are also taking all necessary precautions to mitigate the risk of the Covid pandemic.”
The floods have caused extensive damage to the houses, water sources, toilets and other infrastructures. Due to incessant rains and increased water in these regions and Covid -19 looming large, it is essential for communities to have a roof above their heads at the earliest. SEEDS will also work towards providing repair and restoration of homes and schools as part of the recovery intervention. SEEDS urges all the citizens to extend their support to help families of Assam, build back better.
Your support can make a difference for any of the following items:
Ration Kit: Rs. 1,000 to support ration for one family consisting of wheat flour, rice, pulses, oil, spices, salt, soybean, sugar, tea leaf and milk powder.
Safe Drinking Water Support: Rs. 3,500 to support a cluster of families by reviving their safe drinking water supply through disinfection and repair of local water sources like wells, tube-wells and handpumps.
Hygiene Kit: Rs. 1,500 to support one family with reusable masks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, towel, sanitary pads, nail cutter, mosquito repellent, washing soap, bathing soap, washing powder, buckets, mug
Family Utility Kit: Rs. 4,000 to support one family with plates, glasses, bowls, kadai, spoons, lighter; and bedding items like double-size floor mat, bedsheet, mosquito net and a solar lamp with USB charger.
You can support SEEDS at https://www.seedsindia.org/indiafloodresponse2020/
About SEEDS:
SEEDS (Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society) is a not-for-profit organisation that enables community resilience through practical solutions in the areas of disaster readiness, response and rehabilitation. Since 1994, the organization has worked extensively on every major disaster in the Indian subcontinent – grafting innovative technology on to traditional wisdom. It has reached out to families affected by disasters and climate stresses; strengthened and rebuilt schools and homes; and has invariably put its faith in skill-building, planning and communications to foster long-term resilience. SEEDS is also India’s first agency to be certified for the global Core Humanitarian Standards – an international certification system for quality and accountability in humanitarian response. SEEDS completed 25 years of outstanding service to humanity in 2019 and is re-anchoring its approach to building resilience through innovation. It continues to empower the most vulnerable across Asia to build a better future. For more information, visit www.seedsindia.org
