Cyclone Amphan Relief Campaign for Global Giving August 2020
On 27th July 2020 Global Giving awarded Tiljala SHED USD3750 for relief for those caught up in Cyclone Amphan. These funds were donated by private individuals through Facebook as a response to news of the disaster.
Tiljala SHED decided to take emergency food rations to a remote area of West Bengal on the edge of the Sundarbans. 50% of the population of Pather Protima G Plot live below the poverty line at the best of times but in the wake of the COVID lockdown and the destruction of home and livelihoods by the cyclone, many families found themselves facing homelessness, destitution and starvation. Government grants to repair dwellings were too small; families used up their savings repairing their homes and feeding themselves. Many of our beneficiaries belong to scheduled tribes: crab fishing is the main local industry. Normally winter is the fishing season so what is earned in winter needs to last through the rest of the year. Other sources of income are mostly from daily labour. In the COVID lockdown, these people lost their ability to earn a day’s wage and therefore fell quickly to destitution.
We took food rations for 270 families
Working closely with the staff at the Ashram in Pather Protima, 270 of the neediest families were identified and generous packages of dry rations were distributed to each family. Each package will have provided at least enough food for a week for an average family of 6 people. We also took donated clothing for 100 families and further supplies of 100kg and rice and 90kg dal to be distributed by the Ashram. Other agencies have provided food relief since the double crises occurred, but continued support is required..
Case Studies
ABIJUL
“Even if we don’t die of coronavirus, surely we will die of hunger and poverty.”
Ajibul lives in one of the small villages in Pather Protima G Plot. He is a daily wage earner. He has 3 children: his two daughters study in Class VIII and V respectively. His son studies in class III. His monthly income was Rs.3000 (USD40 GBP30) approx. before the crisis. Since lockdown started it has been the biggest challenge of his life to find work. All his savings are finished. His family survives on the relief provided by social organizations and sometimes by the government. The lockdown has taken away his livelihood. Ajibul has been searching for a regular work like before but to his surprise he could not find any except a few working days of the month.
It has been a big challenge to survive with this family in such a condition. According to him, lockdown has done more damage than good. He says, “Even if we don’t die of coronavirus, surely we will die of hunger and poverty.”
“The ration provided by Tiljala SHED in joint collaboration with the Ashram helped us a lot. At least we will not have to starve a few days. The quantity and quality of the ration is commendable. We hope that organization like Tiljala SHED come to us and distribute the rations among the most needy. We are very grateful to the people and the organization who took this initiative and came so far to help us out in this crisis situation.”
Zahida “It was a relief sent from God”
Zahida is a widow and lives with her disabled daughter. Two sons are daily labourers but now out of work. Another son was a construction worker and sometimes helped his mother and sister. He has not worked since lockdown and can no longer help out.
Since her husband’s death Zahida has been struggling to run her family. She sells duck/chicken eggs to survive and sometimes is also able to sell a duck or a chicken. With such a meagre income it is very difficult to run the family and also to look after her daughter.
The lockdown has added to her already existing problems only to get worst. She could hardly sell eggs and run her small business. Sometimes she had to sleep empty stomach. Sometimes she gets ration support from the government and at times from the Ashram.
Cyclone Amphan also destroyed their homes and their roof was severely damaged.
She became emotional after receiving ration. “It was a relief sent from God” she said. “God has answered my prayers.” The reason was none of the organisations who had come before to distribute rations had given very little. “We were very disheartened last time when an NGO distributed hardly a few kgs of Rice, Dal and muri.” But this time was a new experience and she gave all her blessings to the team.
Debi “Our life savings are gone”
Debi lives in of the small villages in Pather Protima G Plot. Her husband Sanjay goes to catch fish. She has 1 son and 2 daughters. The son is in class IV and one daughter has just passed Class XII Board exams making her family proud.
Due to lockdown the husband was not able to go to catch the fish in the boat which resulted in zero income and all their lifetime savings were exhausted because of the lockdown. The business momentum has also gone down even after the lockdown was lifted. It was very difficult for Debi and her family to survive with their family.
With the ration distributed the family was very happy and content. They said they were not expecting the rations to be in such a good quantity as other organizations had given them very small quantity which made no sense to come so far and give away rations in such small quantities. Cyclone Amphan also destroyed their homes 60% damage. The govt. support was not adequate to build the houses for which they had to take loans from money lenders.
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