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DISASTER IN BANGLADESH - WATER-SURVIVAL
BOX RESPOND
On 15 November cyclone Sidr devastated vast parts of southern
Bangladesh leaving some 3 million people without homes or safe drinking
water.
On 21 November 100 Water-Survival Boxes were sent from Midsomer
Norton to Gatwick airport. They left by air on 22 November and are due
to reach Dhaka, Bangladesh on 23 November.
Humanity First transported the 100 Water-Survival Boxes from Dhaka some
200 km south to the Patuakhali District. There the boxes were
distributed to families displaced by the tidal waves that washed away
their homes on the island of Rangabali which is off the southern coast
in the Bay of Bengal. Further details are awaited from Humanity First UK
and will be posted in due course
Worldwaterworks Limited is working with the Humanity First UK charity
and with Humanity First Bangladesh who will be responsible for
distribution to those most in need. This is part of a global response
with Humanity First UK also sending medical supplies, doctors and
paramedics experienced in disaster relief.
Funding to provide stocks for further aid to Bangladesh is urgently
needed - please go to the Donations page.
Our
boxes were part of a larger consignment of ShelterBoxes, medical
supplies, and included a party of three medical doctors and three
volunteer co-ordinators from HF-UK
12
December - tel. call from Zahoor Ahmed, Fund-raising Manager,
Humanity First UK providing an initial update. He had been involved
in organising for the consignment of Water-Survival Boxes to be
included in a larger supply of aid including ShelterBoxes, medical
supplies, and experienced doctors and para-medics that left Gatwick
on 22 November. He and two colleagues travelled with the aid
consignment and arrived in Dhaka on 23 November. They, and
representatives of Humanity First Bangladesh, were then responsible
for distribution. On 24 November, following a meeting with the
co-ordinating committee dealing with food and aid distribution they
were sent to the south of the country, and were allocated to the
island of Rangabali and a number of smaller surrounding islands on
the Bay of Bengal. This area was the first to be devastated by the
cyclone on 15 November and had suffered the greatest amount of
destruction and loss of life.
It
took 36 hours using road and boat transport to make the journey
south to Rangabali. From there distribution was made to outlying
island communities using small boats with shallow draught – because
of the low water depth. Decisions on distribution were taken in the
light of the fact that they only had 100 of our WSBs and many
hundreds of families needing help. They opted to open boxes and
distribute the contents to best meet the needs of the families, eg.
they decided that families of fishermen whose boats had been damaged
during the cyclone should get the hammer and nails so that they
could make repairs and regain their ability to fish and feed
themselves. Decisions were made taking local conditions into account
but were aimed at distributing what was available to achieve the
most good.
FUNDING URGENTLY REQUIRED
During the past twelve months we packed and despatched a total of 210
WATER-SURVIVAL BOXES to help relieve the suffering of disaster victims
across the world. 60 families were helped following devastating typhoons
in the Philippines in December, 100 families displaced by mass flooding
in Balochistan, SE Pakistan, were helped; and 50 Ugandan families in
October. Our reserve stock of 290 WSBs is likely to be called on over
the next few weeks. Significant further funding is needed now to enable
us to maintain and increase this level of humanitarian aid. We appeal to
all Rotary Clubs in RIBI to give us their support. As a guide £1050 will
enable us to help ten more families displaced by disaster.
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