Cyclone FANI Hits Odisha, Together we can rebuild

Dear Donors,

Greetings from INDIA!!

We are so grateful to you for your wonderful support to rebuild Odhisa. Education is the foundation of every society, and we provided support to 273 blind students who lost their braille materials in FANI Cyclone. 

FANI, the deadliest cyclone since 1999 has hit coastal Orissa on 03rd May 2019. The winds ripped the roofs off of homes and hospitals, uprooted trees and has brought down power lines. Coastal villages got submerged underwater. Nearly 11 lakh people have been evacuated, and were in shelter homes. 14 districts affected; 16659 villages affected 15.09 million people affected; 41 people lost lives; 5 lakhs House affected; 30 lakhs Livestock dead; 1031 Public health facilities, 6061 educational institutions damaged

273 students with visual impairment who lost braille kits during cyclone FANI has received new kits! A braille kit contains basic educational devices for learning braille, arithmetic, geometry, etc. Students have lost their assistive devices during cyclone FANI. The project will lead to academic excellence and all-round development of 273 students.

Blind Peoples Association (BPA), Ahmedabad has mobilized resources from Global Giving and from local donors to support the education of students attending school and colleges. 109 girls and 164 boys studying and various special schools have received the kits.

The programme was conducted in collaboration with the Department of Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD), Government of Odisha. Distribution of kits was organized on 2nds August at Nimapada Town Hall and Nehru Seva Sangh, Banapur. At Nimapada, the chief guest of the event, Shri Samir Ranjan Dash, Honorable Minister of School and Mass Education, has distributed braille kits to students. The event was graced with the presence of Shri. Nitin Chandra (IAS), Principal Secretary-SSEPD; the veteran freedom fighter and former MP Padmashree Bhabani Chandra Pattnaik, and Shri. Sannyashai Kumar Behera, DSSO, Headquarter, SSEPD. The Principal and staff of College for the Blind and Diploma College of Special Education have shared their gratitude to BPA and CBM India Trust for the diligent support extended at the time of need. Sannyashai Kumar Behera, DSSO-Headquarters, SSEPD has distributed the kits at Nehru Seva Sangh. He has thanked team BPA for the kind donation enabling children with visual impairment to pursue their education. 

Then, we have visited Leprosy Colony which is badly affected, the houses got badly damaged, and people with leprosy live in a very miserable condition. These leprosy-affected people are still stigmatized. We request you to support us to help them in building the roof. We require 300 metal sheets for roof construction. The estimated costs is $3529 for 300 metal sheets. We look forward to your continuing support.  

Thanking you once again for your generous support. 

Dear Donors and Well Wishers,

Greetings from BPA INDIA!!

I hope this report finds you in Great Health and Spirit. We are very thankful for your generous support to our project Cyclone FANI Hits Odisha, Together we can rebuild. We have worked with state administration working for people with disabilities, and other local organization to identify those children with visual impairment who are badly affected with FANI. The State Government and local organization worked very hard and identified 276 children with visual impairment, who lost their educational materials, and stationaries due to FANI. 

Now, these 276 students will be given Braille Kits on 1st August 2019. We will send you a detailed report of the distribution with the photographs. We also request you to support us to reach more people with disabilities who are still waiting for help for livelihood.