Help recovery from Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal

Dear Supporters,

Earlier this year, West Bengal faced the unimaginable challenge of dealing with the effects of the coronavirus and a devasting cyclone. Thanks to your support, communities are beginning to recover. This tragedy has given rise to some incredible community action, much of it orchestrated by the young women of the villages. Working together and with support from Project Leaders, the peer groups of girls are leading their communities through this crisis. 

Here is an update from Mina, long-standing community leader in West Bengal: 

What is happening now in the affected areas?

"We continue to work closely with the local administration to improve the condition of the destitute in our area and the coastal areas especially. We're proud to have an effective network of dedicated and determined girls’ group leaders who have started working with a great deal of energy. Youth leaders have prepared a list of works to be done on an urgent basis—like repairing the bad roads, rejuvenating the insect-infested ponds, cleaning up the canals for irrigation works, repairing the latrines for villagers. These girls are closely negotiating with the local panchayats (councils)to initiate these repair and rejuvenating works as soon as possible. Under one government scheme at least 200 jobless men have received job cards, thanks to these youth leaders who have worked unabated to help the people of their community." 

How the funds raised helped so far?

"We used the funds for distributing relief, mainly dry food items and hygiene kits, and we reached more than 6200 families.

The small amount of emergency food aid given by the government was not being distributed fairly and equitably. Our girls groups’ collected the valuable information of proper ration distribution from ABP newspaper (the most popular and widely circulated Bengali daily) and prepared to change the situation by campaigning. They campaigned unabated for 15 days and also went inside the ration shops to negotiate with the ration dealers. Their hard work paid off and after 15 days equal amounts of rations were being fairly distributed to all.

The emergency funds sent to us have stabilised the community  to a large extent. They are able to hear us and work together, since hunger is no longer the terrible issue it was. Violence against women has gone down, child marriage and trafficking have come down considerably but still we are worried about the future. The job market is going through a terrible phase which we cannot see the end of.

I'd like to say here that this relief distribution has expanded our horizon and enriched us in many ways. Importantly the aid provided by The Karuna Trust has worked wonders in bringing stability among the struggling community, so that they may now think of their future with more hope and begin to rebuild their lives."

Thank you for your support which has not only fed people who were in a disaster zone, but helped empower young people to rebuild their communities.