Hi,

We have taken multiple initiatives over the last few days to reach out and provide relief materials to the marginal families hit hard by this cyclone Yaas.


In Ranipur village of Gosaba block we are conducting a week-long community kitchen with our partner NGO, Mukti. Funds permitting we plan to extend this one more week, and also start community kitchen in other areas of Sundarban. With saline water gushing into the mud houses during the cyclone, most of the mud houses are unliveable. Even if raw materials can be supplied, there is no hygienic place for cooking in most of the houses. Community kitchen seems to be the only alternative.




Sanitation is a major issue in these rural areas even in the best times, so one can only imagine the extent of devastation this cyclone may have caused with respect to sanitation.

Our volunteers have been treating the flood affected areas with bleaching powder, lime and other cleansers for pond revival, as part of our medium to long term focus on this area. In order to support the livelihood of the people of this area, we need to revive the ponds, create a conducive land for farming and small vegetation, as well as grazing ground for cattle.



As part of our Kishalay foundation's ongoing activity, our female volunteers conducted a worksop on menstrual hygiene with local women in Ramgopalpur, in Basanti block.  It was followed up with free distribution of bio-degradable, environment friendly sanitary pads. This activity was supported by our partner NGO Mukti to support healthcare issues in rural women, that is usually followed after such a natural calamity.




Once again we thank you from the bottom of our heart for supporting us. Aside from current relief activity, we remain committed to medium and long term sustainability initiatives, especially for the women and children of this poverty stricken area.  With you by our side, we are confident that we will be able to continue supporting these marginal people.

 

Hello again - Hope everyone is holding up well, during these challenging times.

It almost seems like a repeat of last year, where surge in covid cases is followed by a cyclone that ravaged many parts of coastal Bengal.

This time, most of the damages have been caused by the flooding of saline water from broken embankments rendering the cultivable land useless for years. Owing to high tide and full moon, coupled with the fury of Yaas, the water level rose to unprecedented heights, so much so that the existing embankments was no match to resist it. Aside from the cultivable land, it has caused severe damages to mud houses and smaller areas of vegetation. The saline water flooding has a long term impact, because it essentially makes the cultivable land unsuitable for farming for several seasons. Another major crisis is the scarcity of clean drinking water, since the saline water has contaminated most of the clean water sources.




Our volunteers have been working tirelessly since the beginning of the pandemic and aftermath of Amphan in the region of Sundarban. Prior to Yaas, we were reaching out to the remotest of villages during this second wave covid, with oxygen concentrators and other medical supplies through our volunteers. We have already started providing dry food and conducting community kitchen in the several areas.






We are determined to reach out to these helpless people in every possible manner through this crisis that has increased manifold due to Yaas. However once again, we need your support. We request everyone to please come forward and donate for this cause. All your contribution will go a long way in making sure these helpless people are well supported during this humanitarian crisis and rehabilitated as early as possible.

Thanks everyone for your continued support. Heartfelt gratitude to you all.

thanks,
Team Kishalay