India - Bangladesh: Equipping Villages for Disaster

By Kai T. Hill and Caroline Brennan

Each year, India's monsoon rainy season causes massive devastation, resulting in the loss of homes, cattle, commerce and — above all — human life.

As the torrential rains pound from overhead, rivers and dams overflow their banks and communities, leaving entire villages marooned and residents desperately wading through murky water to find food and shelter for their families. Most often, the brunt of the flooding falls on poor and marginalized communities. These are just the people who lack the influence and money to recover from natural disasters, even anticipated monsoon rains.

In hopes of lessening the burden of such emergencies, over the last several years CRS has been implementing disaster-preparedness programs in areas prone to these crises. Using a variety of techniques, these programs help communities bolster their resources, establish life-saving contingency plans and improve the way they communicate during a crisis. "CRS and our partners focus on building community resilience to various shocks and risks by strengthening positive coping mechanisms in the community," says Kasturi Sengupta, CRS Orissa state representative. "This collective preparedness and response helps them undertake the first response without support from external agencies."

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