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Letter of transmittal

Date: 15 April, 2015

Nadia Ahmed,

Lecturer,

Institute Of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies,

University Of Dhaka.

Subject: Submission of assignment on “role of NGOs in disaster management

In Bangladesh”.

Dear Mam,

Here is the assignment that we assigned on the topic as per your advice. The assignment
has been completed by the knowledge that we have gathered from internet and other
sources.

We are thankful to all those persons who provided us important information and gave us
valuable advices. We would be happy if you read the report carefully and we will be
trying to answer all the questions that you have about the assignment.

We have tried our label best to complete this assignment meaningfully. We have worked
on Ahsania Mission, CARE BD, OXFAM, BRAC, FRIENDSHIP, HEED
BANGLADESH, and tried hard to find out the role of these NGOs in disaster
management, disaster risk reduction, mitigation, and disaster preparedness in Bangladesh.

Thanking you.

Yours obediently,

EVER-GREEN Group
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INTRODUCTION

The country has been subjected to frequent natural disasters in many forms, particularly
cyclonic storms and tidal surges, while floods are an annual event. There has been a
paradigm shift in our approach to disaster management during the last one decade. The
shift is from a relief centric approach to a multi-dimensional endeavor involving diverse
scientific, engineering financial and social processes to adopt a multi-disciplinary and
multi-sectoral approach with stress on building up capabilities of community to enable
them to work towards their own risk reduction, in one phrase from relief and response to
preparedness and adaptation. The role of NGOs in this context therefore assumes added
significance. The NGOs were focused in playing key roles in the immediate aftermath of
disasters by extending assistance in emergency response, rescue and first aid, sanitation
and hygiene, damage assessment and assistance to external agencies bringing relief
materials. During the post disaster phase, the NGOs played important roles by providing
technical and material support for safe construction, revival of educational institutions
and restoration of means of livelihood and assist the government in monitoring the pace
of implementation for various reconstruction and recovery programmes.
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Summary

Whenever disasters strike, they do not discriminate or differentiate - they

cause havoc and distress. They strike countries' rich and poor affect both men
and women, old and young and cause destruction leaving behind a trail of
devastation and irreparable losses. When these hazards strike, the
communities are the first to react, irrespective of their profession, status, cast
or culture. NGO's are Non-profit organizations or associations of private
citizens with a common interest to assist the disaster affected people. The role
of NGOs, especially with relief and rehabilitation programs, during and after
disasters is to complement governmental efforts in Bangladesh. In principle,
NGOs are responsible to assist the government in implementing national
programs successfully. This study aims to assess the efforts of NGOs in
cyclonic disaster management in Bangladesh. Coastal belts as cyclone disaster
prone areas were included mostly for analysis. Study focused on response,
recovery, rehabilitation, and affected community people. CARE Bangladesh,
BRAC, Ahsania Mission, OXFAM, Friendship and HEED BANGLADESH
were included mainly for the study. Data were collected based on secondary
sources. The role of these NGOs in disaster management especially with
emergency response, recovery, and rehabilitation activities is significant.
Presently, NGOs are giving emphasis on work with preventive measures as a
strategy of disaster risk reduction.
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CONTENTS

1. Disaster Risks In Bangladesh…………………………………………5

2. Non- Governmental Organizations – Definition and Mandate ………5
3. Role of NGOs in Disaster Management………………………………6
4. Dhaka Ahsania Mission…………………………………………….…7
5. OXFAM…………………………………………………………..…...11
6. FRIENDSHIP…………………………………………………………14
7. CARE BD……………………………………………………………..20

10. BRAC……. …………………………………………………………...23

11HEED BANGLADESH. ……………………………………………….29

12. Conclusion………………………………………………………………33

13. References………………………………………………………………34
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Disaster risks in Bangladesh: Bangladesh’s geo-climatic conditions, poverty and socio-

economic vulnerability make the country among the most vulnerable to natural disasters in the world.
Disasters strike the country with regular frequency, causing massive human and economic losses. Along
with the large-scale disasters such as flood, cyclone, drought, and a very large number of smaller
disasters have serious impact on the population. Among the disasters which strike the country on a
regular basis are floods, cyclones, landslides, avalanches, droughts etc.

On the other hand, Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme
weather events and give rise to new vulnerabilities with differential spatial and socio-economic impacts
on communities. The unprecedented increase is expected to have severe impact on the hydrological
cycle and water resources leading to droughts, floods, drinking water shortage, loss of coastal wetlands
and mangroves as well as rise in food insecurity and health problems.

Non- Governmental Organizations – Definition and Mandate:

i. A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which
is organized on a local, national or international level. Task-oriented and driven by people
with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of services and humanitarian functions.
There are national level NGOs acting as donor and advocacy organizations, state level NGOs
involved in mobilizing communities through various campaigns as well as action research
and local NGOs working directly with communities. There are many Community Based
Organization’s (CBOs), which also play a significant role in disaster management.

ROLE OF NGOs IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT:

The Disaster Management Bureau (DMB) has been assigned the role of coordinating the activities
of NGOs. The NGOs constitute a vibrant sector in Bangladesh, and have been acclaimed worldwide.
NGOs and CBOs are actively involved, among others, in disaster management, micro-credits, family
planning, and human rights protection. As a matter of fact, the advent of NGO activities in Bangladesh
owes its origin to the rehabilitation works immediately after the devastating war of independence in
1971. Currently, about a quarter of foreign assistance to Bangladesh is channeled through the NGOs.
Therefore, their contributions, particularly to the social service sector and the mobilization of the poor,
are quite prominent. This has been acclaimed by the international community. NGOs like the Grameen
Bank and Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) have extended their development and
disaster management programs at the international level as well.
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NGOs such as CARE-Bangladesh, OXFAM-Bangladesh, Action Aid, Intermediate Technology

Development Group-Bangladesh, Bangladesh Disaster Preparedness Center (BDPC) and Disaster Forum
are particularly involved in various pre-, during and post-disaster activities. Pre-disaster activities
include advocacy, public education campaigns and training programs for personnel involved in disaster
management from the national down to the union or local community level. NGOs also are active in
emergency evacuation and in taking people to shelters. The post-disaster activities include offering new
micro-credits or rescheduling their loan payment programs for rehabilitation.

DHAKA AHSANIA MISSION

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Dhaka Ahsania Mission is a non-government development organization founded by Khan Bahadur

Ahsanullah, an eminent educationist, reformer and Sufi. The founding motto of DAM is ‘Divine and
humanitarian service’. It functions since 1958 pursuing the aims of social and spiritual development of
entire human community.

Founding aims
◦Develop the social and spiritual life of the entire human community
◦Annihilate the distinction between man and man
◦Cultivate unity and brotherhood and inspire divine love
◦Teach one one’s insignificance and shun one’s pride
◦Enable one to recognize and realize the relation between the Creator and the creation
◦Enable one to realize the duty of man to his Creator and to his fellow beings
◦Render all possible help to the suffering humanity at large.
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Vision

DAM visualizes a society that foster humanity, spirituality, humility, equality and caring the nature.

Mission
DAM provides high quality services towards unity, peace and development of social and spiritual life
for the human community in general and for the disadvantaged and suffering humanity, in particular.

Core values:
Humanity, Spirituality, Humility, Equality and equity, Caring the nature, Honesty and morality.

Operating principles:
Excellence and quality, Innovation, Transparency and accountability, Sustainability:

DAM distinctiveness:
◦DAM is unique and distinctive because of its founding divinity values, which combine service to the
humanity and service to the Creator under the motto ‘Divine and Humanitarian Service’.
◦DAM is also distinct because of its identity as an organization delivering diverse need-based services
through both field based and institutional interventions.
◦DAM has a unique way of doing ‘business’ that is shaped by its values and works for unlocking human
potential enabling communities and societies to engage in creating a better society.
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Role of Ahsania mission in disaster management:

Climate change and DRR

Bangladesh is one of the worst affected countries that are facing the early impacts of climate change,
because it is low-lying, located on the Bay of Bengal in the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and
Meghan. Its national economy strongly depends on agriculture and natural resources that are sensitive to
climate change and sea level rise. These changes are already having major impacts on the economy and
lives and livelihoods of millions of poor people. Climate change is affecting the country in many ways,
reduced fresh water availability, surface drainage congestion, sea level rise, increased drought, floods
and coastal storms.

Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) has developed perspective plan (2006-2015) as a strategic guide for
program development in consideration with interconnected sectorial approach and DRR & CCA have
been prioritize in the strategic paper. DAM’s DRR strategy paper has been prepared for next five years
(2011 -2015) considering the global, national and local context. DAM’s current DRR approach has been
evolved over years based on its learning from the field and through continuous efforts of organizational
capacity building. The developments over years witness a gradual move from relief works to disaster
preparedness approach and ultimate transition towards a comprehensive DRR process.

DAM has been taken a widespread drive by creating a Disaster Management Unit (DMU) for implement
program, establish linkage and effective coordination among the sectors and also with the different
related Government institutions, climate change specialists. Policy lobbying is one of the strategic
approaches for obtaining the result of advocacy. Under this endeavor, DAM will have the opportunity to
be involved in national as well as other levels. It is very important to maintain regular lobbying and
advocacy relation with policy makers, government officials, politicians, development organizations,
journalist and other concerned organizations

The Government of Bangladesh has been taken appropriate initiatives for mainstreaming DRR process
and prioritized the issues of Climate Change. Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) is also committed “to
achieve a paradigm shift in disaster management from conventional response and relief to a more
comprehensive risk reduction culture. Reducing disaster risks is an integral part of the DAM’s mission
to alleviate poverty and improve living condition of the people. DAM has fostered a ‘culture of safety’’
based on its experiences of being affected by a variety of disasters in different programme areas in
Bangladesh. DAM also developed its own ‘disaster-resilient culture’ by mainstreaming disaster risk
reduction in longer-term development policies and plans.

Considering the adverse impact of Climate Change and the factors, Dhaka Ahsania Mission has
prioritized issue of long term climate risks and uncertainties as an integral part of organizational
development planning. The broad objective is to expand the concept of risk reduction to include climate
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change (CC). This is to be done by reflecting CC concerns in key policy documents of DAM and also in
all program implementation.

To mitigate the risk of earth quake DAM has done a project named ‘Disaster Preparedness and
Mitigation: Build safe and resilient communities’

Bangladesh is situated between the Himalayas in the north and the encroaching Bay of Bengal to the
south, making it prone to a various natural hazards. Densely populated Dhaka is the highly vulnerable to
increased frequency and intensity of hazards. Dhaka is situated in a seismically active zone and therefore
faces a potential threat of earthquake that could kill large number of people and destroy infrastructure of
the city. The project are implementing in the water logging and earthquake prone areas of Dhaka City.
The Child Centered DRR project in collaboration with communities and govt. institutions to reduce the
risk disaster. Dhaka Ahsania Mission is working by technical support by Plan International Bangladesh
and financial support by COFRA Foundation, Switzerland.

Goal and Objective:

The goal of the project is Safe and resilient communities in which children and young people contribute
to managing and reducing the disaster risks associated with changes in the climate.

Objectives of the project

◦To increase the awareness and capacity of children youth and communities on disaster risk and climate
changes so that they can facilitate the child centered disaster risk reduction process.
◦To develop and implement locally appropriate climate smart solutions on disaster preparedness and risk
reduction
◦To advocate for the inclusion of good practices and learning from the program approach in local,
district and or national government and regional processes.
Outcome/ result/:
◦Increased awareness and capacity of children youth and communities on disaster preparedness and
adaptation to climate change.
◦Through locally designed climate smart solutions on disaster preparedness, a demonstrable adaptation
model is established.
◦Good practices and learning feeding into local, national and regional government processes.
◦Who the project will serve/is serving (gender disaggregated data if possible by category of recipients)

The project will directly work with 775 adults and 24,105 children and youths; and 124,400 population
indirectly living in the 5 wards of Zone-5 Dhaka South City Corporation. These beneficiary figures are
on the higher side because of the mass awareness activities planned under information, education and
communication and local disaster management sector. The direct beneficiaries are those communities
and institutions in geographic areas targeted due to their extreme vulnerability to earthquakes, water
logging. In these areas, special consideration has been given to socially excluded and marginalized
communities and children who are most vulnerable to disasters.
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Oxfam

Oxfam’s involvement in Bangladesh began in 1970 assisting the then cyclone victims and supporting the
people of Bangladesh during the Liberation War in 1971. For our work in 1971 Oxfam was one of only
three organizations honored as a Friend of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 2012.

We work with a wide range of partners including civil society organizations, NGOs, media
organizations, foreign and local universities, private sector companies and different levels of
government. We see a particular role for Oxfam as a network facilitator between the wide range of
power holders and poor people in Bangladesh.

Our objectives in Bangladesh:

Gender justice – Empower women to make meaningful decisions concerning themselves, their
families, their community and their country, through their realization of their rights, their control of
resources, their freedom from violence, and their access to, and influence within, social and political
space.
Education – Enhance the quality of education for all, and enabling more girls and young women to
have sustained access to quality education.
Secure livelihoods – Increase the food and income security for the most marginalized people through
increased resilience of their communities and livelihoods to change and disaster.
Humanitarian response – Help vulnerable women, men, boys and girls, their communities,
government and humanitarian actors so they will be better able to cope with and adapt to shocks. We
achieve this through preparedness and improved policy, resulting in reduced negative impact for women
and men, more rapid and effective gendered response, and more rapid long term recovery. About Oxfam
in Bangladesh

Oxfam has been present in Bangladesh for 42 years, and has been extending assistance to its people
through various other organizations as early as 1954.
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Oxfam played commendable role during the War of Liberation in 1971 providing food, shelter and
medicine to millions of displaced people. Its milestone publication “The Testimony of Sixty” also
helped draw international attention about the humanitarian disaster in Bangladesh as caused by the war
during that time and since then has continued its efforts to support Bangladesh’s people through natural
disasters and numerous poverty alleviation initiatives. Oxfam was awarded Friends of Liberation War in
March 2012 by the Government of Bangladesh acknowledging the contribution in 1971.

Under our one program approach, Oxfam aims to create an environment containing empowered,
resilient communities where women and men contribute jointly to good governance and leadership
across Bangladesh.

With this vision, all our work in Bangladesh falls under two strategic lenses, Women’s Leadership and
Resilient Communities and four Country Change Objectives:

More women in Bangladesh will be free to make decisions concerning themselves, their families, their
community and their country. They will be empowered to do this through their realization of their rights,
their control of resources, their freedom from violence, and their access to and influence within social
and political space.
The quality of education for all is enhanced and more girls and young women will have access to quality
education enabling them to fully participate in life and society and claim their rights.
The most marginalized women, men, girls and boys have increased food and income security through
increased resilience of their communities and livelihoods to change and disaster.
Vulnerable communities, government and humanitarian actors will be prepared for, and able to cope and
adapt to shocks, resulting in reduced negative impact, more rapid and effective response, and more rapid
recovery.
By achieving progress against these four Country Objectives by 2015, Oxfam will be able to
demonstrate that it has significantly contributed to achieving the vision.
Humanitarian response

Bangladesh is at risk of a multitude of potential humanitarian crises. With the aim of minimizing harm
and suffering of those affected by any such humanitarian crisis, Oxfam works to provide a
comprehensive risk reduction culture thinking to improve awareness, assessment of capacity and
enhance strength and capacity. Working to build social and psychological capital to absorb the shocks,
strategic leadership and overall planning of responses to ensure full coverage and resources for recovery
and rehabilitation have often not taken place. Under this change goal greater emphasis will be placed on
developing coordinated response programs.

Each project we undertake will be explicitly linked through our four programs to achieving progress on
one or more of these objectives. These links can be clearly seen on the Bangladesh program chart, that
captures the projects of all affiliates in Bangladesh and illustrates how those projects contribute to
programs, country change objectives, and global Oxfam Change Goals.
Resilient community
Income and food insecurity is a result of widespread poverty, limited access to productive resources
including land, water, bodies, forest, credit and other means of production and increasing of prices of
inputs of production compounded by natural disasters and climate change.
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To address these insecurities Oxfam’s Economic Justice change goals work to increase the resilience of
livelihoods to change and disaster. Working with men and women in vulnerable areas who are
marginalized by society and ignored in policies Oxfam believes that by gaining Economic Justice
through accessing the necessary knowledge, skills and tools these men and women will better be able to
withstand the macro-economic, demographic and environmental pressures, which threaten income and
food security.

Oxfam’s approach to gender mainstreaming in adaptation and risk

reduction:

Oxfam’s work on gender is driven by the belief that achieving gender equality is both a question of
justice and of basic rights, and a means of addressing poverty and suffering more effectively. Oxfam
aims to ‘put women’s rights at the heart of all its work’ through gender mainstreaming. Oxfam
understands gender mainstreaming as a process of ensuring that all of its work, and the way it is carried
out, contributes to gender equality by transforming the balance of power between women and men. The
aim is to ensure that programs benefit women and men equally, do not harm or exclude women, and
help to redress existing gender imbalances. Gender mainstreaming addresses the concerns of both men
and women and the relations between them. However, since women bear the greater burden of poverty
and suffering across the world due to systematic discrimination against them at all institutional levels,
gender mainstreaming is largely about supporting women‘s empowerment. Critical to the success of this
work is actively engaging with men to acknowledge the role they play in either reinforcing or alleviating
women’s subordination, and securing their support to ensure that adaptation and risk reduction
initiatives uphold women’s rights and strengthen gender equality. In its Adaption and Risk Reduction
(ARR) work, Oxfam is committed to taking action to meet women’s specific practical needs, such as
those relating to their perceived responsibilities in the home, as well as addressing their longer-term
strategic needs, i.e. redressing the balance of power between women and men. Oxfam’s aims in terms of
gender equality are to support women in their efforts to challenge stereotyped gender roles, to reduce
their reproductive burden, and to achieve the following:
• Greater access to and control over resources;
• Stronger participation and leadership in decision making
Processes;
• Protection from gender-based violence; and
• An increasing sense of empowerment.
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Friendship

Friendship is a value-based organization with a holistic approach to development. Based in Bangladesh

and founded in 2002, Friendship’s flagship project was the Lifebuoy Friendship Hospital, a floating
hospital delivering primary and secondary healthcare. Friendship was founded in order to serve the
marginalized and isolated communities of the chars of northern Bangladesh. Friendship includes
program in Healthcare, Nutrition & Population; Education & Good Governance; Disaster Management
& Infrastructure Development; Sustainable Economic Development; and Cultural Preservation.
Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction
Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) is a multi-hazard approach to disaster risk
reduction, which brings communities to the center of hazard identification and analysis, risk assessment
and managing disaster when it occurs. It aims to streamline disaster risk reduction in sectors such as
health, food security and climate change adaptation. At a more practical level, CMDRR is about how
communities can prepare and cope with a disaster to reduce damage and loss of lives and livelihood.
Take for example, droughts in the northern Chars or increase of salinity in the southern coastal belt,
CMDRR has designed innovative initiatives to bring water closer to the villages, thereby reducing the
burden on women and girls.
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The CMDRR project consists of the following key elements:

- Training of staff and communities on facilitating the CMDRR process
- Conducting community managed disaster risk assessments and analysis
- Formulating and implementing disaster risk reduction action plans
- Ensuring the formation of community structures to manage the CMDRR action plans;
- Ensuring community managed documentation, monitoring and evaluation systems.

Friendship is implementing CMDRR approach and activities in two high risk areas as following:

The First Area: northern flood prone districts of Gaibandha and Kurigram
The Second Area: Two coastal Upazilla named Shyamnagar of Sathkhira district and Kalapara of
Patuakhali district near the Bay of Bengal. The overall approach and strategy are same the for both areas
but implementation activities are different from each other as the situation and hazard types are different
from one area to the other. Based on the CMDRR process, the communities are in charge of all decisions
and actions and the role of Friendship primarily plays a supporting role by facilitating the process and
providing technical and resource assistance. The ultimate goal is for communities to be able to cope with
the natural disasters in a sustainable way so that they do not continue to be personal disasters.

Disaster Management and Infrastructure Development

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As global climate changes, the risk of floods, drought and severe storms increase. It is projected that
rising global temperatures will cause increased drought, increased water stress in many parts of the
world, damage from storms, and coastal flooding affecting millions more people each year. Almost 20
million of Bangladesh’s population is below the poverty line and especially vulnerable to natural
disasters. With climate change, it is possible that 40% of the country will flood during the monsoon
season, compared to 25% today.

Climate change increases disaster risk. Friendship adopts a holistic approach to relief and rehabilitation,
addressing climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction techniques in the communities we
work. Our relief and rehabilitation programme follows three phases: the immediate emergency relief,
rehabilitation and reconstruction, and disaster risk management and preparedness.
Emergency Relief
When disaster strikes, whether it is a flood or a cyclone, a team from Friendship immediately goes to the
affected area and works with other organizations and bodies to reach people as quickly as possible. Our
priorities are to provide shelter, access to clean water and immediate healthcare. After a quick survey of
how many people are injured and taking a count of how many families will need relief, packets of food
and basic essentials are distributed. We coordinate paramedics and doctors from both home and abroad
for them to hold emergency health camps for the injured.

Rehabilitation and Reconstruction

After the immediate relief is over, the next stage is to help people return to normal lives, with an
upgrade. Before starting reconstruction Friendship assesses which of the disaster victims are the poorest
and most affected. We provide material to rebuild safer, more durable homes, so that inhabitants of
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thatched huts go back to tin roofs. Friendship ensures fresh drinkable water by providing tube wells and
cleaning ponds, and builds sanitary latrines alongside the new homes. Disaster survivors are introduced
to our income generation programme which provides means for livelihood, through the provision of
boats, solar panels, seeds and fertilizer, and fisheries and poultry.

Risk Management and Preparedness

Once the community has recovered from the disaster, it is important to make sure they are prepared for
the next one. Friendship helps in anticipating disasters and taking action to protect life and property. In
the northern chars, Friendship acts as a bank for people who know they will at some point lose their
homes in floods, and who wish to set aside some savings until then. Friendship’s education programme
includes Environmental Science as a primary school subject. Students are taught about what causes
floods and cyclones, when to expect them, what precautions to take and how to act when disasters strike.

Under the Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) project, community groups
fashioned after FCDCs of the char areas, receive preparedness education during regular meetings in
order to prepare for future natural hazards. The emphasis during these meetings is on knowledge
exchange as they are not only about groups receiving training, but also a way for us to learn from local
knowledge.

Cyclone Sidr
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On 16 November 2007, a category four cyclone, Sidr, hit the coastal regions of southern Bangladesh.
The cyclone caused massive destruction in those areas. Thousands of lives were lost and property,
infrastructure and telecommunication was severely damaged.

Immediately after the catastrophe, Friendship initiated a relief and rehabilitation programme for the Sidr
victims in five southern districts where it also operated six emergency medical camps instantly after the
tragedy struck, and successfully treated 14, 872 patients. Distribution of food and essentials for 978,750
people in seven districts started almost immediately. A total of 648,000 man days of food (18,000 food
relief packets containing six days of food for a family of six) were distributed in the five most affected
districts. In many areas Friendship’s food packages were the first to reach the people.

On the third day after the cyclone hit, Friendship sent five medical teams from the Lifebuoy Friendship
Hospital to the affected areas. A team of six foreign doctors and nurses were also flown in as volunteers
from France. Friendship constructed houses for the most affected cyclone victims and also constructed
300 sanitary latrines. A total of 12 deep tube wells were set up to ensure supply of fresh and safe
drinking water in these villages. Friendship implemented the whole relief, reconstruction and
rehabilitation programme in close coordination with local government bodies, Bangladesh Army, Navy
and other NGOs operating in the affected areas.

Flood Relief 2007

The marginalized communities of the chars suffered the most in 2007’s devastating floods. Though
hardest hit by the disaster, they received very inadequate relief due to remoteness and inaccessibility of
the char areas. Moreover, most of the relief activities stopped with the recession of flood waters. In order
to help the flood victims survive the devastation caused by the flood as well as to rehabilitate them in the
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post-flood period, Friendship initiated a massive flood relief program in August 2007 with support from
various donors.

In the first phase of the relief program the most severely affected chars in seven districts of northern
Bangladesh were targeted for distribution of emergency relief support. In the second phase, relief was
distributed among the most affected flood victims in six divisions across the country. The relief and
rehabilitation programme continued in 12 districts of six divisions throughout the country and was
successfully completed in March 2008.

CARE (COOPERATIVE FOR ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF

EVERYWHERE) BANGLADESH
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Care is one of the world's largest international humanitarian organizations, committed to helping
families in poor communities improve their lives and alleviate poverty. Founded in 1945, CARE is
working across 87 countries to fight global poverty and marginalization.
CARE has been active in Bangladesh since 1949 with Bangladesh being one of the largest country
offices of CARE. Prior to Bangladesh's independence in 1971- CARE Bangladesh's efforts mainly
focused on disaster relief, school and pre-school feeding. Since 1974, CARE Bangladesh's development
portfolio has included food security and livelihoods; health and nutrition; agriculture and natural
resources; climate change adaptation; women's empowerment and reduction of violence against women;
civil society strengthening; HIV/AIDS; disaster risk reduction and emergency response. Over the recent
years, CARE adopted rights based programming to address the underlying causes of poverty to
transform the lives and livelihoods of the poorest and marginalized, through amplifying their voices in
securing their legitimate claims and entitlements.
CARE has also acquired a leadership position in private sector engagement by forging partnerships with
27 enterprises, centered on inclusive business models in the areas of market access, sourcing and
aggregation; distribution systems; workforce engagement; and capacity building in inclusive business
-to jointly address development challenges for people at the bottom of the pyramid.

CARE Bangladesh is currently implementing 35 projects in partnership with 36 implementing NGOs to

improve food and livelihood security, promotion of gender equality and women empowerment, improve
child health and nutrition to eventually reduce child mortality.
CARE”S VISION
We seek a world of hope, tolerance and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live
in dignity and security. CARE International will be a global force and partner of choice in a worldwide
movement dedicated to ending poverty. We will be known everywhere for our unshakable commitment
to the dignity of people.

CARE”S MISSION:
CARE articulates its mission to strengthen the ultra-poor and poor communities; and the marginalized in
ways that influence public opinion, development practice, and policy at all levels. CARE Bangladesh
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utilizes its knowledge drawn from grass roots level while channeling CARE's global experience into
purposeful relationships with civil society, government and the private sector.

CARE Bangladesh already has a long history of working on climate change and is well known for its
pioneering tools and methods (for example- Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment),
particularly in climate change advocacy and programming. Yet even with these positive investments
CARE, like many other organizations, is only just beginning to feel the gravity of the challenge it faces.
CARE Bangladesh aims to enhance its Climate Change programming and portfolio in coming years.
Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change (RVCC) and PRODUCE are two classic examples of
successful climate change projects implemented by CARE in past. SHOUHARDO II and FSUP projects
have also embedded Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change themes into the food security
projects.

Development of Climate Change Strategy for CARE Bangladesh has been undertaken to build on
CARE's solid foundation of climate work and draw on its niche. This includes a strong presence in
climate vulnerable areas, promoting gender-equitable responses to climate change, focusing on rights-
based approaches and working across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance to longer-term
development.

CARE has recently completed two researches on Climate Change. CARE and the United Nations
University's Institute of Environment and Human Security have conducted a research "Rainfall, Food
Security and Human Mobility: Case Study Bangladesh" under Where the Rain Falls project to explore
how changing weather patterns, food security and human mobility affect the most vulnerable people.
Where the Rainfalls- Community Based Adaptation (WtRF CBA) project is also being implemented for
2014-2015 in Kurigram district. The goal is to improve the resilience of targeted vulnerable
communities to the increasing consequences of rainfall variability by promoting adaptive agricultural
practices and efficient water resource management. Centre for Global Change (CGC) and CARE
Bangladesh have undertaken another study "Assessment of Household Vulnerabilities to Climate
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Change in the Haor Region of Bangladesh". Another study will be launched soon to see the linkages of
Climate Change and Gender.

Given that climate change is an interconnected global problem severely impacting CARE's mission and
the rights of the poorest people, CARE will continue to frame its work in the context of climate justice
and equity. CARE Bangladesh has recently re-engaged with Climate Action Network for South Asia
(CANSA) and secured a seat at Bangladesh steering committee. CARE Bangladesh as part of the
Emergency Capacity Building (ECB) project has played a key role for passing of the Disaster
Management Act. CARE will identify its niche on climate change advocacy and continue to work with
peers and allies for joint advocacy.

BRAC
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BRAC, an international and the largest non-governmental development organization in the world, which
is measured by its number of employees and the number of people it has helped, as of November 2012.
Established by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed in 1972 soon after the independence of Bangladesh, BRAC is
present in all 64 districts of Bangladesh as well as in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Uganda,
Tanzania, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Haiti and the Philippines as of 2014.
BRAC employs over 100,000 people, roughly 70 percent of whom are women, reaching more than 126
million people. The organization is 70-80% self-funded through a number of commercial enterprises that
include a dairy and food project and a chain of retail handicraft stores called Aarong. BRAC maintains
offices in 14 countries throughout the world, including BRAC USA and BRAC UK.
What is unique about BRAC is its method of pulling people out of poverty. As one author has said,
“BRAC’s idea was simple yet radical: bring together the poorest people in the poorest countries and
teach them to read, think for themselves, pool their resources, and start their own businesses” (Barber).
This is exactly what BRAC has done and is still doing in Bangladesh and eleven other poverty-stricken
countries around the world.
BRAC has organized the isolated poor and learned to understand their needs by finding practical ways to
increase their access to resources, support their entrepreneurship and empower them to become agents of
change. Women and girls have been the focus of BRAC’s anti-poverty approach; BRAC recognizes
both their vulnerabilities and thirst for change.
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Disaster relief
BRAC conducted one of the largest NGO responses to Cyclone Sidr which hit vast areas of the south-
western coast in Bangladesh in mid-November 2007. BRAC distributed emergency relief materials,
including food and clothing, to over 900,000 survivors, provided medical care to over 60,000 victims
and secured safe supplies of drinking water. BRAC is now focusing on long-term rehabilitation, which
will include agriculture support, infrastructure reconstruction and livelihood regeneration.[
BRAC Disaster, Environment and Climate Change (DECC) programme works alongside the
government, other non-governmental organizations and the community to build resilience, foster
adaptation and respond holistically to the effects of climate change and natural disasters.
The programme’s fundamental goals are to enhance BRAC's institutional capacity to respond to natural
disasters, build competence at the community level on disaster preparedness and increase coping ability
during natural disasters by conducting predictive research, information transfer and education in relation
to environment, climate change and natural disasters.
BRAC’s response to the Savar tragedy

28 April 2013, Dhaka. In order to help the victims of Savar tragedy, BRAC has initiated a host of
emergency support activities through multiple medical and psychosocial counseling teams. BRAC aims
to continue their efforts until the end of the rescue operation, and then initiate post-trauma rehabilitation
activities.
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Following the incident, BRAC’s health nutrition and population programme (HNPP) sent three medical
teams to Savar, Dhaka Orthopedic Hospital and Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). The Savar
medical team, located immediately outside the accident site, has so far provided treatment to a total of
117 patients within the first three days. The Savar team is also providing necessary support at Enam
Medical College. In addition, the team has prepared a complete list of admitted patients who will require
rehabilitation later.

The BRAC team at DMCH has continued their support on the third day, which included updating the
patients' profile with complete address and contact details, and re-assessing the admitted patients’
psychological conditions. This team is working jointly with the National Institute of Traumatology and
Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) and Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), to update
the common patients’ profiles, listing the patients who have lost their limbs and will require
rehabilitation support later.

Aside from the medical teams, BRAC has dispatched four psychological trauma counseling teams
comprising of four to six counselors from HNPP, community empowerment programme, disaster,
environment and climate change programme (DECC), gender, justice and diversity programmeand
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BRAC University. The teams have visited DMCH, NITOR, Savar CMH and Enam Medical Hospital
and assessed the counseling needs of a total of 115 admitted patients. The team will continue with the
assessment process and start psychological trauma counseling support from 28April.

A special team organized by DECC and consisting of trained staff in counseling is currently providing
psycho-social support to the rescued victims and the family members of those who have yet to be found.
Another team has identified the number of children from BRAC schools who have lost one or both
parents to the tragedy, and are receiving similar psycho-social support.

Activities under relief program:

Response to disaster management:
BRAC, initiated in 1972 as a short-term relief and rehabilitation project
Gradually BRAC has learnt how to help victims during natural calamities
Provided support for cyclone and flood victims whenever needed including this year flood
BRAC’s research also help to direct its activities towards disaster risk management and reduction
And how BRAC can better response to future natural disasters.
BRAC’s Strategy for Relief Program in 2004:
During flood:
Massive relief operation for the marooned people in both rural and urban areas
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As the flood situation deteriorated, BRAC immediately initiated a relief program using its’ own funds
Than a larger relief program with its own contribution and the major donors contribution.
Organization of relief work:

“Core Flood Coordination Cell” at HO. 3 members to coordinate with the GO, NGOs, donor agencies,
and mobilizing resources and other supports
A special “focal point” for each district

The “focal point” updated the HO everyday

A special one-hour meeting was held with the HO cell. The decisions were communicated to the field
focal points immediately.
Activities under relief program. Emergency Relief Program in 233 upazilas in 37 districts
Food distribution
ORS and medicine
Medical assistance
Water treatment and maintenance
Housing assistance
Assistance for IGAs:
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Relief program for 8 Malaria Endemic Districts

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HEED BANGLSDESH

HEED Bangladesh (Health, Education and Economic Development) is a non-profit, non-political and
non-governmental organization (NGO) committed to participate and promote national development
through upgrading the socio-economic condition of the disadvantaged and underprivileged people in the
society. The organization, as a national non-governmental organization (NGO), was formed in 1974, by
national Christian leaders and several western partner organizations in response to the post war needs in
Bangladesh. Since 1974, HEED Bangladesh has been working in the fields of health, education,
agriculture, aquaculture, livestock, forestry, environment & natural resource management, bio-diversity
conservation, disaster management, socio-economic development of marginalized and under privileged
people, micro finance, nutrition & Hygiene education, water and sanitation, HIV/AIDs, rural
development, awareness raising, arsenic, women, street children, etc.

Goals
1. Health Development
To improve health status of the Bangladeshi people to increase control of leprosy and TB, to increase
family planning.
2. Education Development
To increase literacy, knowledge of the environment, discipline and the governance of the creator.
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3. Economic Development
To increase the quality of the life of the people of Bangladesh and to promote justice, economic
prosperity and stewardship.

4. Social Development
To increase self-government, foster democracy and servanthood in leadership and to increase
participation and mutual cooperation throughout Bangladesh.
5. Spiritual Development: Create spiritual awareness about the Creator and His Creation.

Mission of the Organization

Their mission is to ensure basic health services, extend support to formal educational systems and
counter poverty through creating capital for alternative income & employment opportunities, re sponse
to all disasters and thus transform human lives.

Vision of the Organization

Their vision is to build communities that are just, accountable and responsive to the needs of the poor
and marginalized with dignity for glorifying the Creator and His creations.
Disaster Management Program

Bangladesh is recognized worldwide as one of the country’s most vulnerable to the impacts of global
warming and climate change. This is due to its unique geographic location, dominance of floodplains,
and low elevation from the sea, high population density, high levels of poverty, and overwhelming
dependence on nature, its resources and services. The country has a history of extreme climatic events
claiming millions of lives and destroying past development gains. The people and social system have
knowledge and experience of coping with their effects – to some degree and extent. Variability in
rainfall pattern, combined with increased snow melt from the Himalayas, and temperature extremes are
resulting in crop damage and failure, preventing farmers and those dependent from meaningful earning
opportunities. In a changing climate the pattern of impacts are eroding our assets, investment and future.
This stands for families, communities and the state. Global warming and climate change threatens
settlements and the number of people displaced from their land due to riverbank erosion, permanent
inundation and sea level rise is increasing rapidly every year. Resource and effort of government and
people are quickly drained addressing the impact of one event when another hazard strikes. Impacts of
global warming and climate change have the potential to challenge our development efforts, human
security and a future.
HEED Disaster Management Program (DMP):
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Disaster Management program Cover 11 districts allover the country, which are: Gaibandha, Rangpur,
Dinajpur, Khulna, Bagerhat, Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Bhola, Noakhali, Patuakhali, Barguna with 20
sub-districts or thanas
Cyclone shelters:
In coastal belt of Bangladesh the average height from mean sea level is 2.5 to 3.5 feet. Every year after
monsoon rain in Bangladesh has disaster risk for cyclone. Every year the Bay of Bengal generates the
cyclone. When the cyclone passes through the water level increase 5 to 12 feet. In coastal area most of
the building materials are mud, wooden, tin and straw. So, all structures are collapse when the cyclone
hit in the coastal area. All people take the shelter in the cyclone center. Mainly the cyclone centre is 2
storied concrete building where the 1st floor height is minimum 10 feet. In Bangladesh 1 cyclone center
is needed for each community. But coastal areas have no sufficient cyclone centers. In this consequence
Kinder Not Hilfe (KNH), Tear Fund UK & Netherland and Inter serve-Netherland donated Bangladesh
to build Cyclone center supported by HEED Bangladesh.

Description of a Cyclone Shelter Building

• Per floor Area -2200 Sft.
• Total floor Area – 4400 Sft.
• Construction work All completed by June-2009 (100% done)
• People Capacity per Building = 700 / 900 Nos.
b. School cum Cyclone Shelter – 04 Nos.
• Funded By - TEAR FUND- Netherland.
• 02 Storied Cyclone Shelter Building.
• Tub -Well - 01 Nos.
• Toilet – 04 Nos.
• Land Area – 39.00, 37.00, 33.00, 33.00 Decimal
• Location: Kanuya, Thana/Upazilla- Vandariya. District- Pirojpur.
• Construction work Completed 80%.
• Shialkati.Thana/Upazilla-kawkhali, District- Pirojpur.
• Construction work Completed 95%.
• Pakhimara, Thana/Upazilla- Kalapara, District- Patuakhali.
• Construction work All completed by July -2009. (100% done)
• Boldiya. Thana/Upazilla- Sharupkathi, District- Pirojpur.
• Construction work Completed 10%.
• Per Building Area.
• Per floor Area -2600 Sft.
• Total floor Area – 5200 Sft.
• People Capacity per Building = 850 / 1000 Nos.
c. 10th Cyclone Shelter Building – 01 Nos.

• Funded By – Inter serve-Netherland.

• 03 (Three) - Storied Cyclone Shelter Building.
• Tub-well – 01 Nos.
• Toilet – 09 Nos.
• Land Area – 33.00 Decimal
• Location: Manikjuri, Thana/Upazila – Amtoli, District- Barguna.
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• Building Area
• Per Floor Area – 3,000 Sft
• Total floor Area – 9,000 Sft.
• Construction work All completed by July -2010(100% done)
• People Capacity per Building = 1500 / 2,000 Nos.
d. School cum Cyclone Shelter – 01Nos.
• Funded By – TEAR FUND – UK.
• 02 Storied Cyclone Shelter Building.
• Toilet – 04Nos.
• Land Area – 33.00 Decimal
• Location.
• Charpara, Taltoli, Thana/Upzila – Amtoli, District – Barguna.
• Building Area.
• Per floor Area -2,600 Sft.
• Total floor Area – 5,200 Sft.
• Construction work All completed by December-2008 (100% done).
• People Capacity per Building = 850 / 1000 Nos.

CONCLUSION
 33

Based on different study findings, it is clear that the NGOs were focused in playing key roles in the
immediate aftermath of disasters by extending assistance in emergency response, rescue and first aid,
sanitation and hygiene, damage assessment And assistance to external agencies bringing relief materials.
During the post disaster Phase, the NGOs played important roles by providing technical and material
support for safe construction, revival of educational institutions and restoration of means of Livelihood
and assist the government in monitoring the pace of implementation for various reconstruction and
recovery programs. Study showed that about 20% of the Assistance to emergency response, recovery,
and rehabilitation during 1970 cyclone Disaster was ensured by NGOs both national and internationals
and it was more than 40% in 1991 cyclone disasters.

However, to maximize the NGOs' contribution to disaster management needs effective response
program through effective participation of the concerned stakeholders. NGOs' planning and methods to
disaster management should be situational and reviewed from time to time as there is no any best and
fixed method to handle the crisis for all the times. A wide variety of planning, method, and behavior
might be appropriate to particular situation. Which would be the most appropriate planning, method, and
behavior depends on situation. So, there should be a changing Pattern of behavior in NGOs' strategic
plan to maximize its contribution to disaster management.

REFERENCES
 34

BRAC. (2004). BRAG: Annual Report. Dhaka: BRAC.

http://www.ahsaniamission.org.bd/

http://oxfamblogs.org/

http://oxfamblogs.org/bangladesh/

http://www.carebd.org/

http://www.friendship-bd.org/

http://www.heed-bangladesh.com/