Escaping flood waters in Bangladesh
11 October 2007
The
Jamuna is one of Bangladesh's major rivers. It is so large that in many places
small islands, called chars, emerge. These chars, which are continuously being
deposited and eroded, typically exist for up to 20 years and are home to some of
the country's poorest people. They are also highly vulnerable to flooding.
That
is, they were. Were, because the
Chars Livelihoods Programme
(CLP), supported by DFID, has taken huge strides to reduce vulnerability
to flooding. The severe floods that
affected northern Bangladesh in August 2007, when water levels rose higher
than during 1998 and 2004's deluges, gave the programme its biggest test to
date.
Securing communities against rising waters
"In previous floods, there were so many problems with clean water and
sanitation," says Firoza Begum, who lives on Fulchari Char. Her neighbour,
Rahima, agrees: "In 2004, there was serious diarrhoea. And we would stand chest
deep in water and had to sell chickens to survive.
Not this time though. There
is no damage to our village this time." Firoza and Rahima talk enthusiastically
how the CLP changed their lives by raising plinths and providing latrines, wells
and cattle.
This is no isolated story. Working through a network of local non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), the programme has paid communities to raise 32,700
households above the 1998 flood level on plinths. It has also provided 23,700
latrines and 748 wells, and has transferred productive assets worth £100 to
11,420 extremely poor households. The households themselves choose which assets
they want, with most opting for cattle.
During 2007's floods, only 2% of plinths were washed away. Another 15% were
submerged and suffered some damage, but can be repaired. By any standard, this
is a remarkable achievement. By 2011, the programme will have raised a total of
100,000 homesteads above 1998 flood levels, and transferred £100 in productive
assets to a total of 50,000 extremely poor families. It will also provide
employment for many poor families living on the chars. So successful has the
programme been that it is under pressure to move even faster.
Reducing vulnerability, reducing poverty
Effective development enables people to respond better to emergencies. Because
the char communities were able to remain on their plinths during the flooding,
the programme could provide, through its NGO network, ready-to-eat food to
600,000 people within seven days of the emergency being declared. That was
followed, within eight days, by a week’s supply of rice, dal and potatoes for
650,000 people - the original 600,000 plus 50,000 who had returned from the
mainland.
People who live on the chars can be rather stoical about flooding. For them,
it's a fact of life, albeit an unpleasant one. Now there is an almost tangibly
positive feeling among them. Women in this conservative society were grateful
that they did not have to leave the privacy of their homes. But the longer term
outlook is perhaps even more remarkable. Escaping the floods is good, people
say, but they are now looking to the future with a sense of hope and optimism
that just wasn't there before.
The cattle provided by the CLP generate income,
and that in turn gives the opportunity to open small businesses, buy or lease
land, send children to school and generally live better lives. Many thousands of
people are already taking this road out of extreme poverty. Without the plinths,
latrines and wells, their climb would be a great deal steeper.
In the words of Chris Austin, DFID’s country representative in Bangladesh:
"Life continued more or less as normal during this year's floods. That is a
valuable lesson. The plinths really do reduce char dwellers’ vulnerability to
flooding. They protect lives, safeguard assets and insure livelihoods. I've seen
some of the incredible achievements and met several beneficiaries myself. DFID
and the CLP will use this very positive experience to further reduce extreme
poverty and vulnerability for the people living on the Jamuna chars."
Key Facts
- Between 2004 and 2011, DFID is spending £50 million on the CLP. This will increase livelihood security for a 6.5 million poor and vulnerable women, men and children living in the riverine areas of five districts in the northern Jamuna region of Bangladesh.
- During the August 2007 floods, DFID reached around 1 million people in the most severely affected places through £1.9 million of aid. Of this money, £1 million helped to provide food, medicines and shelter to people living in the Chars river islands.
- Bangladesh’s
Links
