Response to flood affected

01 Dec 2017

The incessant rainfall from 10th August 2017 triggered a massive scale of flood and landslides in the entire country.A devastating condition was experienced especially in the Eastern, Central, Mid-Western and Far-Western region of Nepal that left heavy loss of lives and resources. More than 160 people were dead, over 50,000 had been displaced. Similarly, 2,42,097 families were affected, 9,595 houses are completely damaged and 22,218 got partially damaged. As this catastrophic situation happened, WOREC took an urgent action to support in relief response to the flood survivors. A response team was formed and a rapid assessment was done through gender lens in coordination with the District Disaster Response Committee (DDRC) to figure out the condition of people especially women and children majorly focusing on women, children, pregnant, lactating women, adolescent girls and other people in dire need. From the initial assessment, continuous monitoring and figures taken from the local agencies, WOREC identified that 1863 pregnant and lactating women werethe most affected.

WOREC works in holistic and gender-responsive ways to provide relief and rehabilitation work of the affected women and girls. Hence, WOREC came-up with an idea for a safe space known as Female Friendly Space (FFS) or also known as “Sneha Kendra” to promote and cater the specific needs of women and girls during emergencies. Sneha Kendra was designated specifically to provide specific services, such as, pregnant women to take rest and get the needful support and food; lactating women to rest, breastfeed and take special care and food, and women in general to come and share, take rest and get support for special need such as Sanitary pads, undergarments, wet wipes and other required materials. Moreover, these are the spaces where women can get individual and group counseling by community based counselors and information regarding safety and security precaution. They were also oriented on GBV and women’s rights. WOREC established FFS at various flood hit districts- Siraha, Morang, Dang, Sunsari, Mahottari, Kailali, Sarlahi and Rautahat and reached other flood affected districts through supportive programs.

Kailali District 

Lalbojhi and Bhajani Municipality had been badly affected. More than 1355 families had been displaced by flood in the district. In coordination with District Disaster Rescue Centre (DDRC), WOREC established Female friendly space at Bhajani Municipality and Psychosocial counselling and Information Center at Lalbojhi Municipality. More than 254 pregnant and lactating women provided with safe shelter, 516 women, adolescent girls and children received dignity kits and Clothes at FFS. Similarly, 641 women and adolescent girls are oriented upon various issues like women’s right, personal health sanitation, stress management, reproductive health and GBV. They were oriented on basic personal hygiene during and after the disaster. They were also oriented on women's health, menstrual hygiene, food and nutrition for lactating mothers and newborn babies. Such orientations were provided to women in female friendly spaces as well as through outreach activities.

Siraha District

Municipality 1 and 2 are most affected areas of Siraha District. Total 2120 families had been displaced whereas 11,550 houses were affected. In coordinationwith DDRC, FFS was established at Municipality Ward number 1. WOREC identified 32 pregnant and lactating women and supported with Dignity kits. Similarly, others (adolescent girls, women, children, new born baby, old aged and single) 183 women and children received dignity kits through FFS. Total 19 orientations were conducted where 513 including 50 men received awareness about the personal cleanliness, women’s rights and GBV, reproductive health, various traditional practices ( ch

Likewise, 244 affected women and children were provided with nutritious lunch and 52 people were supported with food materials. Outreach program and Door to Door program was effectively conducted to identify the need of flood affected people.

Dang District: 

Flood triggered 5 deaths in Dang district and stricken Tulsipur Sub Metropolitan city. WOREC identified more than 139 pregnant and lactating women at Tulsipur and started to establish two different FFS in Ward number 11 Motipur and Fulbari. 29 flood affected women and 30 children received dignity kits whereas 12 women were provided with hygienic kits and blankets. Similarly, 19 adolescent girls were provided with the sanitary pads and sensitize them about the various types of violence prevalent in our society and ways to get prevent from it. Likewise, 5 orientations on GBV, personal hygiene, reproductive and mental health were organized where 290 women got aware regarding good basic personal hygiene to help prevent the spread of illness and disease.

One week Primary health services campaign was also conducted in coordination with District Health Offices at Motipur of Tulsipur Sub Metropolitan. The objective of this campaign was to provide the health checkup, disseminate information regarding reproductive health and also provided with medicines. Total 114 women and 27 men received service from the campaign.

Sunsari District

One week Primary health services campaign was also conducted in coordination with District Health Offices at Motipur of Tulsipur Sub Metropolitan. The objective of this campaign was to provide the health checkup, disseminate information regarding reproductive health and also provided with medicines. Total 114 women and 27 men received service from the campaign.

Sunsari District

Sunsariwas also one of the most affected flood districts where 12 people were killed, more than 3000 houses were completely damaged and 15000 families were displaced by flood. 125 pregnant and lactating women were recognized and 13 of them were provided with safe shelter which is established at Duhabhi Metropolitan, 80 lactating women received dignity kits. Various supportive programs were conducted through FFS where 437 women including 108 adolescent girls got aware on the reproductive health, GBV and personal cleanliness and sanitation. 2 pregnant women who were affected from the psychosocial problem were provided with counseling service. Likewise, 105 houses of Koshi village municipality were supported with clothes and food materials.

Morang District

Flood triggered 5 death and 11000 houses been inundated in Morang District. More than 748 women including 131 pregnant and lactating women and 540 children had been identified as highly affected in the district. WOREC office and Safe house itself was submerged into the flood and damage in office appliances. FFS was established at the Biratnagar Metropolitan of Morang where 7 pregnant and lactating women got safe shelter. 9 lactating women were supported with dignity kits and 146 children were provided clothes, 68 baby below 3 years of age supported with baby kits. Flood hits Villages named as Budikhap of Sundarharaicha, different wards of Biratnagar Metropolitan were inspected by the team where it was found that children had been mostly affected as they had no any schooling material. Similarly, there was the problem of drinking water.

Udaypur District

Hundreds of houses in three municipalities of the Udaypur district had submerged. The flooded Baruwakhola River had inundated Gaighat bazaar. Houses and crops hadsubmerged due to the flood in ward number 16, whereas two families were displaced after the Jaljale River swept away their houses at Jaljale-11.The flooded Triyuga, Maruwa and Kakarukhola rivers had inundated dozens of settlements and eroded cultivable lands in the district. WOREC supported 4 affected children with children kits with clothes.

Rautahat District

Nearly five hundred Dalit households have been affected by floods in DurgaBhagwati Rural Municipality-4, Rautahat. Among them, around than two hundred families have been displaced while 104 houses have been swept away. WOREC established FFS at BhadarwaChowk of DurgaBhagwati Rural Municipality and oriented more than 135 women’s and adolescent girls about the personal hygiene and sanitation during the disaster. Similarly, they were also aware of discriminatory behavior and violence on women during disaster. WOREC team reached out toward various affected areas of Rautahat and conducted door to door campaign. Psychosocial counselling been provided to 5 women who are bound to live traumatic lives after floods.

Sarlahi District

Sarlahi is one of the worst affected district by flood. WOREC initiated FFS at Sakraul of Kaudena Rural Municipality. Various orientation, psychosocial counseling programs were conducted through FFS where 60 women and girls were aware on various topics like women’s right, violence and women’s health. Similarly, many outreach, door to door program were organized on various flood affected areas.

Mahottari District

WOREC opened FFS at Lohatpatti Bazar of Lohatpatti Municipality ward number 6 where 198 adolescent girls were sensitized on Personal and menstrual hygiene, alerted them regarding violence and also inform them how to approach the rescue member to alert about the case of violence