Panchayat women take leadership role in providing relief to their villages

As in Bangladesh, several states in India are experiencing the worst floods in 15 years. In the state of Bihar, two of the districts -- Madhubani and Sitamarhi -- where The Hunger Project works -- have been totally cut off 10 days after the disaster. Rivers are overflowing and literally sweeping away entire villages. The death toll in Bihar as of today is over 457.

The Government machinery has swung into action and food packets are air dropped by helicopters every morning. But the truth of the matter is that relief is not reaching the families affected by these floods fast enough. The government needs to strengthen its ability to create strategic plans to provide food relief. For example: The Government is distributing large quantities of wheat to affected families without recognizing that they don’t have the utensils to pound the wheat – let alone clean water to make the dough.

Over the last couple of weeks, The Hunger Project has been working in the above districts with elected women representatives, and our NGO partners to relocate people to dry land, and provide them with the support they require at this time.

The Hunger Project is not only standing in partnership with the people in India affected by heavy floods, but is using this opportunity to build the capacity of the panchayat women leaders so that they can play a critical role for flood relief in their areas.

This as an opportunity to build the leadership of panchayat women during times of crisis, and are mobilizing the village women to collectively demand timely government assistance to their villages. The Hunger Project - Bihar office is working to bring together a group of 20 NGOs to respond to the needs of the people and the local NGO partners who are in the villages, stranded by the floods.

In partnership with The Hunger Project and our NGO partners, The Panchayat women will be trained to:

• Identify the worst affected families in their villages.

• Utilize their leadership skills to reach out to the families who need immediate assistance.

• Use essential medicines that are easily administered against eye and skin sores, diarrhea, dysentery and snake bites.

Although Bihar is one of the poorest states in India, where the status of women is the lowest – it is one of the top three states where The Hunger Project has succeeded in mobilizing women to take effective action. Please click here to read the recent accomplishment of the courageous women of Bihar.