Flood Relief in Bangladesh

Thank you for your support of this project!

Jahura is a 45-year-old widow from Bangladesh, who had spent years struggling to provide for her family. When the flood came— something her village had never experienced before – her hardships became a terrifying fight for survival.

Her fragile home was no match for the rising flood, so she and her daughter made the decision to wade through muddy waters to a nearby house built on higher ground, where they waited for 18 days alongside dozens of other people also seeking shelter. Conditions were unbearable, food was scarce, clean water was limited, and using the toilet meant walking through unsafe, stagnant waters and risking disease. When the water finally withdrew, Jahura returned home, only to find her belongings destroyed.

Through ActionAid’s cash support program, which helps provide short term relief in times of emergencies like this, she received BDT 6,000. With the money, she was able to replace and replenish the essentials she'd lost— blankets, plates, clothes, food, and soap. For the first time since the flood, she felt a small sense of relief.

Months later, the scars of the flood remain. Though home, Jahura now fears what would happen if another disaster were to strike. She is looking to soon take part in ActionAid’s disaster preparedness trainings - something no one in her village had yet received – as part of the long-term recovery phase of response.

Thank you for powering the work and standing alongside vulnerable communities, especially when they most need it.