LWF Nepal Wins the Hearts of Flood Victims

August 19, 2017 Kathmandu

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Nepal has won the hearts of the flood-affected people as it was quick to respond the emergency. Adnu Prasad Rajbangshi, chairperson of Korobari Village in Gaurigunj Rural Municipality, Jhapa, says, “LWF Nepal came to our village with relief materials before the government.”

The flood triggered by the incessant rains that began on 13 August 2017 equally affected Rajbangshi’s village. The village in the remote part of the district used to get support last as service providers used to reach the village at last.

LWF Nepal provided relief immediately to a total of 568 flood-affected families in Jhapa and Kailali districts, the eastern and far western districts of Nepal. LWF Nepal has reached 258 flood-affected families in Jhapa and 310 households in Kailali districts with relief package that included food, kitchen utensil set, blanket and urgent cloth items.

LWF and its implementing partner organization namely Social Network for Justice and Development (SNJD) provided relief to 90 households of Baluwatar Basti in Jhapa Rural Municipality (RM) on 15th August 2017. The relief package consisted of 15 kg of rice, 2 kg of pulse, 1 liter of cooking oil, 1 kg iodized salt, Jeans cloth, Poplin cloth, printed Poplin cloth, kitchen utensil, blanket and bucket to each household.

The 90 households were taking shelter in Tribhuvan Lower Secondary School in Jhapa RM.  Also, LWF Nepal and its partner SNJD reached 57 families of Korobari Village and 111 households of Kadamgachhi village of Gaurigunj RM.  LWF has provided relief materials including kitchen utensil set and blanket to a total of 57 flood-hit households in Korobari Village while 111 families affected and displaced in Kamadgachhi village were provided rice, pulse, iodized salt, cooking oil, beaten rice, instant noodles and a blanket each. 

Similarly,in Kailali, LWF Nepal provided relief to affected communities in Jabalpur village in Janaki RM, Gothchaur village of Bhajani Municipality and  Bhitraya village of Joshipur Municipality. Rice, pulse, iodized salt, cooking oil, beaten rice, and instant noodle were distributed. Apart from that a Dignity Kit was also provided.  

Gender-responsive Relief Pack

Special needs of women were taken into consideration while preparing the packet of the relief materials. “We included sarees and  other dignity kit  to ensure that flood-affected women could wear cloth they are accustomed to and live with dignity,” LWF Nepal Regional Coordinator Rajendra Kumar Raut says.

Engagement with DDRC renders relief effective

Although the Government of Nepal initially asked the humanitarian agencies to go through ‘one window policy’ while providing cash or in-kind support to the flood-affected people, the District Disaster Relief Committees (DDRCs) and other local government agencies were supportive to I/NGOs to distribute relief package. The I/NGOs coordinated mainly with the DDRCs and other local government agencies. Thus distributing relief on time and avoiding duplication simultaneously.

The government bodies supported LWF Nepal and its implementing partners to reach to the flood-affected population in the districts. “Due to our continuous engagement with government agencies, district level government agencies provided logistic and moral support to us, thereby easing the process of relief distribution,” says Rajendra Kumar Raut.

Way Forward

According to the Ministry of Home Affair (MoHA), a total of 135 people have been killed, 41 injured and 30 people have gone missing due the floods triggered by incessant rainfall. There has been a huge loss of property particularly the stock food grains, standing crops, seeds, livestock, poultry and fish whose accurate data is yet to come. According to MoHA, around 80,000 houses are completely destroyed and more than 100,000 houses are partially damaged. 

Therefore, it is a devastating emergency that calls for both national and international support in terms of relief, recovery and rehabilitation of the flood-affected people.

Story by Umesh Pokharel, LWF Nepal.