Humanitarian Actions under Climate Disasters
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1 April 2023 - 30 September 2023
The devastation inflicted by climate disasters can be incalculable and emergency assistance is a matter of urgency. By donating to those affected by drought, floods or typhoons, vulnerable communities can receive appropriate relief support to safeguard their lives and rebuild their homes.
“There would always be a risk of getting flooded, but people like us who have nowhere to go, we pull together whatever we can and try to rebuild our homes somewhere safer.” - Mosammat Forijon Khatun lives in flood-prone Bangladesh, where millions of people are constantly facing the threats of climate hazards.
Mosammat is no stranger to floods and the destruction it causes , but she tries not to lose her hope in life. It is this spark of hope that motivates her walking along with the Red Cross to tackle the difficulties brought by climate disasters. With the cash assistance of 4,500 Taka (about HKD 330) from the Red Cross, families in Mosammat’s community were able to fix their homes damaged by the floods, invest in new livelihoods initiatives, or even pay for urgent expenses.
To Shahjalal Miah and his family, who live in the same area as Mosammat, losing their home in the floods could have been a devastating ordeal. The tent Miah received from the Red Cross helped him settle down when he had no other means of accommodation, “if I had not had the tent, I had no idea what would have happened to my family.”
People’s capacity to cope with disasters is closely linked to their livelihoods and economic status. Unfortunately, unstable weather patterns due to climate change greatly affect the livelihoods of communities that are dependent on natural resources. In Purnima Mistri’s community, not only are they facing the recurrent risks of extreme weather events, but the prevalent livelihood of shrimp farming has also been less and less profitable.
To help families such as Purnima’s to cope with the harsh realities, the Red Cross provides new skills and alternative livelihood sources that will help them withstand compounding crises. After receiving the livelihood training, Purnima decided to invest in other livelihoods to generate income for her family. She now has hens and ducks that provide eggs to feed her family and to sell in the local market. Purnima has also built a small vegetable garden around her house that grows nutritious herbs and vegetables.
“My life is very different now. I can earn and provide for the family,” she says. “Now, I also participate in the decision-making for my family and my husband. Once we had nothing, but now we are building our life slowly.”
In the past ten years, 83% of all disasters triggered by natural hazards were caused by extreme climate-related events, including droughts, floods and cyclones that directly affected 1.7 billion people, and more than 410,000 people were killed. At the same time, secondary threats such as food shortage, disease outbreaks, and disrupted livelihood should not be underestimated. Please assist those affected by climate-related emergencies, make emergency assistance available to the vulnerable population and get themselves prepared for disasters.
Your donation will allow the Red Cross to provide emergency assistance to climate disasters affected communities, and support them in the long road of recovery.
Watch Mosammat Forijon Khatun’s story
