Islamic Relief responds as Cyclone Roanu hits Bangladesh
We are providing food packs to families in two of the areas hardest hit: Tazumuddin in Bhola District and Baskhahi in Chittagong. The food packs were originally intended to be distributed during Ramadan, and have been diverted to assist with this emergency. Each pack provides enough food to last a family for 21 days.
“We are thankful that more people were not killed,” says Tufail Hussain, Islamic Relief’s Deputy Director in the UK. “We have been working in Bangladesh since 1991, which was when we first assisted survivors of a devastating cyclone. Over the years we have been training local communities in identifying the early warning signs of such disasters and evacuating families at risk before disaster strikes. Hundreds of people have been trained as volunteer first responders, and community Disaster Management Committees have been established.”
As a result of extensive work protecting communities in this way – through projects known collectively as Disaster Risk Reduction programmes – the potential risk of people losing their lives and livelihoods has been significantly reduced. Islamic Relief in Bangladesh also plans to provide shelter for families uprooted by Cyclone Roanu.
Such innovative projects are making a huge difference and saving tens of thousands of lives. Please continue to support us as we approach the blessed month of Ramadan.
Each food pack costs £21 – a practical way that you can help support the families worst affected. But Islamic Relief donors can also be thankful that the work that you have enabled us to do over many years has provided vital protection to many thousands of people who might otherwise have perished – SubhanAllah.