Sidr affected humanity and NGOs
Recently cyclone 'Sidr', the fiercest in known memory, has ravaged life in quite a number of southern districts of Bangladesh. About 4000 men-women-children were killed and innumerable got injured, many very seriously. Lakhs of houses and more than that number of cattle as well as thousands of acres of standing crops were destroyed. And also destroyed was 30 per cent of the world heritage Sundarbans with its exclusive fauna. Losing everything to the fury of cyclone 'Sidr' lakhs of people are inhumanly living under open sky in this winter. However, besides the government, NGOs and foreign donor agencies, various countries and people in general have come in a big way to help and rehabilitate the distressed. The local NGOs are perhaps trying their best to stand by the affected alongside the government. They have joined the rehabilitation effort exempting loan of cyclone affected members, suspending installment collection for certain period, providing interest-free loan as well as essential medicines and other necessities.
Immediately after the cyclone, the microcredit providing large NGOs like Grameen, ASA, BRAC suspended their installment collection, sent special team to affected areas to assess the loss and damage. On the basis of their report, the NGOs took up various programmes including exemption of loan and suspension of installment collection in comparatively less affected areas. They also took up programmes of providing interest-free loan for house construction and rehabilitation of affected members as well as new credit programmes. Besides, they donated cash to the relief fund of district administration and joint forces. One of the large NGOs of the country, ASA, like others such, announced suspension of installment collection on all kinds of loans and took up the undermentioned programmes in aid of the cyclone affected members.
Exemption of loan: Loans of most affected 50 thousand members have been 100 per cent exempted amounting to about 25 crore taka. Loans of medium affected members have been 50 percent exempted amounting to another 25 crore taka and the remaining 50 per cent has been rescheduled.
Interest free loan: One and half lakh affected members have been given interest-free loan of Taka 2000 each, amounting to Taka 30 crore. Repayment opportunity has been provided in installments spread over two years with six-month grace period. 100 per cent of members' savings deposit and insured amount, about Taka 30 crore, has been refunded.
Suspension of installment: In the four districts -- Barguna, Patuakhali, Bagerhat and Pirojpur -- most affected by cyclone, collection of installments has been suspended for indefinite period. In affected other districts, all installment collection has been suspended till January 2008. In the cyclone affected areas Tk 16 lakh in cash and essential medicines worth Tk. 12 lakh have been distributed through district administration and joint forces. Soon the credit programme shall be started anew so that the distressed humanity can quickly resume activities to return to normal life. Besides, construction of office-cum-cyclone centres is being contemplated in coastal districts. These offices will serve as shelters at the time of need. ASA is also contemplating sinking of deep tubewells in the coastal zone to alleviate drinking water crisis.
Grameen Bank is running various programmes in aid of cyclone affected people including agriculture rehabilitation, emergency food supply, medical and healthcare, education assistance in affected areas. Besides, it has suspended installment collection from Sidr affected members till 30th June 2008. BRAC has also taken various programmes in aid of Sidr affected people. Other NGOs too have taken such programme according to their respective ability.
Partial reflection of NGO programmes in media
Majority of the reports that have come and are coming in newspapers and TV channels of the country on NGO activities in post cyclone period are unfortunately negative. Reading and seeing these, many may think that somehow collecting installment is the only objective of NGOs. That they don't have any programme or role in development of country and welfare of people. But it is otherwise in reality. Immediately after cyclone many NGOs have suspended realisation of installment for indefinite period. Asked their workers to assess the damage of members in their respective areas and stand by them. Engaged in relief and rehabilitation works with cash money, food stuff, clothes and essential medicines.
Microcredit operating NGOs took steps to quickly refund hundred percent deposit and savings amount of members. And also took up many programmes including interest-free loan in aid of the distressed humanity. News of these programmes have not received proper importance in media. News of NGOs' positive activities gets dumped under negative news. As a result, the activities of NGOs are reflected in the media often wrongly and often partially which is certainty not desirable.
True, some incidents of installment collection have occurred due to misunderstanding and communication gap. Some workers did so as they didn't receive instruction from centre in time and as they didn't know. But these are only a few incidents. Collection of installments worth crores of taka due with lakhs of members in Sidr affected areas has been kept suspended. A few incidents otherwise getting prominent media coverage may give such impression in many minds that NGOs only care about their own interest. It is unfortunate that for a few sparse incidents the whole NGO community stands accused. Presentation of news from negative angle may jeopardise the whole NGO programmes which may obstruct over all development efforts of the country. So it's an appeal to the media to give importance also to the NGOs constructive efforts in human welfare and development of the country while projecting their faults.
Many apprehend microcredit programme in respective areas may be threatened due to the cyclone. Credit worth hundreds of crores of taka of the NGOs shall lie in default. How much of such credit can be recovered is just uncertain. Specially, the small NGOs may be in real crisis. This may ultimately hamper the poverty alleviation effort in the respective areas. Government cooperation is solicited to face this challenge.
Coordination in relief and rehabilitation programmes is a must to bring back the distressed humanity to normal life. Quick accomplishment of rehabilitation programme can be possible by involving government, NGOs, local people's representatives and general public together. The people of the affected area are trying to turn up again with enormous resilience. They are erecting houses, weaving fishing nets, constructing boats to start life anew. Just a small assistance can make their struggle for life much easy. Let us stand by them -- the Sidr affected humanity. We believe coordinated effort can make it possible to overcome this great disaster.
Habibur Rahman is Public Relations Officer of ASA.
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