::: Sajida Foundation :::..........

The cyclone ‘Sidr’ struck the southern coastal belt of Bangladesh on 15^th of November causing devastating damage in lives and properties of millions of people. The aftermath of the cyclone has given rise to serious crisis of food, drinking water, clothes, medical emergencies and shelter for the affected people.

In the wake of this cyclone ‘Sidr’ SAJIDA immediately extended their hand to help the affected people and the team proceeded to the stricken area on 21^st November 2007. Initially, SAJIDA started its initiatives with its own fund and some associates especially Renata pharmaceutical and SAJIDA Board members provided immediate resources. Simultaneously we sent out request for donation within and outside the country.

The staff of SAJIDA contributed their one day salary to help the cyclone victims. All in all we received TK. 975,000 from different people is response to our plea for assistance of cyclone victims.

SAJIDA assembled a medical team comprising of 4 physicians and 4 medical assistants and two other teams for delivery of food, water, clothes and other relief materials. These teams reached the affected area on 21^st November and worked there for four days till 24^th November in the Sharankhola, Moralganj and Rampal upazilas of the Bagerhat district.


Sidr Damaged houses		SAJIDA's relief work

The medical team served a total 973 patients of different categories. The team mainly treated infected cut injuries, diarrhea, and respiratory tract infection cases. Surgical dressing and necessary medicine was given to the people receiving the medical treatment.

Food packages were given to 1130 people that would see them through a few days. The food package consisted of 5 kg rice, 1kg lentil, 2kg potatoes, 1/2kg salt one pack of candles and a pack of matches. Eleven hundred two liter mineral water bottles were given. Two hundred pieces of sarees and lungis, 294 pieces of children clothes and 170 pieces of blanket were given to the needy people. Forty-five families whose bread earners had died were given a total amount of taka 9,820.

A local NGO in Bagerhat named Shaplaful helped and guided us to reach the affected areas and people. The local NGO connection made it much easier to do work in the region.

SAJIDA teams had been able to reach and conduct its activities at one of the least accessible areas (South Kali) by using trawlers where there have been relatively little relief had reached the affected people. Our vehicles could not access the village where the goods were to be distributed. Getting trawlers had become very difficult in the aftermath of the disaster as the water ways like canals had become clogged with trees and corpses and others debris.

Scholastica, a leading school of Dhaka has made an offer to donate relief materials on a large scale. It has about 5,000 students; and each of the students would be contributing a food package consisting of 1 kg puffed rice, 1 kg molasses, and 2 liters bottled potable water. These would be distributed to the affected people of Bagerhat district in a couple of days.

Donations have kept coming; SAJIDA has decided to utilize the incoming funds along with the balance of the disaster funds in post–cyclone rehabilitation. SAJIDA will make a rapid survey in the areas where it had given relief. The poorest families who had not yet got help for rehabilitation would be given goats, cows etc. as funds permits, free of cost. We hope that we would be able to see some of the worst affected families to go regain their prior livelihoods.

SAJIDA will like to contribute to the building and optimum functioning of cyclone shelters. SAJIDA is looking for suitable engineering and construction partners and is in conversation with donors to raise funds and to come up with some good designs for the shelters. The latest experience points to the need for more shelters in the affected area and SAJIDA feels that shelters should have multi purpose functionalities; they can for example be used as health centres, education and other special purposes.

SAJIDA expresses its gratitude to the people who have responded to our call for help and donation.

Food distribution among the victims

Cow distribution among the victims

SAJIDA's Medical Team for the victims

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