Bhubaneswar: Suryakanta Bhoi aged 12, a regular attendee of Child Friendly Space. He has left the habbit of taking of Pan, Gutkha and Bidi and also regular attending the school. Similarly 12 years old Lipasa Bhoi has overcome her fear by coming to this centre and playing with children of her age. Not only Suryakanta or Lipsa but many children were benefited by the Child Friendly Space & back to school.
On the third of May Cyclone “Fani” ravaged the coast of Odisha. The situation of the people was precarious with thousands of broken trees and broken electric pole disrupting both the land and telephonic communication associated with the problem of water scarcity left the people of capital in a stand still situation. The loss of other things including house, agriculture, livelihood and livestock was beyond imagination. Khordha & Puri district was worst hit. In the advent of cyclone People’s Cultural Centre PECUC had supported community in its operational areas for early warning, in evacuation and also deputed volunteers etc to make people aware about the situation. Continuously supported in the evacuation process and also counseled people in the shelter and looked after their safety. They also coordinated in the block office. PECUC team reached in the field after the cyclone to assess the situation so that immediate relief measure can be undertaken to help people.
As immediate measure Community kitchen were organized in Chacherasabarasahi of Khordha Municipality, Sundarpur, Dashpur and Godibari village of Bhubaneswar block, Purunajinti Bhoisahi, Nabati Bhoisahi and Barijanga Bhoisahi of Balianta block. In total PECUC could able to feed 3760 hungry soul, which was the immediate need of the community as the people mostly being poor and houses being broken were deprived of cooked food for many days. In total PECUC could organize 15 community kitchens. Besides two days community kitchen for 900 people, at Chanrapada village, Nimapada block of Puri district was provided by PECUC.
A total of 5719 families were supported with food and non food items in 63 villages of Balianta block, 5 villages of Bhubaneswar block, 5 villages of Khodha Municipality and 4 slums of BMC. Temporary shelter 2650 families supported with tarpaulin one piece each, 800 families with double cotton Mosquito net one each, 133 families with 13.30 quintals of rice, 2462 families with 49.24 quintals of dal, 310 families 9.97 quintals of flat rice, 2329 families [for children] 69.87 quintals of Chhatua, 2329 families with 1KG salt each, 1400 children received 1400 pkts of Biscuit, 1693 adolescent girls received 5179 pkts of sanitary napkins, solar lantern support to 140 families, kitchen garden support to 100 families, 1450 plants, 415 schools children of Balinat block received school kit support. Besides 289 families of Mahisha village of Nimapada block of Puri received sanitary kit including mosquito net, Bucket and Mug one set each.
After “Fani” children in Balianta block were most vulnerable. Their houses broken & study materials destroyed they were very much affected by the situation. Schools were also closed during that period for summer vacation. They were traumatized and passing through a period of uncertainty. Considering the situation PECUC set up 12 Child Friendly Space (CFS) at 7 vulnerable places of Balianta block, 5 at Khordha Municipality to protect children from abuse, violence & exploitation and to provide them a safe space, where they can spent their time without any fear and anxiety. This space was called as Shradha Bhawan. The children were playing there and also taking part in dance, song, and other such fun activities. Their education was also given equally importance in that centre. Counseling support was also provided to the children to recover from the trauma of cyclone. Trained CFS volunteers were there to take care of them and the centre was opening from 9 AM to 4 PM. The children were engaged in a various activities in a very joyful manner. A total of 469 children were coming to CFS on a regular basis. After the school reopened the children were motivated to join school and the CFS now operating in the morning and afternoon before and after school hours. The volunteers are helping the children to cope with the school. CFS was also a success as the children were playing in the centre under the guidance of our trained volunteers their parents get time to repair their house.
Health risk of community as an aftermath of “Fani” increased. Heat wave, fever, diarrhea, cold etc made situation more vulnerable. PECUC organized 20 nos of Health camps in Balinata block. Around 1630 nos people including children, women and older people, attended the health camp get medicines. Various awareness campaign like on Diarrhea, hand wash, malaria are also organized in this camp. Sanitation drives was also taken up 30 villages of Balianta block, 1 village in Jatani block and 4 villages in the Khordha municipality where bleaching powder also applied near hand pumps, wells, ponds, drains etc and people were made aware about their health and sanitation. PECUC is also conducting repairing work of cyclone affected Ananta Gopal Upper Primary Bidyapitha of Atala village of Balianta block with the support of Help for Children in Need Foundation, Pune, Maharastra.
However PECUC was not alone in its endeavor, it was supported by its benevolent partner organizations like TDH(G), AEIN, DIK, Adoptions Centrum, Hindusthan Coca Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd., Analog Devices, SGK India Industrial Services (P) Ltd., Singapur Odia Society and many generous personalities. PECUC’s staffs and its Board Members were also contributed to Fani Response programme.
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