HCDI and its implementing partners have successfully completed many projects under the Emergency Response and Disaster Management Programme. Some of these projects have been included here to provide an insight into the methodology and the need for relief and rehabilitation in areas affected by natural and manmade disasters.
- The 1999 Super Cyclone of Orissa
Relief for the regions affected by the super cyclone in Orissa was provided by HCDI in collaboration with the Diocese of Cuttack. Seventy seven families of the Boulkani village in the Kendrapara district were provided with immediate support of food and food material, with a focus on the nutrition of the children. Fifty two of these families were also provided with housing and cattle for rehabilitation. The youth were provided with skill training to expedite rehabilitation as well as provide them with the ability to find better jobs, while a hostel was built to accommodate the children who were left without shelter due to the cyclone. In addition, a nutrition programme was started for the children of one hundred families in the village of Adheri which had also been affected by the cyclone. - The 2001 Gujarat Earthquake
The villages of Shivlakha and Hamirpur were selected, in coordination with St. Xavier’s Social Centre Ahmedabad, for the building of one hundred and sixty eight earthquake resistant houses. A Community Focused Child Development Project was put in motion in Rapar Taluka in association with the Sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary. Two villages were selected for relief and rehabilitation in association with the Marthoma Relief Services. Two hundred and nineteen houses were built in the two villages of Marthoma Nagar and Sinai Nagar. In addition to the homes, a primary school, anganwady, health centre, community centre, and all weather roads were built within Marthoma Nagar. Community development programmes such as ECCECs and self help groups are established through joint action and networking with the government and other NGOs. This included reconstruction through local participation, agricultural development, focus on health and nutrition, skill training to increase productivity, knowledge, and capacity of the community, capacity building for better handling of disasters, gender sensitisation, and training of individuals responsible to provide disaster management and capacity building training. - The 2004 Andaman Nicobar Tsunami
In the relief phase, HCDI collaborated with the Marthoma and GEL Churches to provide two thousand families with clothing, food materials, and kitchen utensils, and to build thirty houses for the Cobbler community. In addition to this, ice boxes and weighing machines were provided to fifty fishermen. Along with Catholic Church, HCDI and its implementing partners built toilets to ensure a clean and healthy environment. Kitchen sets were distributed in Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu in collaboration with NSM and Franciscan Sisters. In the rehabilitation phase, HCDI and its implementing partners, in collaboration with other organisations, helped one hundred and fifty fishermen and fifty two other families to build houses while paying for the repair of the houses of over three hundred families. In the development phase, HCDI collaborated with GEL Church and Don Bosco Fathers’ Community to create self help groups, provide skill training for youth through a centre in Kolkata for boys and Pune for girls, provide cattle for livelihood where necessary, conduct IGP programmes and set up Children’s Parliaments - The 2005 Kashmir Earthquake
HCDI collaborated with the Christ School, Poonch, and provided kitchen sets, pressure cookers, blankets, and food materials to over one thousand families. With the support of the army commanding officer, HCDI and Christ School were able to reach the far ends of the affected areas, reaching villages which were otherwise being neglected by relief providers. - The 2005 Maharashtra Floods
Mumbai, Pune, and Sangli were badly affected by floods in 2005. With the towns being in close proximity to the office of HCDI, the organisation was quick to move into action and provided relief material including clothing, food, and blankets for the affected population.