The Ganges-Brahmaputra and Meghna River Basin in Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. The country’s 600 kilometres of coastline is regularly battered by devastating tropical cyclones, and one-third of the country floods annually during the monsoon season.
Each year, millions face losing their homes, crops, animals, livelihoods, and even their lives in floods caused by monsoon rains.
Oxfam works to help poor communities to both prepare for, and cope with, disasters. Our River Basin Programme focuses on the poorest char (tracts of land surrounded by water) dwellers of Bangladesh. It works with 40,000 households in 350 villages to ensure that they are better prepared to cope with disasters.
The programme involves raising the foundation level of homes, and constructing and maintaining community cyclone and flood shelters. Communities are also trained how to cope with disasters, in addition to receiving equipment such as emergency storage, early warning materials, first aid kits and rescue boats.
We have funded a fleet 33 rescue boats, which are kept and run by several of Oxfam's partners. The boats are used all year round, mainly to rescue people who have been affected by flood or river erosion. Boats can carry up to 200 people and come with lifesaving equipment - life jackets and lifebuoys.
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