Usha Devi, 32, lives with her husband and three children in Badwabari Harijan Tola of Bharri Panchayat in Kadwa Block, Katihar district, Bihar. Most families in this Maha Dalit hamlet have no farmland and depend on daily wage labour. Usha sometimes leases small plots for paddy, but the area’s low-lying location leaves homes and crops highly vulnerable to flooding.
Badwabari Harijan Tola is a target village under EFICOR’s Disaster Risk Management and Resilience (DRMR) Project. A Disaster Management Committee (DMC) was formed in 2019, and Usha has been an active member since. Through regular trainings, she learnt about early warning systems, identifying risks, and supporting safe evacuation. Practical demonstrations along the riverbank helped the community prepare better.
In 2024, heavy rainfall and excess water released from Nepal caused the Mahananda River to overflow, flooding Kadwa Block. From 21 September to 2 October, water entered the hamlet, submerging houses and destroying Usha’s leased paddy crop. Families moved to higher ground and took temporary roadside shelter. The Government of Bihar issued alerts, assisted evacuation, and provided ₹7,000 as immediate relief. EFICOR supported evacuation, coordinated health services, and distributed 500 lean kits through Amazon’s Donate Cart.
Usha is grateful that no major loss of life occurred. She believes the DMC and the trainings were crucial for timely action, and her involvement has encouraged other women to take part in disaster preparedness.
© 2022 EFICOR. All Rights Reserved. Site by NWD.
