During times of calamities and natural disasters, Bala Vikasa promptly responds to alleviate human misery and instill hope and confidence among the victims. Bala Vikasa’s network has given timely relief, assistance and support to the disaster victims of Lattur earth quake in 1993, and Tsunami victims of 2004. After actively participating in the relief measures at Lattur, Bala Vikasa worked on rehabilitating the families and communities by constructing several houses and community halls.

In the aftermath of the Tsunami, Bala Viaksa worked in three coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh where many of Bala Vikasa Women group members, belonging to the fishing community, were left devastated.  Bala Vikasa women group members throughout the state, showed instant empathy towards the victims, and in a show of solidarity, they mobilized funds to provide families that had lost everything in eight villages, with cooking utensils and other needs. As an immediate relief measure, Bala Vikasa provided the much needed counseling to 1250 families. Focusing on the long term economic sustainability of the fisher-folk community, Bala Vikasa worked on restoring their livelihoods by providing new fishing boats and nets.  Simultaneously, as a long-term rehabilitation mission, houses were constructed to make life more secure and help  re-build shattered lives.

With the physical, technical, material and financial support mobilized from State Government and SOPAR-Canada Fund, Bala Vikasa provided great deal of support to the Tsunami victims.

Reach

• 1250 families were provided Trauma counseling, relief and rehabilitation measures, and training was provided on Economic development activities.
• 801 houses were constructed for the benefit of 801 families who had lost their homes in the Tsunami
• 550 families were provided with fishing nets to revive their livelihood activities
• 325 families were provided with financial support to repair their damaged boats