Disaster Response

CCFID has done extensive work in the field of disaster response. As Cuddalore is located in a disaster prone location, disasters like tsunami, cyclone and floods is common here. CCFID launched its first disaster response program in the year 2006. The Tsunami Reconstruction Initiative project was supported by International Youth Foundation and NOKIA, which benefitted several youth who were affected during Tsunami in 2004.

The Thane Cyclone response program was launched in the year 2011 benefitting 532 dalit, non- dalit and destitute individuals whose houses were broken during Thane Cyclone.

During the 2015 floods more than 2500 families were supported with clothing and food in Cuddalore District)

Thane Cyclone Response Program

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Thane named by Burma, was the strongest tropical cyclone of 2011. The Cyclone resulted in uprooting of trees and debris dumped all over. The severe cyclonic storm has claimed 40 lives in Tamil Nadu. Besides Cuddalore, deaths have been reported from Villupuram, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chennai and Theni. Seven people died in Puducherry. The cyclone has resulted in extensive damage with the loss being estimated at over Rs 2,000 crore.

This emergency project was launched dated 15th Feb ’12 as a response to minimize the after affects of Thane Cyclone in association with Concern Worldwide. In this regards 4 villages were selected and finalized after consultation and verification by the Concern Team. The village selection was done considering the factors like level of damage, socio- economic condition of the village, living condition of the villagers etc. Proper need analysis was done before these villages were selected and finalized. A village level apex body was created comprising of members from Panchayat and Youth groups. The apex body members were selected based on their interest levels and managerial capabilities. The next step was identification of beneficiaries and segregating them as partial and fully damaged status, based on their house damage verification.

Thereafter the program component of Unconditional cash transfer distributed at the village level. The apex body acted as a monitoring team in this regard. The next component was construction of fully damaged houses at all project locations. The process was initiated in a phased manner starting with villages of Alapakkam and Kuruwanmedu and then to Pudhunagar and Varakalpattu. Throughout the process the apex body was involved, to ensure transparency of operations.

Mapping exercises were conducted by ccfid staffs to map the need of partial damaged houses. The materials were thereafter distributed for repairing of these partial damaged houses. The repairing work was done by the beneficiaries themselves.  The Cash for work component was paid to the dalit beneficiaries as payment towards house repairing.

Total of 532 beneficiaries were supported through this program wherein 131 non- dalits and 401 dalit families benefited.

Risk Management

Every program associates certain level of risk to it.  CCFID also has been facing several risks but has been able to mitigate these risks successfully due to following few reasons:

  • Activity Economics: Strong appraisal processes and experienced staffs help us in identification of viable youth businesses to support.
  • Our Group Based Mechanism: Group based approach helps us to bring in faith and integration amongst our youths, which in a way reduces risk.
  • Product design: Specialized products, meeting the needs of our youth beneficiaries has helped us to gather increased outreach and improve our program quality standards.
  • Insurance Linkage: Linking the youths to insurance companies which reduce risks in case of any uncertainties.

DRR and WASH Programs

CCFID has organized health campaigns related with anti alcohol activities and self hygiene issues among youth and

growing children as a health awareness initiative. Around 200 youth and children has participated in the campaign and interacted with the social activists about the negative impact of alcohol on health. Another campaign on “How to prevent spread of Malaria?” was organized among the government school children to educate them on control of malaria as a major health issue in Cuddalore. This effort of CCFID has been recognized and widely appreciated after the media publications.

A sanitation drive was conducted in the villages affected in Thane Cyclone. The participants here were the school children who demonstrated a play on good sanitation practices.

Cyclone Shelter kit were donated with support from MSF Foundation, to the people whose houses were affected in Thane Cyclone this Jan’12. Totally 1000 kits were distributed to 1000 households in 5 villages of Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.