Re-Building Lives

On August 29th this year, Mumbai city recorded its highest level of rainfall (received in one day) in the last decade. Vast areas of the city were flooded-out, including our project areas in Borivali National Park and Bandra pipeline. Several families from these project areas lost their homes and all their belongings… and were left with only the clothes on their backs.

During this critical time, CCDT and Plan India came forward and supported flood affected communities and individuals from these two project areas. Our staff met with families living in five hamlets within Borivali National Park: Chunapada, Tumnipada, Malepada, Dampada and Navapada, and those residing in the Bandra Pipeline area — to assess their needs.

Based on data collected through this needs assessment, a total of 72 families were provided with nutrition kits (pulses, grains, masalas, nuts, vegetables etc.), temporary shelter (mosquito nets, plastic sheets, mats, ropes etc.), water and hygiene kits (buckets, soaps, detergents, sanitary pads etc.), school supplies (books, bags, stationary etc.) and other daily requirements such as utensils and storage jars.

Seema, a resident of Tumnipada in Borivali National Park lost everything during the flood including food, utensils and clothes.  She was very worried for her family of three children who had been unable to attend school after the floods.

“We didn’t have anything to cook, or anything to cook with“, she said tearfully. “I was very stressed and disturbed when everything from my home was washed out in rain including my children’s school books and cash too. I wasn’t sure how we’d be able to send our children back to school again. I was worried about how we would recover from this. My husband does not earn enough… we are hardly able to survive for a month on what he earns. I am really grateful for the material.. the shelter, food grains and supplies provided during this time. It has helped us start building our lives back again.”