After Cyclone Sidr: Plan's response

One distribution centre has provided packages for 560 families

11 January 2008: A Plan staff member gives a personal account of his visit to see Plan's Cyclone Sidr response program, which is helping children in affected areas of Bangladesh return to normal life.

Barguna district in south central Bangladesh was one of the areas most damaged by tropical Cyclone Sidr.

Within 48 hours of Sidr’s arrival on 15 November, Plan had completed a needs assessment and initiated an emergency response program, reaching out to 10,000 families (approximately 50,000 people) with the distribution of food and other needed items.

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Distribution centres

Frank Manfredi, a Plan Global Disaster Risk Reduction and Program Development Officer, describes his visit to the response programs:

“In Plan’s recovery program area in Barguna Sadar and Chowra Unions, the signs of storm damage were unmistakable, with people cobbling together temporary shelters from tarps and pieces of their destroyed or damaged homes.

"We visited a distribution centre that was providing packages for 560 families in Chowra Union. These packages contain items including women's and children’s clothing, blankets, matches and candles, soap, and drawing/play materials for children.”

Child centres

Plan quickly established Shishu Kendro Centres (Child Centres) — safe areas for children to play, socialise and find care following the disruptions of the cyclone.

The child centres have proved to be tremendously popular

Frank Manfredi continues: “Activities were in full-swing when we arrived just after 9:00am. Children were lined up for a sing-along, with volunteers leading the group in singing and clapping. Other activities included group games such as “cat-and-mouse” (a form of tag), rope jumping, soccer and story-telling.

"The centres have proved to be tremendously popular. While originally planned to accommodate approximately 100 children each, the centres are now each registering between 150 and 175 children in attendance.

"The emergency phase is now winding down and people are looking forward to the hard work of rehabilitation and reconstruction. Plan is currently developing its early recovery program focusing on getting children back to school and re-establishing community water and sanitation systems."