Believers Eastern Church

EVERY YEAR, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE INSTANTLY LOSE THEIR FOOD, WATER, SHELTER AND SOURCE OF INCOME DUE TO NATURAL DISASTERS.

Natural Disasters Intensify the Cycle of Poverty

Natural disasters are a major cause of poverty and a severe detriment to escaping their vicious cycle. When disaster strikes, it is the poor who suffer the most because they live on marginal lands and their houses are poorly equipped to cope with the impact of catastrophes. In the aftermath of a disaster they lose their homes, crops, and livestock and often have to flee with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.

Developing nations often suffer disproportionately from the effects of natural disasters because they have less developed infrastructure and emergency-response plans to reduce vulnerability. Natural disasters can have a life-altering impact on the poor in developing nations where they don't have the support they need to recover from crises.

Did you know

each year natural disasters affect more than 200 million and push 26 million people into poverty

what we do

In times of disaster, we Respond, Recover, and Rebuild. We help the most vulnerable sections of society survive in the immediate aftermath and rebuild their lives and communities long-term. In recent times, we have helped hundreds of thousands of people affected by natural disasters in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

Respond

Immediately following a natural disaster — and sometimes while it is still ongoing — we respond as quickly and effectively as possible. Though transportation is often difficult in affected areas, we do everything we can to reach those most in need with life-saving assistance such as food, water, and shelter, helping victims survive the disaster. We work in close coordination with local government leaders to ensure that we provide the right aid to the right people at the right time.
Recover

We also aid in the recovery of those impacted by natural calamities by supplying them with dry ration items, clothing, hygiene supplies, blankets, mosquito nets, tarpaulins for tent construction, solar lights, and school supplies, enabling children to return to school promptly. Outbreaks of infectious diseases due to poor sanitation, a lack of safe drinking water, and contaminated food commonly follow natural disasters. To keep them protected from these diseases, we focus on delivering free medicines and medical care to displaced families.
Rebuild

Besides providing immediate relief, we also stay on to meet the long-term needs of disaster victims by helping them rebuild their lives and livelihoods. For instance, in the eastern coastal region of India, devastated by a super cyclone in 1999 and Cyclone Phailin in 2013, the Believers Eastern Church built hundreds of new houses for the victims.