Nirmala's hopes for the future
Flood early warning systems in Nepal
Nirmala Devi used to live in fear for her family. Each year when the monsoon rains came they waited expectantly to see if their land would survive. In her mind she thought: "This land is not safe. Next year we will lose our homes."
Having lived in Holliya, a village on the banks of the River Rapti, her whole life, she had already experienced the heartbreak of losing both land and crops. Her family owned a plot of land, which was unfortunately swept away by Rapti during a flood five years ago. Since then the family solely depends on "Bataiya Kheti," a local term for farming on the land of others in which the farmer has to invest in everything including seedlings and fertilisers but at the end has to share half the harvest with the land owner. Nirmala recalls how losing their land and crops so often during the monsoon made it difficult for her and her family to meet their needs for the whole year.
There seemed little they could do - the government offered to relocate the family, and others in Holiya, to higher land, providing a plot of 333m2 for a new home. But this land is up to one hour's walk from their farming land and they are given no financial assistance to help with building a new home. So for the poor in this area there is no alternative but to continue to live in this vulnerable flood-prone area.
However, since Practical Action started its disaster preparedness work in Holliya in 2007 Nirmala has some hopes for the future. Spurs and dykes have been built along the banks of the river to keep the land from cutting away, saving their land and harvest. Early warning measures, such as flood alert system and hand sirens, plus rescue equipment of life jackets and boats have provided further protection.
Before learning about the different flood management and rescue techniques, Nirmala worried about the safety of herself and her family every year. She still remembers how she feared for their lives when the water level in Rapti began to rise. However, now through trainings and exposure visits, she knows who to contact for information about rising water levels and when to start moving to the shelters for safety.
Nirmala is now an active member in the management committee and shares her new skills and knowledge with fellow community members. She knows that once people are more aware they will be able to protect themselves better from the floods. Nirmala is more confident about herself and her situation today. "Had we known what we know now in past, we would have been able to protect ourselves better and would not have had to live in fear," she shares with a smile.
Practical Action has now expanded this work, which initially started in Chitwan District in 2001, and then on to Nawalparasi District in 2006. In August 2009 Practical Action Nepal started a new project with several local partners which widens the coverage of this work. The project will be working with over 80,000 people to promote community-based disaster risk reduction activities by establishing Early Warning Systems (EWS) and strengthening their ability to live with and adapt to floods.
Further reading
SEWIN project summary
An illustrated introduction to the SEWIN project, in English and Nepali. (PDF)
Early Warning Saving Lives
This publication helps summarise Practical Action's learning in Early Warning Systems (EWS) and offers practical insight in to how such systems can be replicated and developed elsewhere. (PDF)
