1. 1
Community is prepared…
An experience of community based disaster risk reduction measures
by effective facilitation - a success story
Doshkhada village is situated on the bank of
mighty Yamuna River in Sirajganj district.
Almost every year it suffers the rage of Yamuna
with 249 households-mostly belongs to poor or
extreme poor group. In last devastating flood of
2007, almost all households were effected
while 115 houses were inundated fully, their
livestock suffered seriously (10 cows, 15 goat
and many poultry were killed) and crops of 35
acres land were totally destroyed. Outbreak of
waterborne disease had further aggravated the
misery killing five villagers. The misery of floods
have scarred peoples’ mind deeply which thrust
their interest to have some coping and survival
plan against the rage of flood.
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2. 2
In 2011, Doshkhada village has been selected
under 6th
DIPECHO action plan being
implemented by Concern Worldwide under
NARRI. Concern Worldwide and its partner GKS
facilitated formation of Village Disaster
Management Committees (VDMC), which is
linked to Union and Upaziall DMCs, as the key
to mobilize and unite the community at the
village level. To have a comprehensive
inventory of risks and capacities of vulnerable
households, Concern Worldwide and its partner
GKS have supported VDMC to conduct their
community risk assessment (CRA) under
DIPECHO VI action plan. The findings of the
assessment have been further analyzed to
develop a Risk Reduction Action Plan (RRAP) for
Doshkhada village. For successful
implementation of RRAP, inclusion and
harmonized participation of all relevant
stakeholders were ensured throughout the
process. The village level RRAPs were compiled
at Union DMC followed by a validation process
by Upazilla DMC. Thus, it brought ownership
and legal support of the process and the
document. RRAP is guiding the VDMC to
implement different risk mitigation plan with
their own initiative while works as a tool to
advocate and mobilize resources from different
stakeholders including Union and Upazila DMCs.
Demonstration works, self-initiated plinth
rising: ‘’ninety seven household in low laying
area of Doshkhada are at risk of inundation
during flood season having no other option but
to be displaced to roadside or embankment’’ -
stated in village CRA. During action planning for
risk
reduction, VDMC of Doshkhada villagers have
realized that DIPECHO VI project is meant for
Raised plinth saved household from flood effect in June, 2012

3. 3
demonstrating the process and will provide
limited support which is not adequate for
implementation of all DRR initiatives at wider
scale in the community. During the RRAP
process, it was agreed that DIPECHO project will
provide support constructing a flood center
while community will provide land. Villagers
and VDMC agreed to address all other priorities
identified in RRAP either by their own or by
securing support from Union and Upazilla
DMCs. VDMC motivated individual household to
raise their plinth above last highest flood level.
DIPECHO VI facilitated good practice
demonstration thorough VDMC to VDMC
sharing, visit etc. DIPECHO supported small
scale mitigation schemes in neighboring,
Berakharua village, influenced people to take
self-initiative. As a result, a total of 18
households in the village have raised their
homestead and plinths with own initiative and
investment. Now these households have
become the inspiration and demonstration
centers for VDMC to influence others to take
self-initiative to protect own household from
flood.
A shelter- example of humanity and
selflessness: When DIPECHO was planning its
small scale mitigation budget allocation among
different villages Doshkhada VDMC proposed a
unique scheme which evidences highest level of
commitment to humanity and selflessness of
Doshkhada villagers. They have proposed to
donate 2 acres of personal land for flood shelter
which can accommodate people of 5
neighboring villages including Doshkhada. They
knew
if DIPECHO supports this flood shelter it would
not be able to fund any other individual scheme
Relief distribution by Honorable Minister from Doshkhada Flood shelter (June,2012)

4. 4
in their village and yet they have sacrificed their
own interest to benefit larger population who
suffer great during flood.
During 2007 flood, thousands of people from
Doshkhada and its neighboring villages had to
abandon their houses and live under open sky
over the embankment and road side; 10-15 KM
away from their villages. They went through the
same miserable life when flood struck with it
full rage. Similar misery has created empathy to
consider wider community risk reduction.
Nine generous villagers of Doshkada have
donated 2 acres of land, worth approximately
BDT. 1.5 million, to build the proposed flood
shelter of 89000 sft and can provide shelter to
500 households of 05 (five) neighboring villages
including Doshkhada. It will also protect around
1100 cattle of these villages. The land has been
donated legally to Union Parishad/government
to make this a common property for all. Such a
big initiative could never been possible without
ownership and cordial support of VDMC,
UDMC, UzDMC and wider community people.
In July 2012, Honorable Minister, Ministry of
Fisheries and Livestock has visited the flood
shelter and distributed relief among flood
affected people using this raised land. During
his visit he said, ‘’ I am very impressed to
observe this initiative and collaboration
between villagers, NGO and Government. I
thank the villagers and DIPECHO for this good
effort’’.
Only source of safe water during disaster:
Almost all of the tubewell in Doshkhada are
without platform and in low laying area. Recent
flood had submerged those tubewells and
people seriously suffered by scarcity of drinking
water. Influenced by WASH task force, two (2)
new tubewell are installed by the households
on their own initiative. The tubewells are
installed in high ground with concrete platform
influenced by the demonstrated resilient design
of DIPECHO in neighbors and nearby flood
shelter. On other hand, VDMC has presented
their need to UDMC and DPHE with analysis of
their community risk assessment. As a result of
local advocacy of VDMC, DPHE has supported
for 5 tubewell reinstallation on higher ground
and constructed concrete platform.
These 7 safe tubewell will be the only and major
safe water source for whole village if flood like
2007 strikes again in the village.
Turning homestead into vegetable gardens:
Doshkhada village always had scope of
vegetable gardening in the homesteads though
never practiced it widely. During Village Disaster
Management Committee (VDMC) meeting, the
possibility and benefits were discussed with the
households for vegetable gardening. Since this
initiative can contribute in reducing risk of
community in many ways an orientation and
practical demonstration of vegetable gardening
were organized by VDMC. Now 180 households
have homestead vegetable garden and produce
bottle gourd, sweet gourd, ladies finger ,
different spinach, cucumber, papaya etc. Beside
family consumption, incomes from homestead
garden were also used in plinth raising, tube
well installation, house repair, goat and poultry
purchases etc. Moreover, bamboo platform
covered with vegetable plant reduces erosion of
topsoil of homestead during heavy rainfall.

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Green slope against erosion: community
assessment identified that though 152 house
plinths are in higher ground but still are at risk
of erosion by wave action and rain water.
During discussion in VDMC meeting community
decided that it can be protected by turfing grass
on the slope, the technique they have learnt
from DIPECHO supported scheme in
neighboring village name Berakhrua. Hence,
villagers have started turfing their plinth slope
with grass. A total of 125 houses have finished
turfing their slopes and protected their houses
from erosion risk from strong current and heavy
rain fall.
Green village; safe village: Tree plantation is
another widely participated initiative led by
VDMC in Doshkhada. This initiative could not be
stopped even though the absence of Upazila
forestry and nursery department. VDMC have
motivated community people to plant trees in
their homestead. Total 1600 trees are planted
in homestead of Doshkhada villagers. some
parts of village roads were fully sandy and at
risk of erosion. In VDMC meeting, community
people have agreed to invest in tree plantation
on the road slopes attached to their own land.
One hundred trees are planted by the
households living closer to the vulnerable part
of roads in response. Earlier, VDMC has ensured
Union Porishad consent to this initiative since
road belongs to Union Porishad.
Reducing risk of new development: A culvert is
constructed in a newly constructed village road.
The culvert is 3 feet in span, 6 feet in height and
14 feet in length. Now It maintains the natural
water flow and prevents water logging caused
by that new road. It was funded, Tk. 60,000
approximate, by Relief and Rehabilitation
department of Belkuchi Upazila Project
Implementation office. Identified in CRA, VDMC
chairman and ward members through UDMC
“ …I have learnt about vegetable gardening from VDMC orientation, now it helps my family income. I have also
repaired my house with income from vegetable selling…’’ – Rojina, Doshkhada village.

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have raised the culvert requirement in Upazila
Disaster Management Committee meeting and
influenced the Upazila Relief and Rehabilitation
department. Invited by the UDMC chairman,
Upazila Project Implementation officer has
visited the Doshkhada village to practically
understand the problem and vulnerability of
people caused by the new road and
subsequently allocated the fund.
Access to govt. resources : unhygienic latrine
and its consequent result of different
waterborne diseases are major risk identified by
the VDMC during problem analysis. Lack of
awareness, remoteness, poverty etc. tends
people to continue this unhygienic practice.
VDMC through it’s WASH task force regularly
aware people for good hygiene practice. But
only awareness was not enough for the people
who are unable to install hygienic latrine by
their own. VDMC, having the UP ward member
himself in the committee, is well-aware of the
allocation of sanitary latrine set from
Department of Public Health Engineering
(DPHE). VDMC chairman, through ward
member, has submitted their request with
vulnerable household list to Union Porishad.
Through Union Porishad the requirement was
placed to DPHE and secured allocation of total
14 sanitary latrine sets in July 2012.
Social cohesion for risk reduction: During flood,
daily workers in handloom factory lose their
works and daily income as communication gets
disrupted. For effective DRR planning it is very
critical that the plan is supported by all parts of
society regardless of rich or poor. VDMC
represents diverse part of their community
including people who are well off and involved
in handloom business. Some of them were
planning to set up their new factory at the
upaziall sadar. However, due to their
involvement in VDMC and awareness of the
problem of villagers during the flooding and
DRR measures to reduce risk of factory in the
villages, they decided to set up the factory in
their own village. Accordingly, 3 handloom
factories are established in Doshkhada where
42 labor works. These workers are from 32 poor
families of Doshkhada. Now these factory
workers can work in their own village with
security of their income during flood. As
suggested by VDMC, 3 factories are constructed
on higher ground considering highest flood
level.
Culvert construction to prevent water logging

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Considering multi hazard: Every year,
nor’westers damages or destroy houses which
are of poorly structured. The issue is well
addressed during community risk assessment
and planning. VDMC and villagers have
identified the weak houses in the village and
motivated the house owners to repair or
strengthen their house structure by replacing
vertical post, tie their house with rope or wire
etc. Accordingly 90 households have repaired
their house to protect themselves from
nor’westers.
Protecting livestock: In Doshkhada village,
almost every household has one or more cattle-
a valuable household asset for char area.
Inundation causes damage and shortage of
cattle feed. Furthermore waterborne diseases
attacks cattle and spread out during flood.
Therefore, motivated by PDMC discussion, total
36 household have raised ground for protecting
their livestock.
“ I heard about raising grounds in Village
Disaster Management Commitee meeting and
watched my neighbors doing it, it has really
motivated me for the first time though I knew
the technique before” – Sohrab Shekh,
Doshkhada villager.
Handloom factory in village which help secure income during flood season

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Own fund for Survival during emergency:
During very first phase of disaster, major or
minor, community has to survive by themselves
until external support arrives. A disaster
management fund is created by community
saving with primary objective to survive 2-3
days by themselves depending on their
available fund. VDMC has planned to identify
the most vulnerable families in need when a
disaster hits and distribute dry food (flatten rice
and molasses) to those families until the relief
arrives from government or NGOs. Till July 2012
BDT. 13100 is saved in Doshkhada VDMC
account in Shonali Bank, Shohagpur Branch.
It is important that community owns and
participates in the process which intends to
assist their risk reduction initiatives. Since
DIPECHO has initiated the process of
community based risk reduction, Doshkhada
community has actively participated in the
study of their disaster risks, action planning and
decision making on mitigation and
preparedness solutions and implementation.
Community has participated in different
capacity building initiative and established
linkage and coordination with local institution
which were facilitated by DIPECHO. Doshkhada
is linked to early warning dissemination system
through their UDMC. They have equipped task
force for first aid, search & rescue and early
warning with support from DIPECHO who are
expected to play a vital role during an
emergency.
Replication follows from immediate
results/benefits and success stories which show
and tell that “it works!” Concern Worldwide
Implemented DIPECHO VI project has ensured
that the achievement of a community initiative
are spread out to other villages and increases
community confidence and trust in concerted
action to address bigger problems.
Raised ground to protect livestock

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There are more similar examples like Doshkhada in other areas where DIPECHO VI operates in Sirajgonj
District. For example, Moddhodelua village DMC has constructed a 260 feet long bamboo bridge with
support from community, UDMC and District office. The village is disconnected by a channel of Yamuna
River and people used to cross the channel with a tiny country boat. During monsoon water flow with
high current makes it formidable and risky, especially for women and school students. Incidents of boat
accident had been experienced in past years while crossing the channel. Now this bridge has safely
connected the village with mainland for 24 hours; ease the communication for all including four
neighboring villagers.
“ for years villagers have struggled to cross this risky canal with only one tiny boat. This bamboo bridge
has now made it easy and safe. For VDMC we are united and confident to solve our problems” says
Nazrul Islam - President, Moddodelua VDMC.
6TH
DIPECHO Action Plan
Concern Worldwide
NARRI Consortium
House 15 SW(D), Road 7, Gulshan 1, Dhaka
Tel +88 02 881 6923, 881 8009, 881 1469,
fax +88 02 8817517