All the proceeds from this charity auction will benefit two NGOs
working directly with victims of the recent floods in Eastern India.
Samajik Shaikshanik Vikas Kendra (SSVK):
Founded in 1986, SSVK is an NGO working in the developmental field
with the objective of granting access to and empowering socially,
economically and politically marginalized sections of the Indian
population, particularly in rural areas of the country. Responding to
the recent floods in Bihar, SSVK is currently running running 4 relief
camps in Murliganj block of Madhepura district and 8 relief camps in
Kumarkhand Block of the same district.
Now that the water has begun receding from some villages, their
primary emphasis is on resettling the flood victims from these
villages, including the reconstruction of their houses.
Since the victims have lost all their belongings, each family will be
provided with a set of clothes, bedding, mosquito nets and blankets, a
box for storage, and a set of basic kitchen utensils. Monetary
support will be provided to them for restoration of their livelihoods.
SSVK will also be providing them with a month long dry ration support
along with provision for vegetables to provide them buffer space to
get on with their livelihood centered activities.
To address the health needs of the people, SSVK's health volunteers
will be provided with a medicinal kit of non-prescription drugs.
Equipped as they are in symptomatic diagnosis of commonly occurring
ailment, they will render health services to the people at their
doorsteps.
(www.ssvk.org)
Goonj
Founded in 1998, Goonj is known for its need-based and systematic
relief work and has been active in relief operations during all the
major disasters since the Chamoli earthquake in 1999. The emphasis of
their relief work is on the most neglected aspects of these disasters
like people dying of cold in winters after the annual floods in Assam,
Bihar and West Bengal.
With a wide network of organizations and people present in most of the
districts affected by flooding in Bihar and Orissa, Goonj has already
started to dispatch dray rations, medicines, utility items and
clothing, and will continue the relief efforts until March 2009.
Widespread work is going on in the five worst affected districts of
Saharsa, Supaul, Madhepura, Purnia & Khagaria, and Goonj has also
mobilized its network of over 18 grassroots partner organizations,
Panchayats and activists with the objective of reaching villages that
have been completely cut off by the floods.
Apart from a large scale relief operation Goonj has launched three
long term initiatives in the area: VAAPSI, which aims restore peoples'
livelihoods by focusing on generating large scale self employment in
the area; Children's' activity centers, where one of the worst hit
groups, i.e. children, can play, read and learn; and the WARMTH
campaign, which is aimed at dealing with the upcoming severe winters
in the region.
(www.goonj.org)