Thomas Sharp
A Cup of Rice for India's Floods
Fundraising for Christian Aid
Story
I'm a community member at Hilfield Friary, a Franciscan Community in the Church of England.
From Friday 28th June to Tuesday 2nd July, I'll be living off a cup of Meusli and a cup of rice a day, in support of the Christian Aid India Floods Appeal.
Yes, that is more than many of those affected will be living off - so I'm donating my week's wages as well.
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At least 20,000 people remain missing following landslides and flooding in northern India. The state of Uttarakhand has been affected most.
Latest reports indicate that over 600 people have lost their lives, with the death toll likely to rise to 5,000 according to government officials.
Stranded
Heavy and incessant rains in the upper Himalayas - that began Friday 14 June – damaged roads, collapsed bridges and left stranded over 60,000 pilgrims headed for various shrines in the region.
The number now stranded is 10,000 however further rescue operations are being hindered due to fresh rains and further landslides.
Over 100 villages have borne the brunt of the floods in the worst affected districts of Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Uttarkashi with up to a 1,000 homes damaged if not completely washed away.
Our response
In response, Christian Aid has launched the India Floods Appeal. Our partners are already responding with immediate relief; providing emergency items such as food and shelter, blankets and medicines.
Christian Aid partner CASA intends to help 5,000 of the most affected households – 25,000 people –with food rations such as rice, lentils, tea and sugar.
They are also providing cooking utensils and portable stoves. Plastic sheeting, blankets, torches and vital medical kits will also be provided.
Anand Kumar, Christian Aid’s India country manager said: ‘When a disaster strikes, poor families have few assets to fall back on and face extreme difficulty in meeting basic needs.
£21 could provide a month's emergency food for three families.
£40 could buy essentials for a family whose home has been washed away, including tarpaulin and blankets, medicine, cooking equipment, buckets, candles and a torch.
£100 could help towards the cost of repairing a damaged house.
If you want to know more, visit the Christian Aid India Floods Appeal website:
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/current/india-floods/index.aspx
Or visit my blog to see how I'm getting on: