Page 93 - Reliance Foundation Annual Report 2022-23

90 Disaster Management Reliance Foundation | Annual Report 2022-23 91

During the entire spell of cyclone, Reliance Building first responders Through all these various initiatives ranging from

Foundation extended its toll-free helpline on a in the community building response-ready communities to preventing,
war-foot basis, through which more than 900 queries supporting during disasters and rebuilding lives,
Reliance Foundation has taken every effort in its power
were resolved. Building community readiness is key to effective
disaster management and response. As part of to stand by people through the nation's natural disasters.
Reliance Foundation also supported communities
ensuring rapid response, Reliance Foundation has To watch the video, please scan
impacted by Cyclone Mandous and Cyclone
conducted capacity building programmes across
Sitrang in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha,
community groups and training community partners
West Bengal and Assam. Advisories for 4.45 times to help manage disasters effectively. During disasters,
were disseminated with early warning advisories the local communities are first to respond to an event

and helplines. before any intervention by specialised teams.
Hence, building up capacities of volunteers from
Case Study: K. Adinarayana, Mulapeta village of
vulnerable communities is the most effective form
Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh
of managing disasters.

“I am a regular follower of Reliance Foundation Reliance Foundation aims at empowering and
advisories since four years and have also participated educating volunteers to manage risks and challenges.
in various interactive programmes organised by As part of the capacity building, identified community

Reliance Foundation. Its toll-free helpline no. has volunteers are also receiving basic disaster
been very helpful as we receive the required advisories management training and mock drills. The volunteer
in time. In the Rabi season of 2022, I had cultivated groups comprise of youth from vulnerable areas,
members and volunteers of grassroots-level NGOs,
Sesame in 0.3 acre of my farm. In May 2022, we
and students from colleges who are part of the
received alerts and precautionary measures from
National Service Scheme (NSS), National Cadet
Reliance Foundation and hence harvested the crop
Corps (NCC) and Youth Red Cross groups. 365 youth
and covered the harvested crop with tarpaulin covers volunteers were trained in 2022-23. (around 1,900+
Helping communities and coconut leaves. two days before Asani Cyclone hit youth volunteers have been trained so far).
impacted by cyclones our region. Had I not received the cyclone alert in

time, I would have lost my crop and my livelihood
In May 2022, Cyclone Asani, a strong tropical cyclone would have been affected.”
of Bay of Bengal created landfall in Andhra Pradesh.

It also had an impact on a number of coastal districts
in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West

Bengal. Understanding the need to protect the
agricultural livelihood, Reliance Foundation

responded by disseminating cyclone preparedness and
livelihood restoration. Over 5.6 lakh times advisories
were disseminated in the vulnerable villages, across 34

districts. Following the cyclone, the communities
received assistance with crop restoration measures to

reduce the risk of pest infestation-related losses.