Climate change has
increased the flooding in recent years – now Bangladesh has floods
two times a year. Ten million people were affected by
2007 flooding. Over the next 40 years, 17 percent of the
land will be lost to the sea resulting 20 million climate
refugees because of climate change. Bangladesh will be squeezed from the south by cyclones and sea level rise, and flooded from
the north by the major rivers swollen by warming glaciers in the
Himalayas. In the dry season, it's easy to see the impact
in erosion. Like people, trees struggle to stay rooted in
north-western Bangladesh.
Issues like this need
local solution by local people. Shidhulai as a local
organization is proving that it is possible to deal with this
climate change, to tackle pollution, and at the same time, to
lift people out of poverty. The boat project has proved its
usefulness in the continuation of education during the flooding.
In such context,
Shidhulai is developing floating villages, and also planning to
introduce the floating
gardens - thus
farmers could enjoy constant irrigation and produce huge
harvests of vegetables in submerged Bangladesh.
During the seasonal
flooding, Shidhulai provides emergency relief to the affected
areas.
Related Info
Public Broadcasting
Services (PBS):
‘Bangladesh Relief’
broadcasted in Religion & Ethics
Newsweekly of PBS, Episode no. 1124, February 15, 2008.
