U.S. Humanitarian Aid Reaches Villages after Natural Disaster
Mercy Corps is implementing a USAID-funded Direct Assistance Program (DAP) in the Rasht Valley, a highly mountainous area in the northern region of Tajikistan a very fragile environment that is prone to natural disasters. Each year, landslides and avalanches cause death and destruction. Those who survive struggle to rebuild their lives, replant their home gardens, and reconstruct their houses.
This year, during the months of March and April there were two natural disasters, an avalanche in the district of Jirgatol, which affected 43 households, and a massive landslide in the district of Boqi Rahimzoda, which affected 24 households. In partnership with other members of the Rapid Emergency Assessment and Coordination Team (REACT), a collection of humanitarian and local government agencies setup to respond to such emergencies, Mercy Corps contributed to supplying each family with one 50 kg bag of lentils and vegetable seeds for planting. Due to their losses, some families will have to use the land of relatives or other community members in order to plant. The United Nations World Food Programme delivered wheat flour, oil, and iodized salt to villagers; basic household items were provided by other partner agencies.
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Women and children affected by landslide receive lentils and vegetable seeds
Photo Credit: Inia Asuncion, Mercy Corps |
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