Archana’s Family Is Working Towards a Safer Home After the Flood

For Archana Panging and her family, recovery after the Assam floods is about more than getting through the immediate crisis. It is about creating a safer and more secure place for the family to live while rebuilding the livelihood that supports them.

Archana, 43, lives in Santak Bor Mising Gaon, Nazira, Sivasagar district, with her husband, Budhuram Panging, and their school-going daughter, Anamika. Before the floods, the family depended mainly on Budhuram’s daily wage work, supported by livestock and a small piece of land. Their household income was approximately ₹6,500–₹7,000 per month.

Today, the family is living in a tin-sheet house. While it provides them with a place to stay, it is not the kind of durable and safe home they hope to have for the future. Their home is also located close to the Dikhow River, where the family remains concerned about flooding and river erosion.

The floods have also made it harder for the family to maintain the livelihood they depended on.

Archana shares:

“Due to the floodwaters, we are facing huge difficulties living here. There is no daily wage work available right now. We are somehow managing to get by and eat.”

The family also lost livestock during the floods, including ducks and cows. These assets were an important part of the household's livelihood and helped supplement income from daily wage work.

“All our livestock and ducks died. The cows also died. And as I said, there is no work or daily labour available. We are somehow just managing to survive.”

Budhuram continues to look for daily wage work whenever opportunities are available. For the family, restoring productive assets such as livestock could help create an additional source of income and strengthen their livelihood alongside daily wage work.

At the same time, the family is working towards a safer and more durable home.

The tin-sheet structure they currently live in is a temporary solution. A permanent, better-built home would give Archana, Budhuram and their daughter greater protection and stability, particularly as they continue to live close to the Dikhow River.

The family is also facing gaps in basic services. They currently do not have access to safe drinking water, and their toilet was damaged during the flood. They are using an open pit toilet.

The family has already received food, household items, shelter materials and hygiene kits from SEEDS and other organisations. This support has helped them meet some immediate needs during the recovery period.

But long-term recovery requires looking beyond immediate assistance.

For Archana's family, it means working towards a safe and durable home, restoring lost livestock and strengthening the livelihood opportunities that can help them regain greater economic stability.

Over the next three to six months, the family hopes to improve their living conditions, rebuild their productive assets and regain more regular livelihood opportunities.

Indicative Recovery Requirement

Based on an initial indicative assessment, Archana's recovery requirement could be around ₹1,90,000. Around ₹1,20,000 is indicated towards constructing a safer and more durable permanent home. A further ₹20,000 is indicated for replacing lost domestic animals, subject to field verification. ₹20,000 is set aside for household utensils and essential items, and ₹30,000 for continued water, sanitation and hygiene support during the recovery period.

Note: Recovery requirements and costs are indicative and subject to field and technical verification. Support will be prioritised according to assessed household needs.

Together, Let’s Help Archana Build a Safer Home

Archana's family is already taking steps towards recovery. They are managing with the resources available to them, while continuing to look for work and rebuild the assets that supported their household.

With your support, they can take the next step. They can shift from a temporary tin-sheet structure towards a safer, more durable home and a more secure future.

DONATE NOW

Your contribution will support SEEDS’ flood response and recovery efforts for affected families based on assessed needs.