Janki Urang Is Rebuilding a Safe Space for Life’s Little Moments

For Janki Urang, returning home after the flood meant facing the loss of almost everything her family owned. While she had stayed at a school for safety, the floodwaters washed away mud houses and swept away livestock and household belongings. When she returned to check on her home, there was little left to recover. Although relief food and clothes helped the family through the immediate aftermath, rebuilding a safe home and restoring the essentials of daily life remain major challenges.

Janki, 39, lives with her husband, Rakesh, and their daughter, who studies in Class II. Before the flood, she worked as a daily wage labourer in a tea garden, earning approximately ₹6,000–₹7,000 per month. The family also kept poultry and a goat to supplement its income. Their bamboo home stood in a low-lying area close to the Dikhow River, where rising floodwaters left the family’s shelter and livelihood vulnerable.

When the Flood Came

When the floodwaters entered on Monday, the 19th, Janki was staying at a school. The water remained high throughout the day, leaving the family struggling with hunger and thirst. When the water receded somewhat on Tuesday, she returned to check on the house and found extensive destruction.

The family lost its shelter, livestock and household belongings, including pots, plates and other essential items. Janki recalls that the mud houses in the area had been completely washed away and that residents could not return to their homes for nearly 15 days. During this period, the family depended on relief food and clothes provided by others.

Janki Urang shares:

“When the flood came, I was staying at the school. The water entered on Monday, the 19th. When I returned on Tuesday, I saw that the houses had been washed away. Chickens, ducks, cows and goats were gone, and our pots, plates and other household items were swept away. We stayed at the school for about 10 to 15 days, surviving on relief food. People also gave us clothes. Even now, we have not been able to save our belongings. We are surviving on whatever help we receive because our house is completely destroyed.”

Beyond Immediate Relief

Janki has continued working as a daily wage labourer in the tea garden, allowing some income to continue. Yet, the loss of livestock has reduced the family’s supplementary livelihood, and the household can only partially meet its daily expenses. Sanitation remains unavailable, while the damaged shelter continues to be a concern.

Repairing or reconstructing their home would provide a safer place to live, while replacing the lost livestock and household essentials would help restore some of the stability they had before the flood. Improved sanitation and drinking water support would also help the family work towards safer and more dignified living conditions.

Indicative Recovery Requirement

Based on an initial indicative assessment, Janki’s recovery requirement is estimated at ₹2,10,000. This includes ₹1,20,000 for rebuilding a permanent house, ₹30,000 for replacing the domestic animals lost, ₹20,000 for household utensils and essential items and ₹40,000 for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) 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 Janki Urang Rebuild

Janki’s family has received help to get through the immediate aftermath of the flood, but the loss of their home, livestock and household belongings continues to affect their recovery.

Your support can help Janki’s family rebuild a safer home and restore the essentials they need to move forward.

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