Momita and Her Family Are Rebuilding After the Assam Floods

For Momita and her family, their home was more than a place to live. It was where they kept their belongings, raised goats, pigs, and ducks, and stored the things that supported their everyday lives. But when the Assam floods swept through their village, the family lost much of what they had built.

Before the Assam flood, the family of five relied on daily wage work, fishing, livestock rearing and vegetable cultivation. Their livestock and agricultural activities were important household assets, helping the family manage their needs when income from daily wage work was uncertain.

The floodwaters washed away their traditional bamboo home and destroyed their paddy fields, crops and land. Their pigs, goats and poultry were also swept away, along with household belongings, fishing equipment and other essentials.

Momita shares,

“The flood came and created a huge disaster for us. Our house was washed away, and our pigs, goats and ducks were all swept away. Our paddy fields, along with all our crops and land, were completely lost and destroyed. Even our betel nut trees and everything else we had been totally ruined by the floodwaters.”

With their home damaged and productive assets lost, the family now faces the difficult task of rebuilding both their living space and the resources that supported their livelihoods.

Rebuilding a Safe Home and Restoring Livelihoods

Today, Momita and her family are living in a makeshift bamboo structure on their own premises. While this provides them with a temporary place to stay, the family still needs a safe and more secure home, along with better access to drinking water and sanitation.

The family has received food, household items, a hygiene kit and a kitchen kit from SEEDS and other sources, helping them manage some of their immediate needs.

But recovery is about more than immediate relief. For Momita, rebuilding means creating a safe home for her family and restoring the livestock, fishing equipment and other productive assets that helped them earn and manage their household needs. Rebuilding these essentials can help the family gradually regain stability and work towards restoring their livelihoods.

Indicative Recovery Requirement

Based on an initial indicative assessment, Momita's recovery requirement could be around ₹1,90,000. Around ₹1,20,000 is indicated for rebuilding a permanent house, durable rebuild. A further ₹20,000 is indicated for replacing the domestic animals lost, based on a typical small mixed holding for the area, to be confirmed through field verification. ₹20,000 is set aside for household utensils and essential items, and ₹30,000 for continued sanitation and drinking water support during the recovery period.

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

Help Momita Rebuild

Momita has already begun taking steps towards recovery through daily wage work. But after losing her home, livestock, crops, agricultural resources and fishing equipment, rebuilding will take time.

With the right support, they can rebuild a safe home, restore essential livelihood assets and take practical steps towards regaining stability.

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