Across Asia many families have been forced to abandon their homes over and over again as increased flooding, cyclones and river erosion destroy their land and livelihoods.
Bangladesh has been severely affected as frequent flooding and increased river erosion has eaten away at the land, communities facing no choice but to leave their homes and move on once again. Without their homes they are left vulnerable to the elements with little to survive on.
Christian Aid partner Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB) is offering support to the thousands of environmental refugees across the country, helping them to rebuild their lives.
Picture: Amina Begum - The income Amina will earn from her goats will help provide stability for her family
Amina Begum has been forced to leave her home three times because of river bank erosion. Being left with no land to farm Amina and her husband struggled to provide for their children.
Amina is now part of the CCDB women’s forum in her area, through which she has been able to begin income generation projects to earn some income. Through a credit and savings scheme she has been able to buy two goats. The two kids they have produced she is able to sell on, before investing in other livelihood projects. The forum has also given Amina training in health issues and preventing diseases so she is in a better position to look after her livestock. Amina can now look towards a brighter future for her children.
“This place is only about 1.5 km from the river bank so one day it will be taken too. Nobody can predict when it will happen, so we are saving some money so that we can buy land somewhere else. The trouble is we can’t go too far because the land further away costs so much money.”
Photo credit: Christian Aid/Amanda Farrant
Other case studies:
On the Frontline - Africa
On the Frontline - Latin America
