In December 2022, Cyclone Sitrang caused widespread destruction along the Southern Coastline of Bangladesh, particularly impacting Southwestern Chattogram. The cyclone forced the evacuation of approximately a million people and tragically claimed at least 35 lives, leaving over 20,000 homes damaged in its wake.

Among the severely affected were the fisherman community in Bandartila Beribandh Jelepara, already grappling with poverty and heavily reliant on fishing for sustenance. The cyclone’s fury left them devastated, destroying homes and shattering livelihoods as boats and fishing equipment were damaged or lost.

Responding to this crisis, the Participatory Development Action Program (PDAP), a women-based development organization in Bangladesh specializing in disaster management, has partnered with Kyeema  with funding from the Humanitarian Relief Fund. Their objective was clear: to provide vital assistance to the families of Bandartila Beribandh Jelepara. PDAP’s efforts were focused on rebuilding and repairing homes, as well as replacing or repairing fishing equipment, while also ensuring families received essential supplies like food and clothing.