The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society wins the 2022 Averted Disaster Award

The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society has been working to establish anticipatory action since 2015. These efforts were recognized at this year’s Understanding Risk forum, where it won the Averted Disaster Award for its support to vulnerable communities ahead of successive climatic events that struck the country in 2020. 

“The Averted Disasters Award is a big one for the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, [and] recognition of our wonderful work,” said Ekram Elahi Chowdhury, director of its Disaster and  Climate Risk Management Department. “In Bangladesh, we started an [anticipatory action] pilot in 2015 and, after working hard all these years, we see the successful results today.”

Acting ahead of cyclones and floods

Ahead of Cyclone Amphan, which reached Bangladesh in May 2020, staff from the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society encouraged people to move to cyclone shelters. During past hazards, people were reluctant to go to shelters, partly due to the poor conditions. To address this, staff and volunteers: distributed drinking water and food; provided first aid services; handed out lights and candles to improve security at night, especially for women; and shared materials (e.g., masks, hand sanitizer) to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases. These actions aided the 36,365 people who went to the cyclone shelters.

Just a few weeks later, monsoon flooding hit the country for several weeks. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society activated its EAP for Floods and the funds provided (134,317 Swiss Francs) were used to implement early actions before the floods peaked. Actions included: early warnings for people in at-risk areas; unconditional cash grants of 4,500 Bangladeshi Taka (around 53 US dollars) to nearly 3,300 vulnerable households; the evacuation of 70 households, along with their moveable assets and livestock; and first aid for around 150 people injured during in the floods.

While these two hazards still had a devastating impact on many people’s lives, the actions implemented by the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society undoubtedly helped many people to avoid the worst impacts. “All these actions strengthen the capacity of society and community, as well as community members, to prepare themselves for their risk management,” explained Professor Chowdhury Mohammad Sarwar Jahan, a managing board member at the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society. “This approach will [also help] the community to cope with new risks.”