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AGRI-CLINIC & AGRI-BUSINESS CENTER: AWARE has been approved as Nodal Training Institute (NTI) by MANAGE (Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare) to conduct Training in Agri-Clinic and Agri-Business for Unemployed Agricultural Graduates /Diploma Holders/similar qualification. The training is for 60 days at Pujyashri Madhavanji Agricultural Polytechnic, at Aswaraopet Campus, Khammam District.... Read more...
Integrated Rural Development Program
Notice
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Emergencies and Natural calamities
9aAWARE is essentially a development organization and promoted development as a people’s movement However, in emergency it also helped the victims of the natural calamities as responsible citizen group. Since 1977, AWARE is constantly involved in providing relief, medical service and rehabilitation to the victims of natural calamities all over the Country.



The Cyclones and the tidal waves in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa

AWARE is established on Nov 5th 1975 but in   the year 1977 on November 19th a terrible cyclone devastated Andhra Pradesh. It was estimated at least 25,000 people might have died. Government was never prepared to face such calamity; it was sudden, shocking, and horrifying. Number of relief agencies rushed to the area to help the people for first two days, government could not recover from its shock; however, entire state missionary landed and started learning disaster management. Mr.Danam, IAS, Mr.AVS Reddy IAS who was deputed in the area to take up cyclone relief called Dr.Madhavan and asked him to rush with men and materials. 

AWARE was not prepared, did not have money nor have ever experienced such calamities. However, in response to that call Dr.Madhavan reached Machilpatnam with 30 volunteers. In consultation with his bureaucratic friends, he has chosen two groups of 12 villages, which were never visited by any agency. These two groups of villages are that is Chinnapuram and Kona in the remote area and the worst effected part. 

The Bandar region was totally neglected. When AWARE team visited the area, they found 100s of dead bodies floating in the muddy waters and surrounded by survived crying women and children crying and lamenting. Their men went out in search of food. This shocking scene made the team to shiver but there is no time for lamenting. Dr.Madhavan quickly arranged gruel with broken rice, and then he distributed flat rice and jaggery for immediate consumption.

He quickly arranged peoples meeting and informed them it is their responsibility to organize themselves and distribute materials orderly and evenly. He does not want a giver and receiver relationship. He and his volunteer team lived with victims under the trees and damaged buildings. He arranged chlorination of the well, so that people can start using the water. Aluminum vessels were distributed, along with it firewood was transported from the town for cooking, rice, pulses, condiments, vegetables, onion, matchbox, soaps were provided to the victims. Long bamboos and bamboo mats, wooden poles were brought and shelters were built by the victims themselves. While AWARE arranged the materials, the victims united and started building the sheds, distributed food material among themselves.Here also AWARE formed village association, mahila mandalis, youth club and children club. While men were involved in burial of the dead bodies, the youth were involved in cleaning the roads and building thesheds. The women distributed the food materials,started cooking the food and looking after the hygiene of the children. The very first day AWARE made it clear that it is the responsibility of the victims for rehabilitation, therefore in AWARE villages there was no fights or demonstrations.

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In non-AWARE villages the strongest took away the material, fighting and dragging, pushing and pulling, while the distributing the relief material. The worst affected 12 villages of AWARE (Kona and Chinnapuram group of villages) were highly organized, self-motivated and quickly recovered population. Here the Government handed over the relief materials to AWARE. 

AWARE’s methodology in such natural calamities also gave discipline, self-responsibility and dignity. Often in AWARE villages, it is proved that receiver is as important as giver. It is not the magnanimity but it is a responsibility. AWARE followed its relief fund rehabilitation by following steps:
  • People were organized and survey was undertaken.
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  • Ward committees and village committees were formed.
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  • Immediate food in the form of gruel was distributed.
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  • Parched rice and jaggery was distributed.
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  • Milk was distributed only to children.
  • By cooking rice and curry (sambar) community lunch and dinner was provided.
  • Men were involved in disposing dead bodies.
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  • Youth were involved cleaning the wells, cleaning the routes and chlorinating the water.
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  • Women were involved initorary shelters.
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  • Medical students and doctors in AWARE team immediately set up wayside clinics and started treating victims, their wounds, fever, cough, disorders in women and children.
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  • Every day evening in motivational camp physiological support was provided.
  • Farmers were provided with agriculture implements.
  • All the villages’ artisans’ were given their implements and equipments.
  • Every family was provided with ially in community kitchen and then established individual kitchens.
  • Youth and men build tempvessels for cooking and water storage.
  • All the men, women and children were given two pairs of clothes, blankets and bed spreads.
While human beings were given all the support, Dr.Madhavan immediately procured cattle field and distributed to the survived cattle’s. This aspect brought tears in the eyes of the victims that AWARE took care of even their animals.

From AWARE villages (non-cyclone like Tribal and Harijan villages), village leaders came to the cyclone affected areas in batches lived for 3 to 5 days, explained their situation and development. Almost 100 people visited these 12 villages in 6 months as solidarity.

Child Care Centres

During cyclone and the tidal wave relief work, a peculiar problem occurred. In the neighboring villages sisters of missionary and Her Holiness Mother Teresa visited villages and started gathering orphan children to be sent to different orphanages. They picked up 39 orphan children from AWARE villages. People asked Dr.Madhavan to either start an orphanage or allow them to give it to sister of missionary. Dr.Madhavan was reluctant to allow the children to go to orphanages nor was he willing to establish an orphanage.  One day he called for a meeting of the village associations he explained that he is going to establish community childcare centre in every village and cater to the all the children of the village. The children will be given midday meal, clothing, basic education and including hygiene care. TDuring cyclone and the tidal wave relief work, a peculiar problem occurred. In the neighboring villages sisters of missionary and Her Holiness Mother Teresa visited villages and started gathering orphan children to be sent to different orphanages. They picked up 39 orphan children from AWARE villages. People asked Dr.Madhavan to either start an orphanage or allow them to give it to sister of missionary. Dr.Madhavan was reluctant to allow the children to go to orphanages nor was he willing to establish an orphanage.  
One day he called for a meeting of the village hese centres will function from morning 9 am to 4 pm. One of their own girls will be the organizer and two of their women will be cooking the food. However, Dr.Madhavan had one condition in the village association meeting that orphan children should be accepted into one of the family and in the evening child should go to stay with them. Many families lost their children in cyclone. They quickly came forward to look after the orphan children. Thus, village association took responsibility for the 39 orphan children and settled them in the different families. 
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The community childcare centre was functioning 30 days a month and continued for 15 months. During this period, AWARE with matching contribution of funds from Government and the labour contribution from the victims started building permanent houses for cyclone victims. Farmers started agricultural operations. Different communities went for their profession. The victim’s economy started growing but they were all living in long sheds.

After one and half year in one of the village meetings Dr.Madhavan said that there is no funds for child care centres and now onwards the children should be looked after by their own families and should be sent to normal schools, everyone happily agreed. 

Similarly, nine old aged people with no one to take care were accepted by nine families to whom AWARE has given three milch animals instead of usual one milch animal per family. With this additional income those families looked after the old persons. However within five years all these old people expired due to old age but were well taken care of.

AWARE built 1,500 cyclone proof houses, 10 cyclone care buildings to the victims in three years. Every family was rehabilitated with tools, implements, fishing nets, small boats, ploughs, milch animals, goats, sheep, ducks, rat tapping nets. First time AWARE worked with all communities forward, backward, scheduled caste and tribes. Bringing all communities together is a great experience and AWARE learnt many lessons with it.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh gave an Award in appreciation of AWARE work in providing relief and rehabilitation to the victims of cyclone and the tidal wave. 

In 1977, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1996, 1997 and 1999 AWARE helped 2,29,000 families in the districts of Krishna, Prakasam, Nellore, West Godavari and East Godavari of Andhra Pradesh, Paralakhemundi, Ganjam and Jagatsinghpur super cyclone of Orissa States when people were affected by the cyclones and the tidal waves.

Floods

The year 1986 is one of the most tragic years for Andhra Pradesh. The unprecedented floods in the river Godavari devastated hundreds of villages, the districts of Khammam, East and West Godavari.

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AWARE is working in this area from 1975, most of its workers are Tribals themselves, other workers who lived here including medical team of Jeevana Shravanti boat hospital are well aware of the topography of the area. The district administration broke down. The mandal offices were submerged with 20ft water. The sub-collector office at Bhadrachalam was under 12ft water.  Fortunately, from 12th August onwards AWARE workers were constantly informing to the people they must leave their places and reach higher altitude like hillocks. They helped people to move out and helped to reach hilltops well in advance. Other left out people to an extent of 20,000 were ferried to hilltops by boat of AWARE hospitals. It was heroic struggle with a furious river. On 14th August Chairman AWARE led a team of doctors and volunteers and crossed over river Godavari carrying the batteries to establish a radio contact.

The region was totally cut -off and most of the relief materials were transported through AWARE’s boat. Twenty-two teams located in different areas took over the safety of Tribal’s and AWARE people. Government of Andhra Pradesh kept two helicopters at the disposal of AWARE. AWARE volunteers carried cooked food packets flat rice and jaggery packets, water packets in helicopters and air dropped on the hillocks and people habitations. In each hillock, some of the AWARE staff also lives with victims giving courage and support. Time to time along with food packets, printed handbills about the levels of the river, Chairman’s direct involvement , Governments efforts were air dropped to boost the morale.

After 72 hours water receded and people were brought back to the villages in a most pathetic situation; their houses and huts were either washed out or submerged with silt mud. AWARE continuously provided cooked food, fifteen teams of the doctors from government were ferried in AWARE boat and started immunization and inoculation against cholera. After 2 days AWARE transported and distributed dry firewood, food grains, vegetables, oil, matchboxes, along with clothes for children, women and men. 

People were encouraged to remove the silt and built temporary shelters with the bamboos and logs supplied by AWARE. AWARE workers took care that people are not idle or go on to feel sad on the damages.

Fodder and cattle feed were supplied to the animals. AWARE base hospital that was also in 6 ft silt mud was cleaned for almost 10days. Many of the medical records and equipments were totally spoiled. AWARE boat worked almost 20 hours. Helicopters worked 8 hours and food was dropped to about 160 villages. The entire scene was heroic and every one worked like war.

People were asked to broadcaste Jowar and cereals all around. The land is wet and silted. The silted mud is very rich for crops and before people get into their house the seeds given by AWARE is broadcasted and within one month crops started coming and fodder for animals was no problem at all.

The Government was not interested to break the housing norms which tribal did not agree as they like their traditional designs. The Tribal themselves bit by bit built their own houses to best of their satisfaction in a period of 9 months with the help of material provided by AWARE. Government houses are contactor friendly houses which were costing ` 5500 per house with 100 sq.ft , whereas Tribal own houses with ` 3200 twice bigger than the government houses with their own traditional designs. 

Another achievement in this crisis is, Tribals were persuaded to build their new village to the higher altitude so that every year floods will not damage them and then 87 villages moved away from their original village sites. AWARE also built 22 floods relief centres, above the flood level. This will help people immediately to take shelter in the event of recurring floods. 

In appreciation of AWARE’s work with victims of Godavari floods in 1986, the  Governor of Andhra Pradesh presented Award to AWARE Chairman Dr. Madhavan.

In 1983, 1986, 1990 and 1994, 1996, 2001 and 2009 AWARE was involved in rescue operation, relief, and rehabilitation of victims of Godavari and Krishna river floods in the districts of Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Kurnool, West Godavari and East Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh and Puri district of Orissa. AWARE provided relief and rehabilitation to 1,89,000 families during these years. In 2009, AWARE actively participated in relief and rehabilitation of victims of Krishna Floods in the districts of Mahaboobnagar and Kurnool.

Earthquake

AWARE gained excellent experience in addressing the problems of natural calamities and providing systematic relief and rehabilitation involving the victims themselves from the initial stage of the program. AWARE made clear to the victims that it is they who should rise to the occasion, organize themselves and address the problem quickly, in unity and systematically. They should not depend on outside people to do everything and wait for them because they are victims of natural calamities.

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This is the significant difference between AWARE and other relief organizations. AWARE taught them self-discipline, self-organization and self-distribution. AWARE is simply a facilitators and a partner and not the leader. We are not doing it as compassion but doing it as a responsibility. We are not giver and they are not receivers. In every natural calamity, whether it is cyclones, floods, or earthquake, addressed by AWARE this spirit is inculcated among the victims. AWARE was also not tired of motivating victims against consumption of alcohol. Often one can see victims use their relief material for alcohol. AWARE naturally insisted women’s participation in the distribution, the animals were cared and the education of children was given priority along with nutrition and health care.
In 1992, suddenly there was news that Latur in Maharashtra state was rocked by earthquake killing more than 10,000 people. Though it was shocking AWARE did not sit and read the newspaper. It immediately mobilized AWARE workers, relief materials and rushed to Latur- Khilari and villages around Osmanabad. It is often said that the army and AWARE reach the place of earthquake disaster simultaneously.
About 120 volunteers, carpenters, technicians, medical –paramedical, ambulance, food material, tents, bamboos and belly moved in quick succession and eight camps were set up within 24 hours. With sheets of plastic, temporary shelters were built for victims. Food, water , milk, clothes , vegetables, oil, kerosene , medicines all reached in different camps. In Hyderabad procurement, packing and transportation activities were going on 24 hours, and at the camps survey identifying the victims, providing them/ shelter and medical assistance, child care, animal care were taken care of. Quickly tent hospitals were built and AWARE medical team were in action. 

In this area AWARE continued its activities for three years with relief, temporary rehabilitation and permanent rehabilitation, building the houses were all undertaken in the most systematic people oriented way.

This experience of earthquake rehabilitation helped AWARE to involve quickly, efficiently in Uttarkashi (Uttaranchal) earthquake and Bhuj (Gujarat).

AWARE also helped the victims of earthquake at Uttarkashi in Uttar Pradesh in 1991, at Latur and Osmanabad in Maharashtra in 1993, Gujarat in 2001 and rehabilitated 81,000 families. 

In appreciation of AWARE’s work in relief and rehabilitation of earthquake victims in Latur of Maharashtra, The Governor of Maharashtra presented an award to AWARE.

AWARE has trained 300-member team consisting of doctors, engineers, agriculture experts, sociologists, psychologists carpenters, plumbers, drivers, para-medicals, construction workers and others who can address any natural calamity situation. They are available to reach such calamity spots within 48 hours with ambulance, trucks and relief material. 

AWARE constructed 12,900 permanent houses, 5,600 traditional Tribal houses, 22 cyclone shelters and 20 flood shelters in these areas.

AWARE always attempted to help the people with objective that every calamity should be taken as an advantage and opportunity to upscale their socio-economic living conditions for a better future.