ActionAid runs an extraordinarily effective disaster risk reduction programme, which trains local people to cope in an emergency and provides the essential infrastructure to help them survive.

Each year Bangladesh is hit by cyclones and our work there has already saved hundreds of thousands of lives.  But there are still communities we have not reached and the financial situation is putting this work at risk.  

For example, we had raised £40,000, which would have enabled us to train and provide equipment for a community of 5,000.  This included rebuilding and strengthening a school destroyed in Cyclone SIDR in 2007 so that it could serve as a cyclone shelter.  

Due to exchange rate fluctuations we now need a further £17,000 to actually deliver the project.  The original funder can’t give us any more and if we cannot raise the extra money we will have to return the original £40k and that leaves 5,000 people vulnerable to the next cyclone that sweeps through.  Find out how you can help.