BIHAR RELIEF
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Video was created by a colleague Russell Bell, during our first teacher visit to the flood affected area and was shared with the school to advocate for additional help.
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HOW DID THE BIHAR RELIEF TEAM GET STARTED?
In August of 2008, a horrific flood ripped apart thousands of villages in Bihar, one of the poorest states in India. This catastrophic flood displaced 3 million Bihar residents, leaving families without homes and farmers without livelihoods. One of my colleagues at ASB read an article in a local Indian magazine about the need for additional flood relief , and was inspired to take action. Excited to help, two other teachers and myself raised money, acquired medicine and hand delivered supplies during our fall break to rural villages devastated by the flood. After our initial visit, we realized that lives were at stake if the people of Bihar did not receive more help immediately. Upon sharing our experience and the immediate need for additional relief with the students, there was a huge outpouring of support from the High School student body and administration. Almost instantly, the Bihar Relief Team consisting of High School students and teachers was organically born. HOW DID STUDENTS ADVOCATE FOR FLOOD VICTIMS? With the assistance of AID India, an NGO that works on the ground in Bihar providing flood relief and educational assistance to residents, ASB students and teachers |
personally visting the flood affected areas. Acting as advocates, students assessed the damage, interviewed displaced flood victims, documented their findings and shared the needs of the Bihar residents with the entire ASB community. Using powerful pictures, videos and personal stories, the students advocated for additional support through school wide assemblies, individual classroom presentations, information booths on campus, and social media (see the student created video used below). Through the student's efforts they rallied the ASB community in the Elementary, Middle, and High School, raising $50,000 US dollars. Embrace India, the biggest and most productive fundraiser that brought the ASB community together is highlighted below.
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THE BIHAR RELEIF TEAM ENHANCED THE LIVES OF OTHERS
During The Bihar Relief Team's first six months their focus was to provide immediate relief to flood victims by providing medicine, water purification tablets, sanitation kits, tarps, clothing and blankets. When the flood affected area began to recover and the residents' needs changed, the team changed its focus to educational and livelihood projects in Bihar. Through the team's efforts, the ASB community was able to provide school supplies for thousands of school children, and secure solar powered lights, which enabled students from rural villages with no electricity to study in the evening hours. They were also able to give new drinking wells to residents in areas where old wells had become contaminated by the flood waters. Additionally, in an effort to create new livelihood for farmers who had lost their farms, new bicycle rickshaws were provided. 
Student created poster advertising Embrace India
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Student created video used to share their needs assessment findings and gain
support from the ASB community for more relief. ~EMBRACE INDIA~ Cultural Celebration and Fundraiser
The energy from the flood relief work by students, teachers, parents and administrators prompted the creation of Embrace India, a fundraising event that brought the ASB community together for a night to celebrate Indian culture. Attendees enjoyed music, theater, Indian acrobatics, dance, photography exhibits, and an art auction featuring local Indian amateur artists, Indian professional artists, and ASB teachers, parents and students of all ages. Not only were funds raised for Bihar flood victims but ASB's sense of community was heightened. The night was also used as a platform to educate the community about the work of the Bihar Relief Team and the needs of the Bihari people. Although originally created for flood relief in 2009, Embrace India shifted to the mission of the Community Empowerment Team (CET) in 2010 and still exists today. |
