Reliance Foundation on Tuesday announced a comprehensive strategy to support the people of Wayanad in the immediate, mid-term and long term. Reliance Foundation is on the ground, coordinating with local authorities in order to provide all available support, in coordination with the government authorities and the disaster management teams in the district.
People in camps are receiving immediate aid from the teams, along with milk and fruits for vital nutrition. Reliance Foundation has pledged to provide the severely impacted district with comprehensive immediate, mid-term, and long-term help over the next few weeks and months. Additionally, the foundation will support sustainable efforts aimed at prevention, strengthening early warning, and advancing early response.
Expressing grief at the destruction and loss of lives due to massive landslides in Kerala, Reliance Foundation Founder and Chairperson Nita Ambani said, “We are deeply pained by the suffering of the people of Wayanad and the immense damage caused by the landslides. At this time of extreme sorrow, our hearts go out to every single person and family who has been affected. Our Reliance Foundation teams on the ground are supporting the immediate response, recovery and long-term requirements for the people of the district. We stand by the people of Kerala in this difficult time.”
Earlier, the Reliance Foundation had supported Kerala with follow-up aid and assistance following the floods in 2018, 2019, 2021 and through COVID-19. Extending its long-term disaster resilience initiatives, Reliance Foundation will support community-based and cooperative endeavours in Wayanad and other sensitive areas of the country.
The Reliance Foundation is committed to Wayanad in several ways, which include:
- Food and nutrition, which includes giving families access to ready-to-eat, nutritious items including fruits and milk, dry rations, cookware and other necessities like stoves for resuming kitchens.
- Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) includes the supply of toiletries, basic daily needs for health and hygiene and critical hygiene requirements.
- Accommodations and necessities for life, such as temporary shelters for impacted communities, bedding, solar-powered lights and lanterns, clothes and cleaning supplies to assist individuals in reviving their households.
- Rebuilding a sustainable livelihood for impacted communities through the supply of tools, seeds, fodder and vocational training to diversify revenue streams and concentrate on agriculture that is robust and adapted to Wayanad’s distinct ecosystem.
- Education support, such as books and toys, to guarantee that impacted children’s education continues.
- Ensuring dependable internet access, improving communication between citizens with rescue personnel and disaster management teams and expediting operations and saving lives, Reliance Jio has deployed dedicated towers and provided Jio Bharat phones.
- Psycho-social support, community healing, expert counselling for trauma survivors, and social contact as a means of promoting healing. Special efforts to help children and youth are part of these approaches.
The Reliance Foundation team is in contact with state officials and has quickly mobilised personnel to provide help. To guarantee that action is efficient and reaches the people in their hour of greatest suffering, all of the planned steps are being gradually implemented in coordination with the state and other disaster response organisations.
The Reliance Foundation is still dedicated to providing long-term assistance to the residents of Wayanad in order to foster a robust and prosperous neighbourhood for the future.
