Sumaiya Kabir, CARE Bangladesh asks participants “how to make the case for FBA” to their primary audience, and most important stakeholder, the government? Feedback from one participant working in the Mindanao area of the Philippines in 2019, included “first understand government policy on disaster response, to see if they are actually able to release funds ahead of disaster; in this case the authorities were unable to implement early because “their policies did not create an enabling environment”.

Hilla Wessel

Islamic Relief Bangladesh´s Mohi Uddin presents a fascinating pilot test of community-based early actions in the 2020 monsoon, which included a commitment to document evidence and lessons learned, a study to map sources of financing, and advocacy for institutionalization. Early actions including 1) Dissemination of forecast, early warning and advisories, 2) Evacuation support through provision of boats, 3) Preparation of flood shelter and evacuation points, 4) Distribution of temporary shelter materials, 5) Provision of WASH support (repair of tube wells and latrines, distribution of hygiene kit and PPE kits) and 6) Repair to key embankments/roads and temporary walkway.

Hilla Wessel