Cyclone Amphan - West Bengal Cancel Title is required

Waiting with concern for news about the impacts of this cyclone on sponsored children and their families. It slammed into areas where CI works and was quite devastating.

Breathtaking moments before cyclone hits Kolkata..  [ youtu.be/vjrL5mcb__Y ] – hoping and praying CI escaped this disaster safely without the loss of lives.

In ramfam's post of May 21st, she wrote that CIKC expected to receive updated information about the aftermath of Amphan on Tuesday (May 26th). We who sponsor in W. Bengal are feeling much anxiety and are 'hungry' for any news from the field. Also would it be possible for you to explain the process of informing sponsors whose child's family home has been damaged or destroyed​. ​Does CI notify every sponsor whose home has been damaged? or Does each sponsor need to make a request to know if a specific child/family has suffered damage to their home? Thanks for any information you may provide.

Hi NancyA. Our staff in the area shared with us that the extent of the damage probably won’t be known until later this week. We had hoped to know more to share with you all. However, since much of Kolkata is without electricity, communication with the field has become difficult As far as our process for informing sponsors about damage to their child’s home, as you are all aware CoVid has effected just about all of our processes. Some have slowed and some have changed. This is the first natural disaster a sponsored community has had to face during CoVid restrictions (hopefully, it's the only!), therefore we do not know what the notification process will look like. We will keep all of you up to date here on MSC.

Hi Ramfam and CI, any updates at all for sponsors of children in West Bengal? Thanks

Unfortunately, no - the status quo remains the same. No deaths reported in the areas where our youth live, and barely any phone/internet connection.  It's making it hard to get specific updates, they are more generalized about the entire area. We hope to get new info later in the week.  Thank you for your continued concern and patience. 

We wanted to provide a final update to everyone on CycloneAmphan which hit the West Bengal area last month. It took us some time to makecontact with all our sponsored communities due to damage to essential servicesand infrastructure. This was exacerbated by the COVID epidemic. We are happy toinform you that we have now established contact with all communities where CIhas sponsored children. We have received reports that all families are safe.There was some damage to homes, especially in the more rural areas. Thegovernment provided financial support for home repairs for many families. CIalso used Emergency Community Funds to provide additional support forfamilies most impacted by the disaster.  Hope this info eases your mind about your children and also, how important your support is to them.  We couldn't do what we do without you!  Thank you. 

Thanks for the update, glad to hear th​at everyone is safe. I haven't heard from Mohammad ​of Kolkata since December 2019.