Overview

Communities along the Kamala River face annual flooding exacerbated by climate change. There have been severe events in 1978, 1987, 2004, 2007, and 2017. The 2004 flood was the deadliest, killing 800 and displacing many. In addition, silt has damaged farmland, and climate change is reducing river flow - raising the risk that the river could dry up completely within two decades. Locals must now prepare for both flood and drought extremes.

The survivors from the 2004 floods were relocated inland onto government land where they have eked out an insecure, hand-to-mouth existence ever since. Most children from these low caste communities weren’t attending school. Moreover, these survivors were highly unwelcome in their new location and stigmatised. In the absence of work opportunities, many adults turned to petty crime.

The public would totally avoid one of the displaced people’s villages, Pasman Tol, nicknaming it ‘Thief Village’.

location

Kamala River

category

Madhesh Province

Kamala River Basin

Our Response

We are helping these climate refugees in their desperate, hopeless circumstances in three ways:

  • Supporting the children into education through the construction of CLCs
  • Developing livelihoods for the adults, initially through fish farming
  • Planting Miyawaki forest strips that act as natural flood barriers while providing shelter for wildlife.
climate refugees

Access to education through Community Learning Centres (CLCs)

We set to work in 2023, building a new CLC at Pasman Tol (pictured ) and one at a second location, Saghara village. We have introduced a new design appropriate to flood risk and soaring temperatures. For the former, we have raised the land so that the building is flood resistant and that can act as a flood emergency relief centre should the need arise. The building is constructed from eco-bricks that have a low carbon footprint as they are not kiln-fired and the classroom roof is raised to allow circulation of air. We include an outside covered space with a well area that allows classes to be conducted outdoors when it’s too hot to teach inside a classroom. The local people absolutely love this innovative design!

Community Learning Centre
Community Learning Centre
Community Learning Centre

Livelihoods

Following a very successful Big Give appeal for education in 2024, we were able to complete the construction of another CLC in 2025. Once again this was sited on raised ground, the soil excavation allowing the creation of a pond that will be used for commercial fish farming (carp).

This will provide an important source of income to the children’s families.

Miyawaki forest strips

To date, we have planted three rapid-growth Miyawaki forest strips alongside the Kamala River. This is a nature-based solution to mitigate the threat to the community from future Kamala River floods. At the same time, these forests provide havens for migratory birds in what is otherwise a very exposed landscape.

Miyawaki forest strips

Fundraising and future plans

This project work has been funded through combining grant funding from The Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust and Guy’s Trust with public donations in our annual summer Big Give education appeal. We are always keen to find new partners who would like to join these campaigns or contribute independently.

We feel that we have made an excellent start in addressing educational needs and our priorities are now livelihoods and extension of the Miyawaki forest flood barriers. There is scope to combine these two objectives as we see the potential for ecotourism, including setting up campsites where visitors can appreciate nature and the social upliftment we have achieved in combination with our partner, The Mithila Wildlife Trust.

Note that through a gift in a Will we can be even more ambitious as we transform this region and its vulnerable people.

Related projects