Guwahati, January 10: Reliance Foundation has successfully concluded a comprehensive ‘Training of Trainers’ program aimed at equipping frontline health workers in Assam with essential skills in public health risk management during floods and other extreme events.
This initiative, a vital part of the Foundation’s broader efforts to enhance community disaster resilience in Assam, has trained approximately 1,200 frontline health workers across 20 districts in the state.
The training sessions were conducted in collaboration with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Cachar and the Inter Agency Group in Cachar. Participants included Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, Jal Mitras, youth volunteers, and staff from civil society organizations.
The training covered cholera, malaria, hand hygiene and managing other Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) risks. The operation of a boat-mountable water purifier was also demonstrated.
Capable of filtering 700 to 1,000 litres per hour, the water filter has been successfully tested in flood situations and a few devices pre-positioned by the government in some of the districts.
The trained trainers have already started sensitising communities and have helped the villages identify water contamination risks, educated residents about safe water storage and handling practises and tested drinking water sources to suggest corrective action.
“The training progamme was very useful as we learnt a lot about safe water consumption, among other things. Effective means to treat contaminated water were demonstrated, which becomes critical for ensuring the health of children and well-being of communities during floods,” said Ms. Sudipana Das, an Anganwadi worker who attended the training programme.
Reliance Foundation’s support for vulnerable communities in Assam extends beyond training programs. In 2022, during the devastating floods in Cachar and Nagaon districts, the Foundation provided early warnings and advisories, distributed relief materials, and engaged in resilience-building efforts such as planting saplings to create bio-shields in flood-prone villages. Advanced tools like remote sensing and GIS were used to identify high-risk areas.
For over a decade, Reliance Foundation has been a key responder to disasters across India, including cyclones, floods, earthquakes, and landslides. Beyond rescue and relief, the Foundation’s focus has been on grassroots resilience-building. This training initiative is yet another testament to its commitment to empowering frontline workers and enabling disaster-resilient communities.
