Restoring Mobility - Prosthetic Aid and Community Rebuilding after Odisha Train Tragedy
When the devastating triple train collision struck Balasore, Odisha, in June 2023, Rit Rural Foundation acted with urgency mobilising on-ground teams to coordinate with state and central rescue operations. Essential medical aid and food rations reached over 5,000 survivors within days, ensuring quick relief in the hardest-hit localities.
A particular focus was placed on victims who had suffered amputations and serious injuries. Our team meticulously compiled a database, identifying those threatened by food insecurity and mobility loss. Direct needs-assessment calls were made to over 150 patients, enabling provision of targeted medical and financial support. In collaboration with the specialised Revive Clinic, Rit Rural Foundation initiated comprehensive prosthetic rehabilitation facilitating the fitting, post-operation care, and follow-up for amputees. This restored mobility, independence, and dignity to numerous survivors of the disaster.
Partnerships with leading prosthetic providers ensured advanced solutions.Rit Rural’s sustained engagement resulted in critical medical and rehabilitative support for over 50 amputee patients, helping them regain functional living and social participation.
Beyond emergency relief, Rit Rural focused on long-term community recovery by establishing Community Resource Centres (CRCs) in Paradeep. These centres aim to empower the affected population through education and skills development. To date, the Paradeep CRC has supported 1,100 students in continuing their education, helped 300 women acquire vocational skills, and engaged 500 youth through livelihood training and personal development programmes.
Through its integrated response from lifesaving prosthetic interventions to ongoing community empowerment Rit Rural Foundation stands committed to rebuilding lives with compassion and innovation.
Rebuilding Hope - Cyclone Biparjoy Relief and Lasting Community Change
In June 2023, Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Biparjoy struck Gujarat, causing widespread loss of homes and disruption across the interior regions of Bhuj including Vayor, Jakhau, Sodha, Naliya, and Verma Nagar. Rit Rural Foundation responded promptly by mobilising local teams along with a founder-led group to deliver essential aid. Over 600 shelter kits with tarpaulin sheets, sanitary pads, and other basic necessities were distributed, meeting the immediate needs of families who had lost their homes and belongings.
Once the emergency relief was in place, we shifted focus to rehabilitation and long-term recovery. Understanding the need to restore normalcy and build community resilience, the organisation established two Community Resource Centres in Meethapur Shishu Mandir and Dwarka Shishu Mandir. These centres serve as inclusive learning hubs for youth and students, while also providing women and farmers with skill development and livelihood opportunities.
The CRCs foster holistic community empowerment by delivering educational support and vocational training that enable affected families to regain economic stability and confidence. Since their establishment, these centres have impacted more than 800 individuals in Meethapur and 600 in Dwarka, offering a safe space for growth and collective progress.
Rit Rural Foundation’s intervention after Cyclone Biparjoy demonstrates effective disaster response linked with sustained rehabilitation efforts. This integrated approach has not only alleviated immediate suffering but also laid the foundation for enduring prosperity by empowering vulnerable groups and nurturing resilient communities ready to face future challenges.
Building Resilience—CRCs Light the Path After Uttarakhand Floods
In August 2023, Uttarakhand experienced severe flooding and landslides, disrupting lives and damaging the fragile infrastructure across the state. Swift to respond, Rit Rural’s district coordinators prioritised the most affected regions, with Chamoli and Khet Gadera emerging as areas of greatest need for both immediate relief and long-term recovery.
Recognising recovery as an opportunity for transformation and not simply restoration Rit Rural Foundation moved decisively beyond initial aid. The focus shifted to the establishment of Community Resource Centres (CRCs), envisioned as sustainable platforms to support learning, entrepreneurship, and farming innovation in rural Uttarakhand.
The CRC established in Chamoli has become a central hub for the region, delivering positive and measurable impacts for diverse segments. Through its activities and programming, 700 students have gained ongoing support for their studies and access to structured learning resources. Parallelly, 400 women have benefitted from skills training – ranging from digital literacy to micro-entrepreneurship projects empowering them to take on greater roles in community and economic life. The centre has also directly supported 1,200 farmers, providing them with access to workshops, new agricultural techniques, and collaborative problem-solving that builds resilience to future shocks.
Similarly, in Khet Gadera, CRC has extended support to 600 students, ensuring continued educational access during recovery. The centre has trained 350 women in various skills, enhancing their employability and agency, and impacted 160 farmers through focused, participatory agriculture sessions and resource sharing.
Through these CRCs, Rit Rural Foundation is fostering real, measurable, and inclusive change. Every student enrolled, every woman trained, and every farmer reached demonstrates risk turned to opportunity and recovery translated intosustainable development. The CRC model now stands as a scalable template for rural disaster recovery rooted in empowerment.
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