Churches Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA)
The Churches Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) is the official arm of the 24 Orthodox and Protestant Churches in India . It is a fifty five year old National Level Development Organisation. Providing emergency support and catering to disaster relief is a major portion of CASA's activity. The organisation also undertakes other development activities for the betterment of the lives of the poor and the marginalized and those who have been denied their basic rights.
CASA mobilised about 70 expert staff members to be a part of the team at the operational level to extend humanitarian aid at the crisis stage. Apart from this, about 50 volunteers were mobilised from local Churches and partner organisations. CASA assisted approximately 2,50,000-3,00,000 people, i.e. 50,000 families (30,000 in Tamilnadu and 10,000 each in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh) with humanitarian aid assistance of dry ration kits, and non-food kits (consisting of men's and women's clothing, blankets, kitchen utensils, sleeping mats, bed-sheets, cloth towels, 5-lt water containers, candles, matchboxes and soaps, etc.).
CASA set up operational teams at Nagapattinam, Cuddalore & Tirunelveli in Tamilnadu, Tiruvalla in Kerala, and Bapatla in Andhra Pradesh. CASA also supported Churches and NGO partners who had initiated feeding programmes from the second day of the disaster. These centres served around 36,000 affected people for about six days.
CASA also embarked upon the project of building temporary shelters These temporary shelters were built using the local materials and the families are themselves engaged in putting them up. CASA is also working on the restoration of livelihood especially for the fisher folks, small and marginal farmers and daily wage earners. The Churches and other partners helped to provide boats and fishing nets, agriculture tools and kits for women fish traders along with food and cash programmes for the daily wage.A strong demand to meet children's needs emerged from the grassroots. CASA responded to it by assisting about 5435 children.
CASA worked closely with the Churches in responding to this tragedy. The Regional Council of Churches in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh are actively involved. The Churches have also mobilised several volunteers who are attached with CASA. Besides Churches, work is also being coordinated with other NGOS and agencies. This has helped to avoid duplication, provided a platform to discuss the steps taken by the Government regarding rehabilitation and has communicated the voices of the people.
CASA: ekduniya.mahiti.org/casa
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