Emergency Response
‘By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail’
Poor and marginalized communities in India are highly vulnerable to social, economic, and environmental challenges. They often become the worst affected during natural, human-made, or biological disasters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Poverty is further aggravated by deep-rooted social inequalities and historical factors.
To address such crises, PAF has established an emergency support mechanism for targeted women and their families. During emergencies, vulnerable families often fall into debt, borrow from moneylenders, sell essential assets, or make distress-driven decisions. They may also face long-term financial hardship and emotional stress. Common emergencies include floods, house fires, serious illnesses, accidents, and other unforeseen crises.
To provide timely assistance, PAF has developed a contingency plan in consultation with relevant stakeholders. Whenever a woman or her family faces an emergency, immediate support is provided to help them manage the crisis, reduce financial distress, and prevent exploitation by moneylenders or other anti-social elements
India's long coastline, dense coastal population, and climate change make tropical cyclones increasingly destructive, causing severe damage to lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure.
Cyclone Gaja, which struck Tamil Nadu in November 2018, claimed 63 lives, killed over 12,000 cattle, damaged nearly 2.8 lakh houses and 63,000 huts, and uprooted more than 11 lakh trees, severely affecting the livelihoods of small farmers and agricultural labourers. The worst-hit areas included Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Dindigul, Trichy, and Karaikal.In response, Proaction Foundation partnered with St. George Antony Trust in Karaikal to assess community needs and organize relief efforts. Through a fundraising initiative in Chennai, the Foundation distributed food and hygiene kits to 134 cyclone-affected families, most of whom belonged to Scheduled Caste communities, in Kadanthethi village, Nagapattinam district. For many families, this was their first relief support, and they expressed deep gratitude for the timely assistance
Proaction Foundation implemented a health-related support activity at SAATHI Vridhashram (Old Age Home), New Delhi, by distributing blankets and fruits to elderly destitute men and women. Proaction Foundation identified SAATHI Old Age Home as the implementation partner for this initiative.
