Coastal Conservation and Livelihood Programme

DHAN Foundation responded immediately after the tsunami in 2004 and took up relief works. After the relief phase, DHAN took up the task of enabling the restoration of livelihood activities in the affected regions. It has now evolved into a full-fledged and area-based programme. The programme follows an integrated and holistic approach to address the issues in livelihoods and conservation of coastal ecosystem named as, 'Coastal Conservation and Livelihood Programme (CALL)'. Without upsetting the social fabric and cultural identities, the following programme components have been designed.

• Promoting people's organisations among the most vulnerable communities, marginalized fishing communities, affected coastal farmers, affected women and families involved in allied activities. Access to savings, credit and insurance services are made possible, in addition to support for their livelihoods activities

• Conserving coastal natural resources such as coastal eco-system, marine bio-system, water bodies and coastal farm system to reduce poverty and vulnerability, and thereby to make fisheries and coastal agriculture sustainable.

• Building business-based people’s organisations and their networks to strengthen their existing livelihoods and encourage them to take up alternative livelihoods.

• Establishing disaster mitigation strategies through disaster management committees (DMCs), early warning systems (EWS) through networked VICs, and also creating corpus funds at the people’s organisations for facing future disasters.

• Working in partnership with the panchayat and district level mainstream agencies to coordinate effectively under any emergency situations.