Ensuring hygiene & dignity amid flood

31/08/26

Success Stories

2

Twelve-year-old Ruma Kurmi is dealing with losses far beyond her years.

Two months ago, she lost her mother after a prolonged illness. Just as the family was beginning to cope with the loss of a loved one, another tragedy struck—the devastating flood of July 19.

Unlike the annual floods the family had experienced before, this time the water came suddenly, leaving them little time to understand what was happening or save their belongings. Within a short while, their home was inundated and severely damaged.

“The floodwater came suddenly and washed away everything before we could even understand what was happening. From utensils and clothes to books and other belongings, everything was damaged in the blink of an eye,” Ruma recalled.

The loss has placed an additional burden on the young girl. Ruma has an elder sister, brother and a younger sister, “After my mother’s death, my father also became frail and depressed and when the flood entered our house, I took the initiative to take care of things at home and think about what we would do next,” she said.

With their home damaged and belongings destroyed, the family had no option but to leave. For several days, they stayed at a neighbour’s house, uncertain about when they would be able to return home or how they would rebuild their lives.

Amid the grief and uncertainty, Ruma found a small reason to feel hopeful when she learnt that Bal Raksha Bharat (Save the Children) was providing hygiene and dignity kits to flood-affected families.
On the day of the distribution, Ruma walked more than five kilometres to reach the distribution point. Carrying her father’s Aadhaar card and the household card provided by the organisation during the beneficiary identification process, she left home early and arrived at exactly 9 a.m.

“I kept the household card and my father’s Aadhaar card safely and left home early in the morning to collect the kit. The distribution point was nearly five kilometres away, but I walked all the way and made sure to reach on time,” she said.

When she opened the kit, Ruma was pleasantly surprised.

“At first, I thought there would be some food items and other basic things. But there were sanitary napkins and undergarments, which are genuinely useful for me and my sisters. They are also of very good quality,” she said.

“After the flood, managing our periods became very difficult because so many of our clothes and other belongings were damaged. Before flood, we use to purchase sanitary napkins or on some emergency used fresh clothes but after the flood not even a single piece of fresh clothes is left now, we were in dire need sanitary napkins, thankfully received today,” she shared in a happy tone.

“Outer clothes can be worn repeatedly, but changing undergarments regularly is important for us sisters. After the flood, when so many of our belongings were lost or damaged, even these basic things became difficult to access,” Ruma added.

For her, therefore, the kit is not simply another relief package. It was an acknowledgement that adolescent girls have specific needs even during a disaster, when families are struggling to secure food, shelter and other necessities. “My family and I will always be grateful for the support Bal Raksha Bharat has provided exactly the things we needed at this time of crisis.”

“I know I cannot bring my mother back, and it will take a long time to rebuild our damaged house. But this kit has given me something precious in these crucial times, the feeling that dignity and the needs of girls are a matter of importance and we will not be left out,” she concluded.

Gaurav Sharma

Content Reviewer

“I am an editor and technical specialist at Bal Raksha Bharat, responsible for publishing articles and posts. My role involves evaluating content for consistency, and ensuring a positive user experience across the website."