Bangladesh is a country already on the frontlines of climate change, experiencing growing salinity and water scarcity in coastal areas, more frequent and intense natural disasters, and erratic rainfall patterns.
Given that a quarter of the country’s population lives in the coastal belt - a climate hotspot - reducing risk and building resilience is vital to the future of the thousands of lives.
Our Climate Resilience programme works with communities and local government to introduce participatory methods of assessing vulnerability to climate change and disasters. Building on indigenous knowledge and local coping strategies, we are innovating disaster-resilient technologies that are cost-effective and widely adaptable. We support comprehensive local planning that spans sectors beyond WASH, including health, livelihood, and education, in order to promote cohesive solutions for more resilient and adaptive communities. Through participatory action and contingency planning, shelter catchment approach, and context-specific resilient technologies, we are building knowledge, resources and capacity from the ground up, to help families cope with a changing climate and an uncertain future.