The Flooding of East Coast: The Aftermath

PROJECT

THE FLOODING OF EAST COAST: THE AFTERMATH

The project

The flooding of the East Coast was a major tragedy for this country. It saw homes, businesses, and lives ruined by it. On a positive note it also witnessed the coming together of the people to help in whatever way they could. Donation drives were immediately put into action and volunteers came forward in droves to assist. Coverage from the media was extensive. Nonetheless, it’s hard for those who have not experienced a natural disaster to understand the vortex of emotions involved; the cameras usually leave soon after the crisis peaks.

We have yet to hear the stories of the people. This project will tell their stories of how they are trying to rebuild their lives and their communities and to recover from these devastating events. The only heroes are the communities and the people.

The story should depict the human angle apart from facts and figures and statistics. It should capture the impact and dimensions of the event by humanizing its effect.

The aim

• To have our students hear their stories
• To help the rest of us to understand their plight and pain
• To document these and tell everyone their story
• To provide information to those wanting to help or continuing with their relief works
• For agencies to look into long term measures and create contingency plans

Execution

• Number of students: approx. 125. Students will be placed in groups of 10
• Students will have to identify villages/small towns. Depending on the size of the village and the proximity, maybe 2 or 3 could be targeted.
• Students will be taken to these villages. Due to the large number of students, it could be over 2 Saturdays and due to budget constraints, it will be full day trip. 5 groups will go on 1 Saturday and another 5 on the following Saturday. (on the 25/4/2015. 3 buses going to Temerloh) 
• Some of the issues the students will be addressing when they go to the villages are –

1. Collecting data – Population (ages, gender etc), main and other sources of income, monthly income per household, school going children and non-school going, losses sustained as a result of the flood etc.
2. Interviews/survey
3. What was their life before the floods, challenges faced after the floods, how are they coping with the situation
4. Assistance and aid given, sufficiency of the assistance and aid and expectations

• Students are encouraged to record, videotape, take photos etc.

• Students will compile the information and

• As a group, present it at the Group Oral Presentation
• As a class, prepare, organize and showcase this at an Exhibition to be held at a venue (tbc).

• Arrangements will be made for media coverage and a book with photos to be published.

https://open.abc.net.au/explore?projectId=25

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/mar/13/international-collaboration-reducing-impact-natural-disasters-sendai-japan