Eugene ministry works to cut India flood threat - Christian News Northwest

EUGENE - Eugene-based India Partners and Engineering Ministries International (eMi2) are developing a flood prevention system for a river island in Andhra Pradesh, India to protect against reoccurring floods and land erosion that threaten the community’s livelihood.

The two organizations on June 28 sent a joint team to the project site that will be there until July 11 to survey the land and develop anti-erosion plans, such as constructing a sea wall or levee system.

India Partners has been serving the island and its residents for the last 12 years by providing livestock for food and income generation, a community center complete with a primary school and job training facility, as well as microloans for soil restoration, fishing boats and nets. However, cyclones, monsoons and massive floods are destroying the island’s livestock, homes, fishing boats and crops. In addition, lives have been lost and the island is eroding away.

Through its partnership with eMi2, India Partners intends to provide future solutions for flooding and erosion that plague the island. The strategy is to use local, readily available materials to design a system that can be easily replicated by villagers on neighboring islands.

“The islanders are cut-off from others, the poorest of the poor, and have no other place to go,” said Brent Hample, President of India Partners. “This flood prevention system is not only crucial to sustain their community’s existence, but also to prevent deaths and raise their quality of life.”

To learn more about India Partners, please visit www.IndiaPartners.org or phone toll-free 1-877-874-6342. To learn more about eMi2, please visit http://emi2southasia.org/project_trips/projectprofile_8194.shtm.