Oxfam’s initiative, with support from HIVOS, ECHO (European Commissions Humanitarian Of?ce) and DRA (Dutch Relief Agency) was unique in India when it started in 1997. It was a deliberate move from a situation of responding to recurring disasters with short-term relief and rehabilitation to a long-term strategy of mitigating the effects of the disaster. This was proposed to be achieved by a two pronged strategy of, (i) creating a culture of disaster preparedness at the community and family level and, (ii) strengthening the livelihood base of the communities to reduce their physical socio economic vulnerability to disasters.