Read about Jackie and Laurence's trip

During this fact finding trip, Jackie and Laurence have seen how people are rebuilding their lives after Cyclone Sidr tore up the coast of Bangladesh, killing more than 3,000 people and leaving millions homeless.

The couple visited a range of CARE projects where we are helping villagers to get back on their feet by giving people food stocks and seed to replace lost harvests, and handing out mosquito nets and hygiene kits to people made even more vulnerable to malnutrition and disease following the emergency.

Laurence said: “From what I have seen this week, it is not just about quick fixes in an emergency. CARE is there for the long haul and is helping people to literally get back on their feet, through cash for work projects and replacing fishing boats. It's an extraordinarily huge operation and one that I could not have begun to comprehend before I saw it in action."

Bangladesh is an extremely at-risk country; every year, about one-fifth of the country disappears beneath floods and with increasingly erratic weather patterns, more disasters are expected. CARE focuses on helping people prepare for the effects of disasters such as these and to reduce the impact they have.

Jackie said: “It has been a privilege to meet some of the people affected, and a hugely emotional experience to hear their stories. I am determined to give them a voice so that people in the UK understand how much the people of Bangladesh need our help in rebuilding their lives and preventing the same devastation from future cyclones.”

To give to CARE International’s Rapid Response Fund, which enables the agency to respond to emergencies as soon as they happen click here >>