Assam floods wash away woman's livelihood, leave family struggling to repay SHG loan
Assam’s floods washed away Moni Bora’s ducks, fishery and much of her stored paddy in Jorhat. The losses have left her family struggling to repay a self-help group loan and rebuild.
- Jul 31, 2026,
- Updated Jul 31, 2026, 4:44 PM IST
The devastating floods in Assam have left thousands of families grappling with the loss of homes, crops and livelihoods. Among them is Moni Bora, a resident of Alengmora in Jorhat district, whose family's hard-earned savings and source of income were washed away by the floodwaters.
Moni had taken a loan from a self-help group (SHG) to purchase ducks, hoping to earn enough by selling them to repay the loan and support her family. However, all ten ducks were swept away in the floods, leaving her uncertain about how she will repay the debt.
"Our fishery was completely destroyed, all the fish were washed away. We also lost our ducks. I had taken a loan from a self-help group and planned to repay it by selling the ducks. Now I don't know how we will recover. It may take years for our family to return to normal," Moni told ANI.
The family's losses did not end there. Their fishery, in which they had invested their savings, was destroyed, while floodwaters submerged their paddy fields and damaged their home. They had stored nearly 15 quintals of paddy for the year's consumption, but managed to save only a small portion before floodwaters entered their house.
Moni recalled that the flood struck late at night after an embankment breached, giving the family little time to rescue their belongings.
Her husband, Narendr Bora, said the remaining paddy has now started sprouting after being soaked in floodwater, making it unfit for storage or sale.
"This paddy was meant to feed our family for the entire year. If there had been any surplus, we would have sold it to earn some income. Now, even that has been damaged. At least the rice we milled from the saved paddy is helping us survive for now," he said.
Families across Jorhat, Sivasagar and Charaideo districts have reported similar losses, with floodwaters destroying homes, livestock, standing crops and savings.
As the waters recede, affected families are now facing the daunting challenge of rebuilding their lives. For many like Moni Bora, the disaster has not only wiped out their livelihoods but also left them burdened with debts and uncertainty over their future.