Despite his disability, Sambhu was able to prove that he could live in his community.

In a small village called Lakhmipur in southern Parganas, West Bengal, 210 families live off fishing and the land. The villagers of Lakhmipur were surprised to be awakened one morning by the cries of Shambu Nath Doloi. He is a young, uneducated man who suffers from moderate retardation and language impairment. When asked what the matter was, he said that he and his big brother found a hole in the dike where they had been. His brother had asked him to rush to the village and get help quickly to repair the dyke. 

When the floods came in September, Sambhu's actions saved many lives and resources in his village. Sambhu, who was often considered useless because of his disability, usually spent his time hanging out in the village and doing odd jobs. He has now won the respect and recognition of his community. He explained: "I know what I did and I know how I can help others in times of disaster again. Now I also know what it takes to keep Ma and Baba safe."  The young man joined the Community Working Group, which was established in the village with the help of Handicap International and its local partner for a better system of prevention, relief and assistance following disasters. The association provided technical support to ensure that persons with disabilities were integrated into the group through awareness of the needs and abilities of disabled people. The group shall not merely include people with disabilities during potential disasters, but also include those who could participate in prevention.

Rabindranath Kayal, a veterinarian and neighbor of Sambhu's family, was surprised by the young man: "We never really had a relationship with him. We thought all the time he was a burden to his family and the villagers. Now I think he can contribute to village life and even to disaster management activities."