In recent years the District of Kutch has been affected frequently by several natural disasters. When in 1998 the Kandla Cyclone hit the region, which cost the life of 900 people, Kutch and its communities were in need of profound and professional development aid, which emerged as numerous NGOs. Their main concerns were to support and assist the affected communities on rebuilding and mobilizing the Government and charitable donors. In 2001 the work of the organizations became more important, when a devastating earthquake shook the District of Kutch and Gujarat in large part. It left a scene of destruction, about 30.000 dead people and a vast number of casualties: an enormous loss of life and property.
In close collaboration with the communities and civil society more than 200 NGOs worked in various sectors, namely reconstruction, dam repair, health, education, handicrafts, livelihood and legal. Considering their implementations and initiatives until today, Abhiyan and its member organizations extended their work from immediate short-term relief after the earthquake to long term rehabilitation.
