The 1974 floods in Bangladesh caused widespread food shortages. USAID, in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, adopted a “food for work” program to stimulate food production, feed hungry people, and provide jobs. Here, a laborer moves soil to build a river embankment to prevent flooding and reclaim land to grow crops. In turn, he and many other workers received food aid and other commodities to assist the many thousands of people affected by the floods.