Oxfam Tsuanmi Update N0 21 3rd March 2005
03 Mar 2005 11:26:00 GMT
Source: NGO latest
Jennifer Birch
|
Oxfam GB - UK
Website: http://www.oxfam.org.uk
Summary:
·Following the immediate assistance phase, which involved the provision of water and sanitation and distribution of non-food in items, the focus of the assistance has been shifting from relief to recovery, as some displaced people start to move back to their home communities.
·To support the option of return, Oxfam is carrying out Cash-for-Work projects.
·Oxfam has rented a ferry in Lamno, Indonesia, to help people get to market as bridges have been destroyed.
·Oxfam is now extending its work along the east coast of Indonesia.
·Oxfam continues to provide environment sanitation in temporary Shelters.
·Oxfam’s hygiene promotion activities are underway in all intervention areas.
·Oxfam’s work continues to focus on women’s issues especially regarding safety in camps.
Indonesia
Providing Shelter, Hygiene Equipment, Water and Sanitation
Oxfam recently conducted assessments in all displacement camps across Aceh Besar. After many aid organisations who were providing services in the camps have moved onto recovery work, leaving sanitation services unassisted. Oxfam has made a list of needs across all camps and will provide assistance where needed.
By the end of this week, Oxfam will have distributed 125 household kits and 125 hygiene kits in 3 camps in Aceh Besar. The hygiene kits include soap, laundry soap, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, shampoo and other items. The household kits contain jerry cans, toothbrushes, cooking pots, stove, plates, spoons, kitchen knives, torch, radio and other items.
Oxfam will start building the first houses planned in Lampaya at the beginning of next week.
Cash-for-Work Projects
There are currently 12 villages participating in Oxfam’s Cash-for-Work schemes across Aceh Besar, directly benefiting 1,400 people. There are 1,500 people benefiting from Cash-for-Work activities in Meulaboh and more activities are being planned.
In Leupung, a community where approximately 700 returnees (all men) are camped in tents while cleaning the area, Oxfam will build a temporary shelter that will allow 165 women to move back and join the men. Oxfam is also setting up water and sanitation facilities and will build two “musholla” (small mosques), which will also be used as community centres. These will serve 3 villages in Leupung.
Oxfam engineers and community officers will visit Pulau Aceh in Aceh Besar, to carry out an assessment of water and sanitation needs and to discuss livelihoods. A Cash-for-Work project will start in the next few days in Alhurieng Village, on Pulau Nasi island, next to Pulau Aceh, and will benefit 50 people per week: each week there will be a different group of 50 people working on the island and going back to the camps.
A meeting took place earlier this week with Oxfam, village leaders and women’s representatives from the 17 communities on the Cash-for-Work Project in Lamno. They discussed communities’ needs and how the community can draw-up a community action plan with the support of Oxfam. This action plan will include livelihood support after the Cash-for-Work project is completed. Other communities are approaching Oxfam asking to join our Cash-for-Work projects and we will probably be increasing the number of beneficiaries within the next weeks. So far, 1,700 people benefit from Oxfam’s Cash-for-Work project in Lamno.
Oxfam Ferry
As the bridges on the river around Lamno have been destroyed, many families are unable to access the markets or to move back to their original communities on the other side of the river. Oxfam rented a ferry that goes back and forth across the river offering transportation services free of charge.
India:
Livelihood and Cash-for-Work programmes
In the District of Cuddalore, River Boat repair activities began in Pudukuppam village; six boats are being repaired at the moment. The programme has targeted 38 Riverboats and 68 fibre boats in total.
An agricultural assessment has been conducted in twelve villages in the Cuddalore District in order to define the impact of the Tsunami on agricultural land. In Nagappattinam District Oxfam is considering a topographical survey for identification of locations suitable for mangroves and other forestry/horticulture.
Oxfam along with partner organisations has organised 8 non-fishing livelihoods groups based on their occupational classification in the Kannyakumari District. These include coir rope makers, shell collectors, shell processors, shell craft workers and tourism service providers. Oxfam is assessing their needs.
Cash-for-Work programmes in the Nagappattinam District has been completed in 10 villages, and an extension in four more villages is being considered. In Kannyakumari District, Oxfam is exploring potential for Cash/Food programmes in 10 villages benefiting 700 men, women and children. The Hamdard Youth Association and Oxfam have identified other Cash-for-Work programmes in Little Andaman Island.
Providing Water and Sanitation
In the severely affected village of Chinnur South in the District of Cuddalore, 8 additional latrines have been constructed. Oxfam will also improve the drainage system in bathing cubicles, as well as construct latrines in all five villages where Temporary Shelters have been made.
In the Nagappattinam District Oxfam started focus groups to determine the need for additional water containers to increase household water storage capacity, also in the village of Nayakarkuppam the construction of latrines are continuing.
Oxfam has made sure that women’s toilets are being installed with tar sheet screens in order to ensure privacy, as well as reinforcing 33 other structures to withstand strong winds in the Kannyakumari District. To date 41 sanitation units have been completed.
Oxfam’s Project Officer undertook an assessment in Kerala. The report highlighted the need for a more detailed evaluation of water and sanitation conditions as well as gender specific needs in the camps.
In the Andaman and Nicobal Islands cleaning of wells is underway in association with a local partner. On February 25th, the construction of toilets was completed in South Andaman. A team of two Oxfam staff will support the ongoing construction of 80 toilets and 80 washrooms in Campbell Bay.
Public Health Promotion
In the District of Cuddalore, Oxfam’s hygiene promotion activities are underway in all intervention areas.
Oxfam’s Public Health Promotion team in the Nagappattinam Districts has completed the first part of a hygiene promotion, which has included the training of hygiene promoters.
A Public Health proposal has been finalised with the help of a potential local partner in 12 villages in Kanayakumari District. Oxfam also carried out water and sanitation activities in this area.
Sri Lanka
Shelter and Hygiene Promotion in Camps
17 transitional shelters have been completed and handed over to communities in Hambantota, Matara.
A request for the construction of a communal shelter (hall) in Killinochchi has been approved by Oxfam and construction is scheduled to start early March.
The local government in Trincomalee has allocated work for each agency to complete with Oxfam responsible for building 150 temporary houses through its partners in Kinniya.
In Eachilampathu, Trincomalee, activities for the construction of 12 semi-permanent latrines has commenced and the construction of two temporary wells using local materials is continuing. Oxfam has mobilised camp communities to carry out garbage collection (using 43 volunteers, 39 women and 4 men). The day was seen to be successful with the camps visibly cleaner of sold waste. In the camp, 2 women’s focus groups (38 participants) discussed hygiene problems around toilet usage.
In Kinniya Oxfam has distributed one waste bin per tent and the Public Health Inspector has a mechanism to clear the waste from the camp. In Batticaloa 10 dustbins have also been delivered to the camps. Oxfam is planning to deliver equipment, latrine kits and camp maintaining kits soon. In Ampara public health promotion activities have been started with communities in camps, with the intention of completing work by the end of March.
Cash-for-Work
In Matara 32 people (17 female / 15 male) are taking part in site clearing under Oxfam’s Cash-for-Work scheme to clear the land for 25 houses.
88 people in Killinochi were involved in Cash-for-Work in cleaning and chlorinating common wells and repairing latrine doors and walls.
Cash-for-Work activities have commenced in Veloor, Trincomalee, clearing debris from housing sites, and is planned to last for 20 days, involving 100 families. Assessments have been carried out in camps in Eachilampattu to start Cash-for-Work schemes through our local partners. Outboard boat engine repairs and other clearing activities are seen to be the greatest need at this stage.
The Cash-for-Work programme has been started in Wattawan Village, Batticaloa, with 172 people involved in compound cleaning for 5 days and a second stage of lagoon cleaning. Groups and committees have been formed in consultation with communities and our partner agency.
Providing Water and Sanitation
In Ampara Oxfam is coordinating with the German Red Cross and Clean Up Australia to assist with water filtration of available water resources to increase the capacity of water supply up to 200,000 litres per day.
Livelihoods and Gender
Oxfam has prioritised assisting the re-establishment of the Fisheries Cooperative Society Ltd, Killinochi, which has played a major role in the livelihoods of the affected community and since the Tsunami, has suffered badly from the lack of proper marketing channels. Discussions are taking place with the Fisheries Unions in relation with data collection about loss and damages of fishing materials and equipment.
8 sewing machines have been collected from Jaya Nagar Widows Society, Trincomalee for repairs.
Oxfam is working, in collaboration with UNICEF, to re-establish the Women’s Network that was in place in Trincomalee prior to the Tsunami.
The Women’s Coalition Group, Batticaloa, has organised a training programme for all camp Officers. Oxfam took the lead roll in 2 divisions. Protection issues to be covered include the construction of toilets and bathing places, and prevention against gender based violence.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
|
|
Reset