BRAC Afghanistan has started a pilot project on Disaster Management named by eCommunity Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR)' Project from 1 st of January 2007. It's a 2 years pilot project. The donor of this project is Oxfam-Novib. It has been implementing in Dara-I-Suf Payin District under Samangan Province in the northern part of the country Afghanistan .
The disaster management includes disaster risk reduction, sustainable poverty alleviation, socioeconomic development, conflict transformation in a right-based perspective and empowerment of vulnerable communities in general.
Although the communities are central in disaster management, the role of BRAC and other service delivery organisations should not to be neglected. The organisations have to go through a process of joint learning to empower the communities. Insights have to be shared amongst organisations and put into practice to serve the communities better. Therefore, all relevant stakeholders such as the communities, BRAC and other aid agencies working in the project areas need to be included in this initiative to make the disaster management program successful. The community needs to be empowered through disaster education so that they themselves can minimize the disaster risk and ensure their community participation as and when needed.
OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
The overall goal of the project is designed to minimize the effects of possible future disasters on the most vulnerable communities, particularly in rural areas. The immediate objectives of the proposed project are to understand vulnerabilities of communities at risks of disasters and find out the process of mitigating such risks in the Afghan context. The project aspires to achieve the following objectives:
a. By the end of 6 th month, Disaster Management Unit (DMU) is fully functional with minimum 2 personnel in place with sufficient training and exposure at central level. Institutional support systems are also in place to enable the DMU personnel to monitor, update, coordinate and enhance the community in the project area.
b. By the end of 12 th month, BRAC will have created awareness among the target communities on the potential hazards and risk of disaster through formation of village level committees and training.
c. By the end of 18 th month, communities would have been organized into groups to undertake in identifying of their key vulnerabilities and increase their copping mechanisms through active group activities that prepare them for managing emergency situations at their own levels.
d. By the end of 24 th month (end of the project) at least 10 communities (1000 households) are self-empowered, and participate proactively, and coordinate with other stakeholders on disaster risk reduction activities. The village level disaster management plans are in placed as an institutionally.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
• Established community based disaster management structure/organogram;
• Trained 10 Community Development Councils - CDC (male and female) to lead the community level DM activities;
• 100 CDC members are trained on Community Disaster Management;
• Developed skills of 200 volunteers on Disaster Management in project areas;
• Formed and trained issue-based sub-groups (20 groups) on disaster specific issues;
• Trained 100 social leaders (Imam, Teachers, Elites) on disaster management;
• Increased participation of the local communities in disaster management activities.
• Communities are capable to identify their vulnerabilities, copping mechanisms, and hazards within their immediate environment. Also they are actively involved in the risk reduction activities.
• Community based contingency plans are written and endorse by the participating committee members and actively disseminated among the target groups, while early warning systems are in place in at least 50% of the target communities..
• Built community awareness on their own risks and gain capacity to address their vulnerability to disasters.
• Developed partnership within Go-NGO on CBDRR.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
• Set up of DMU with clear roles and responsibilities/ToR with functional resources support systems;
• Recruitment and orientation of the pilot CBDRR project staff, Community Facilitators in target areas;
• Conduct baseline survey in the target areas to determine the needs;
• Placement of community facilitators in target areas and organize regular field visits, community mobilization and awareness creation meetings;
• Organize village level workshops and seminars to identify common approach and working mechanisms/management systems;
• Formation of groups on issue based risk reduction, mitigation, local early warning systems (Afghan context) evacuation and rescue operations plans as a part of disaster preparedness;
• Organize advocacy campaign with electronic and printing media in favour of disaster preparedness;
• Monitoring of the project by the DMU team through field visits;
• Evaluate the project performance in a regular basis (quarterly, half yearly and at the end of the project) prepare the report as well;
• Organize community leaders' training on management and coordination;
• Mobilize communities to address their vulnerabilities through livelihood asset creation, education, healthcare, employment, taking better care of livestock, creating safety net, etc. (open ended activity based on people's innovation and creativity);
• Develop common training curriculums include, Code of Conduct, SPHERE Minimum standards, Rescue and evacuation drills, resource mapping skills, leadership and basic group management skills, Vulnerability assessment (PADR), emergency camp management, establishment of early warning systems etc.
• Local resource will be identified and mobilized to face the emergency need.
• A contingency plan will be developed through active participation of the community
• Develop and strengthening capacity of community structure and institutionalize the system.
• Prepare an emergency checklist to face the emergency situation.
KEY PROGRAMMATIC INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
• Selection of project area: In order to integrate the CBDRR project with the livelihood program, preference will be given to disaster prawn area where National Solidarity Program NSP) of government exists.
• Community awareness campaign: This will take place through the groups formed and they take up appropriate steps and timings to propagate. They will share information through exchange visits and public meetings, Shura meetings, using Mosques, Educational Institution, and other forums. (The rest of the activities are as spelt out above).
• Provide Training of Trainers (TOT): DMU personnel will be trained through TOT on CBDRR within and outside Afghanistan . They will train other field staff on issue-based needs identified by the community.
• Organize exposure visits: Key community leaders and staff working with the project will be provided exposure visits on CBDRR within or outside Afghanistan .
• Enhance formation of community structure for CBDRR
• Formation of DM committee at community level
• Develop capacity of CDC to act as focal point of DM activities.
• Organize sub-groups on different issues of CBDRR
• Establish network among existing community institutions (CDC, Surah, Educational Institutions, Religious institutions, Youth Clubs)
• Prepare an evacuation plan
• Where to go
• What to take
• How to get there
• Help for most vulnerable
• Prepare for the hardware requirements
• Transports (animal driven cart, etc.)
• Evacuation paths across low land
• Arrangement of makeshift accommodation (tents, heating system, etc.)
• Case study analysis
• Analyze the cases on CBDRR of other communities/countries
• Analyze the other organization's experiences on CBDRR
• Share experience on GO-NGO collaboration on CBDRR
• Develop and mainstream strategies to strengthen livelihoods
• Alternative livelihood
• Empowerment and confidence
• Income generation activities
• Ensure essential ingredients for program implementation
• Change of attitude of the people
• Promote self dependency
• Develop a community-based organisation
• Promote community ownership of the plan
• Strengthen existing coping mechanisms
• Conduct stakeholder analysis
• Prioritize vulnerabilities and risks
• Assign specific time-bound tasks
• Monitor the tasks
• Develop a linkage to district and national plans