1. December 2009, Kathmandu
Surakshit Samudaya II
Building Disaster Resilient Communities, Nepal
AAN-DIPECHO PROJECT
PERIODIC UPDATE JULY-DECEMBER, 2009
ActionAid Nepal DIPECHO Project Publication
This update is about the progress made under AAN-DIPECHO V project in its first six
PROJECT AT A GLANCE
months of operation from July through November 2009. The project implementation
Project Area: started in July 2009 and will continue for 15 months.
Banke
Sunsari Specific Objective
Udayapur
To strengthen capacities of community and local institutions for reducing impact of disas-
Partner NGOs:
BEE Group ters and ensuring rights of disaster vulnerable people
UPCA Nepal
NP Nepal Intended Results
Co-Action Nepal
Result 1. Capacity of communities is enhanced to reduce impact of disasters through
Beneficiaries: collective actions
13,854 people
Result 2. Enabling environment created through appropriate DRR policies and plans
Budget: Result 3. Target stakeholders demonstrate increased awareness on disaster
Euro 377,095 preparedness methods at family and community level
Result 4. Small scale mitigation measures with government and local support contribute
Start Date: to vulnerability reduction
01 July 2009
Duration: Project Approach to achieve results
15 months
For more details, contact:
ActionAid Nepal What to achieve to address issues
Ph: 01-4436477  Informed community with enhanced coping means and methods and resilience,
Fax: 01-4419718 networking with other stakeholders for collective action
 Informed government officers and other stakeholders on DRR
 Informed parliamentarians ready to provide a policy framework on DRR
 Replicable mitigation models on risk reduction
Targeting local people towards
Targeting parliamentarians to
enhancing local coping How we are
complement national initiatives
mechanisms through education, achieving?
towards adopting DRR policy
mobilization and linkages
Targeting district government Demonstrate replicable models
officials & NGO leaders in of mitigation at local levels,
Surakshit Samudaya II, the
ensuring increased awareness & through local and community
ActionAid DIPECHO project in involvement in DRR involvement
Nepal is funded by European
Commission Humanitarian Aid
department and co-financed by
Australian Government-AusAid.

2. Surakshit Samudaya II: Building Disaster Resilient Communities, Nepal
Achievement vs. target — an update from the field
The project is moving steadily as per the proposed plans with most of the actions being implemented on time and as
per original targets. Given below is the schedule of activities and achievements.
Activity Achievement & Coverage Outcome
Result 1: Capacity of communities is enhanced to reduce impact of disasters through collective actions
Project team members, PNGOs are
3-days project orientation workshop was
informed about project approach, activities,
Project orientation organized in July 26-28, 2009. Thirty-two (32)
budget and implementation modality.
participants took part in the orientation.
Detailed work plan finalized.
Reflect facilitators are regularly conducting
8-days Reflect TOT was organized in August 8-
the reflect sessions. They have become
Reflect Training of Trainers 15, 2009. Twenty-two (22) field staffs took part
social change agents and resource persons
in ToT.
for the community action and mobilization
3-days refresher course of REFLECT
REFLECT facilitators capacity to organize,
emphasizing on facilitation methods, PVA data
Reflect Refresher Training mobilize and aware communities have been
use and CCA integration completed for 15
enhanced. Improved community work
Reflect facilitators .
PVA field application was carried out
Participatory Vulnerability 5-days PVA training organized in August 17-21,
successfully in Sunsari and Banke. PVA
Analysis (PVA) Training 2009. 24 field staffs were trained.
resource persons developed locally
5-days PVA training was organized to Practical
PVA training to Practical Action Action PNGO team in August 25-29, 2009. 24 As per MOU with PA, PVA training was
Team and provide technical persons were trained. Technical support was provided and a expert was provided to
support, as per MOU with PA given during PVA field application during guide PVA exercises in the PA field area.
September 2009 by appointing PVA expert
17 new REFLECT Centers were formed in
Formation and functioning of Reflect centers are active and have been
Sunsari and Banke. 15 old REFLECT centers are
REFLECT circle discussing in DRR and social issues
strengthened.
10 new DMCs formed in Sunsari and Banke. DMCs are regularly conducting sessions
Formation and functioning of with 102 members (49 women). 9 old DMCs DMCs have been involved in awareness
DMC are strengthened having 95 members (60 activities and identified the place for
women) mitigation activities
4 CBDRR training for DMCs were organized in Trained and informed community members
CBDRR training to DMC
Sunsari and Banke. 137 DMC members were in CBDRR activities taking leadership to
members
trained in the training. community based DRR activities
A CBDRR training to school volunteers Trained and informed school students and
CBDRR training to School
organized in Sunsari. 40 students & teachers teachers for disaster safety. Disaster
volunteer
were trained. preparedness culture introduced in schools
Result 2: Enabling environment created through appropriate DRR policies and plans
A National level joint launching organized on
Project received attention in national level
August 19, 2009. Two district level launching
Project Launching - National & and respective districts level, sought
workshops were organized in Sunsari and
District Level stakeholder support and opened the project
Banke in July/August. Over 200 persons
framework to district stakeholders
attended the district launching events.
Advocacy initiatives begun with for building
A joint ISDR day was organized in October 12-
enabling DRR policy environment. The event
ISDR Day Celebration 14, 2009. 3 PNGOs celebrated ISDR day in
achieved the objective of triggering
respective districts.
nationwide movement to seek DRR policy
Regular meetings, Periodic bulletin, joint
Over 15 DIPECHO partners coordination
event celebration, partnership MOUs etc.
National level coordination meeting event organized/held.
developed. AAN hosted the Aug
coordination meeting.

3. Surakshit Samudaya II: Building Disaster Resilient Communities, Nepal
Achievement vs. target — an update from the field… continued
Activity Achievement & Coverage Outcome
Policy Advocacy Work Consultative workshops on DRR Policy review Platform for coordinated and collective
and DRR Tool Kit for CA members organized. advocacy effort established, with multi-
Implementation strategy for advocacy stakeholder forums and approaches.
prepared. Participated on NAPA process Sought commitment from government and
through CID SLD process political parties committed
Two events of HFA orientations were carried Government officials, political
HFA Orientation out in Sunsari, for government and non- representatives and NGO leaders are more
government officers. In GO workshop, 48 (5 familiarized with the HFA and DRR issues;
women) government employees participated and express commitment towards DRR
and in NGO workshop, 57 NGO leaders (13 initiatives
women) participated.
DRR/DIPECHO Asia Mangers A 3 days managers meet was organized by Good practices were shared, Regional
meet AAN represented by 10 country SA, SEA, Africa approach for DRR developed, AAI DRR
and Europe strategy refined
First Review Meeting of the The first review meeting of the DIPECHO Activities reviews, forward planning fine
Project Team project was held during 9-10 Dec 2009. All the tuned, approaches streamlined and
36 team members participated. reiterated commitment to excellence
Result 3: Target stakeholders demonstrate increased awareness on disaster preparedness methods at family and community
level
PVA field application PVA field application completed in all 17 Vulnerability and capacity of the
places in Banke and Sunsari communities identified, & assessed. The
plan of action is prepared.
Technical support to PA in PVA The technical support for PVA field application Vulnerability and capacity of the
application was done resulting preparation of PVA report communities identified, & assessed. The
of 27 toles of Banke and Bardiya district. plan of action is prepared.
KAP data collection and analysis Baseline KAP survey completed with 1200 The community's baseline knowledge,
interviewees as per structured questionnaire. attitude and practice is captured
Data collated and analyzed.
Radio program Local radio program is broadcasted in Banke Wider mass are aware on the disaster risk
4 episodes are aired reduction issues.
Result 4 Small scale mitigation measures with government and local support contribute to vulnerability reduction
Identification of mitigation The places for mitigation works-tubewells and TA People are ready to implement the
works bio-dyke area were identified through PVA mitigation activities in the field
and community discussion
Agreement for additional AAN managed to secure additional support TA people are ready to implement
mitigation support from UNDP from UNDP for small scale mitigation work in mitigation activities in the field. Additional
DIPECHO project locations, ensuring no work will improve flood mitigation work at
duplication of work or resources local level
REFLECT circles protects embankments by stopping illegal mud logging in Babiya, Sunsari
STORIES OF CHANGE
Babiya Ward No. 8 gets flooded every year. The Sunsari river erodes embankments putting lives of people in peril. The river
has a unique soil formation where the mud is used for land filling and other commercial purposes. All other rivers has sand
bed whereas Sunsari river has clay bed. Every year, the river bank was indiscriminately cut and logged to take away mud,
weakening the embankment and thus posing higher risks to the population around. The REFLECT circle in the area, formed
under DIPECHO V project discussed the issue, which was earlier identified using the problem tree tool in Participatory
Vulnerability Analysis. REFLECT circles and Musibat Bahas Kendra (DMC) of Babiya Ward No. 8 were wary of this
commercial action that caused damage year after year. They took up the issue, organized mass meeting in the village, made
representation to local authorities and police with an aim of stopping illegal extraction of mud from the river bank. Thanks
to their efforts, the illegal mud logging has been stopped. People are more confident now and the REFLECT circle has again
proved why it is one of the most powerful tools of social empowerment and action.

4. Surakshit Samudaya II: Building Disaster Resilient Communities, Nepal
SNAPSHOTS
Vulnerability of the project area-Inundation
Vulnerability of the project area-Inundation
in Sunsari (Aug, 2009)
in Sunsari (Aug, 2009)
Participants of Reflect Refresher Training in
Participants of Reflect Refresher Training in
Bardiya (Dec, 2009)
Bardiya (Dec, 2009)
Reflect participants under weekly session in
Banke (Oct, 2009)
Shared learning-Participants of Asia
DIPECHO/DRR Managers meet (Nov, 2009)