ActionAid has received funding from European Commission Humanitarian Aid department to implement the 15 months DIPECHO project towards contributing to strengthening the Disaster Risk Reduction initiatives in Nepal.

The project is co-financed by Australian Government through AusAid and implemented by ActionAid in Nepal in partnership with local NGOs. The project titled Surakshit Samudaya II: Building disaster-resilient communities, Nepal aims to increase disaster resilience of the target communities.

As a continuous process of Review and Reflection, the First Review Meeting for ActionAid and its partners under DIPECHO project was held during 9-10 December 2009 in Wildlife Resort, Bardiya.

The project review meeting is one of the key activities of the DIPECHO project towards reviewing the partners progress, solving problems, drawing key lessons, building team spirit and revisit the planning with enhanced commitments. The first review meeting included ActionAid and its partners.

Prepare daily personal objectives

Plan accordingly

Remember 80:20 rules

Prioritize the works

Review

Write reflection note at least once a week

The Context

Objectives, Expected outcome and Methods Objective of the meeting

The overall objective of the meeting was to enhance team building and team spirit. The specific objectives were: (a) To critically review

progress of the project- comparing achievements with targets

(b) To draw key lessons learned from the project implementation

(c) To find out key problems in project implementation and find solutions to such problems, and

(d) To make corrections in work plan for remainder project period

Expected outcome

Participants will have the concrete learning and sharing experience which would enrich

the progress presentation. Learning from the field application will be shared and documented. The meeting will finalize revised targets for the next review period. Also, it will increase participants capability to find the solution of operational challenges, and will be highly motivated to mobilize community for achievement of project result .

Meeting Methodology

The review meeting applied various methodologies including lecture, anticipatory group discussion, reflecting in total silence, presentation, and interactive planning sessions. It was participatory facilitation and discussion and provided scope for personal as well as project reflections.

Facilitators

The workshop was facilitated by P. V. Krishnan (PM), Shyam Sunder Jnavaly (DPM), Ashok Raj Pokharel (PO), Shaurabh Sharma (FAO), Yash Prasad Subba (PO), Dillu Raj Ghimire (PO) & Preety Sharma (DO).

Surakshit Samudaya II

Building Disaster Resilient Communities, Nepal

January 2010, Kathmandu

PROJECT AT A GLANCE

Project Area: Banke

Sunsari Udayapur

Partner NGOs:

BEE Group UPCA Nepal

NP Nepal Co-Action Nepal

Beneficiaries: 13,854 people

Budget:

Euro 377,095

Start Date: 01 July 2009

Duration: 15 months

For more details, contact:

ActionAid Nepal Ph: 01-4436477 Fax: 01-4419718

-: TIPS :- Daily Plan of Action for Team members

Key outputs of the FRM

Project progress reviewed and a brief project update based on first five months performance was produced

Project work plan was ad-justed and modified to re-flect plans for remainder of project and specific plans 3 months

Field reflections were col-lected from field workers and will be documented

Improved team skills

First Review Meeting Report 9-10 December 2009

ActionAid Nepal DIPECHO Project Publication

The First Review Meet (FRM) of AAN DIPECHO V Project was intended to take stock of project performance for first

five months, i.e., July to Nov 2009

Surakshit Samudaya II: Building Disaster Resilient Communities, Nepal

Impact of project among people

The review meeting also tried to assess the changes the project has been making to people’s lives. The first five months of the project emphasized on community mobilization and capacity building at community level. In this session, all the field team members were asked to write one story of change they have witnessed, with detailed evidence on the impact the project has made on the lives of people. A total of 22 stories were generated.

Project Management

The key session on the second day was to review overall management of the project, including strengths and weaknesses that needs to be looked into. All the participants were engaged in

The meeting objectives, agendas and structure were prepared in the advance for efficient implementation of the meeting. Hence, the meeting followed a structured agenda. The sessions were divided logically so as to draw achievement in both qualitative and quantitative terms.

Project Performance Review The first day drew AAN and its partners to present and discuss achievement of activities against the projected plans developed during project orientation workshop. Individual presentations were made including financial plans and utilization. Each presentation was followed by discussions, seeking clarifications on the achievements, methods and outcome.

critical assessment of the management processes at various levels.

Improving self The outcome of a project depends on the ability of the team members, both as an individual and as a team member. Facilitated session to improve team members capacity and skills were discussed. Tips were given on setting personal objectives and milestones and how to achieve those effectively.

Forward Planning Based on discussions and deliberations, the team also prepared the work plan for remainder of the project period. Specific plans for next three months were made, aiming to complete all key activities of the project before onset of monsoon.

Individual reflection

REFLECT circles form the core foundation for the

community led initiatives on DRR.

REFLECT helps us to do mass sensitization,

engage in people led advocacy and create

enabling environment to realize rights

Meeting procedure and outcome

From UPCA Nepal: Mr. Yash Prasad Subba, Mr. Shivahari Khatiwada, Ms. Manmaya Niraula, Mr. Dev Narayan Sharma, Ms. Khadaga Kumari Magar, Ms. Parbati Limbu, Mr. Khyam Bahadur Dahal, Mr. Alam Miya, Ms. Kamali Chaudhary, Ms. Rita Kumari Chaudhary, Mr. Bidhyananda Mehata, Ms. Anita Gupta, Ms. Mina Urawa. From BEE Group: Mr. Dillu Ram Ghimire, Mr. Ram Niwas Yadv, Mr. Makbool Mukeri, Ms. Preety Sharma, Ms. Hasina Bano Mukeri, Ms. Raj Kumari Harijan, Ms. Shanti Devi Mourya, Mr. MB Rana. From Co-Action: Mr. Dolraj Neupane, Mr. Bishnu Hari Wagle. From Nav Prabhat Nepal: Mr. Durga Nanda Chaudhary, Ms. Nirmala Budhathoki, Mr. Santosh Singh, Ms. Krishna Raut, Ms. Sarita Chaudhary. From AAN: Mr. P.V. Krishnan, Mr. Shyam Jnavaly, Mr. AshokRaj Pokharel, Mr. Shaurabh Sharma, Mr. Surendra Bam

Participants

Surakshit Samudaya II: Building Disaster Resilient Communities, Nepal

The project has formed altogether 19 Disaster Management Committees along with 9 DMCs formed under DIPECHO IV project. There are 197 members in these DMCs. Likewise, there are 32 Reflect center among which 15 were old. The average number of participants in the Reflect sessions are around 700 in these centers. The ratio of female to male is higher in both cases i.e. DMC and Reflect centers which is due to project approach of bringing the people ahead who are deprived in decision making process. Each REFLECT centers has its local identity. They meet at least once in a week. While women are regular participants, project motivates and encourages men also to participate in the REFLECT circles. The circles talk about local issues, identifies vulnerabilities and discusses ways and means to reduce risks. PVA maps and information form the basis for community understanding of disasters. REFLECT facilitators are provided information regularly, to update themselves on the disaster education. The facilitators are treated as local resources, who are responsible not only to conduct REFLECT sessions, but also act as catalysts for social change.

Project Highlights

Disaster Preparedness Campaign is ongoing In 2008, A Reflect center was formed in Ithari municipality ward no. 7 under DIPECHO IV project. The area was prone to flood inundation, windstorm and other local hazards. Mitigation measure like drainage was made during the project in collaboration with municipality office. More importantly awareness raising activities were organized through Reflect sessions. Reflect participants became aware that unless & until there houses are built flood & other local hazard proof; it was difficult to build safer communities. They influenced peoples in the community to build new or renovate old house with raised plinth level. Now there are more than 10 houses with such structures. Reflect centers are continuously campaigning on it. It may be one of the best example on impact of DIPECHO Project.

Shared by: Kamali Chaudhary, Reflect Facilitator December 10, 2009

Training course Events Total Male Female

REFLECT ToT 1 22 9 13

PVA Training 1 24 10 14

CBDRR: DMC 4 137 74 63

CBDRR: Students 1 40 17 23

HFA to GO/NGO 2 105 87 18

Total 9 428 197 131

Functioning of DMC and REFLECT Centers

Organizing Capacity Building Trainings

Capacity building of the local communities for building disaster resilient communities is major component of the project. So far as the project has been able to train 428 DMC people, local staffs, volunteers, government authorities and NGO leaders. The staffs were provided with the knowledge and skills on conducting reflect sessions, and Participatory Vulnerability Analysis. DMC members were equipped with knowledge on community based disaster risk reduction. Likewise, NGO leaders, Government authorities and political parties representatives were sensitized on HFA/DRR issues, so that they will be able to mainstream the DRR components in development activities.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

Male Female Total

Reflect Circles 217 479 696

DMCs 88 109 197

PVA field application

The project completed the first level of Participatory Vulnerability Analysis in all the project locations. Tools like social map, resource map, vulnerability map, venn diagram, time line, transect walk and focus group discussions were conducted with the community, generating highly useful local information to inform local decision making. AAN DIPECHO project is integrating PVA with REFLECT process to create a powerful local tool to inform, animate and engage community to seek their rights as disaster vulnerable people. The project is using PVA as the key analytical and information tool for people.

KAP completed

As a means to understand the current knowledge, attitudes and practices in the project area, the project conducted the baseline KAP study through a selective sampling process comprising over 12% of the target direct beneficiaries. The data collected was analyzed with support of experts in similar studies. The baseline KAP finding will also form the basis of evaluation of the outcome and impact of the project at a later stage. The entire exercise was completed over 6 weeks time and has been a huge learning experience for the team members both in AAN and its partners.