Human Rights Program
Project Title:
OI Capacity building
Funded By:
OXFAM International
Project Duration :
November '08 to April '09
Total Project Fund:
Tk. 1,160,000.00
Project Introduction:
Rupantar with the utilization of its experience and expertise initiated supporting the different NGOs working as partner of Oxfam in the southwestern region of the country, especially in the Padma Basin and coastal zone. We observed, as learning, that during and after the cyclonic attack of Sidr, the rescue, relief and rehabilitation activities of the NGOs and other humanitarian aid organizations were scattered without having much coordination and co-relation that affected poor response for the cyclone affected people with misuse of funds and resources.
Rupantar has undertake the responsibilities of Capacity Development of Oxfam International partners in Padma basin and coastal areas of Bangladesh. The partners are: (a) SDS, Barisal, (b) Rakhain Buddhists Welfare Association (RBWA), Kalapara, Patuakhali (c) SACO, Barguna and (d) Bachte Chai, Pabna
Project Goal:
Effective, timely, and appropriate responses that is responsive to the particular needs of women and other socially excluded groups
Project Objective:
To increase Oxfam and partners emergency preparedness to disasters and to provide timely and appropriate integrated community-based emergency response and initiate recovery
Achievement:
- Contingency stock provided to all supports partner that can be used in disaster period for affected people.
- Rupantar provided 4 training on Needs Assessment for supports partner's workers and volunteers.
- Rupantar providing 4 training on emergency management for supports partner's workers and volunteers.
- Rupantar provided 4 training on standard and accountability in emergency for supports partner's workers and volunteers.
- Rupantar provided 4 training on Early Warning, First Aid and Rescue for supports partner's workers and volunteers.
- Rupantar provided 4 training workshop on Contingency planning for supports partner's workers and volunteers.
- 4 Support partners already develop Contingency Plan for UP level and their own organizational level
- Rupantar established a Regional Resource Centre in Khulna
- Rupantar organized 3 (three) workshop on SOD (Standing Orders on Disaster at Barguna, Barisal and Pabna.
Project Challenge :
- The partners organizations did not have specific personnel to work with this project and they lack skill and capacity with low financial capacity to contribute
- The low numbers of regular staff of the support partners made them depend on volunteers who were also not regular for all actions/programs, so same persons could not be developed for all subjects/issues.
- The training courses appeared to be of short duration as compared to the participants' needs and issues of discussion.
Project Learning:
- The support partners learnt of how to maintain contingency stock
- The support partners know the cause and effect of disaster and process of need assessment for the vulnerable
- The workers and volunteers of the support partners have developed adequate knowledge for emergency management and other related technical aspects.
- Contingency Plans developed by Focal NGO and Partner NGOs for Organizational level and UP level
- The established Regional Resource Centre supporting the persons interested in disaster and related to disaster management with required and timely information
- SOD (Standing Orders on Disaster) is known to the support partners and the respective government institutions and local government institutions at the partner's working area.
Project Recommendation:
- The project, although of short duration, has been successful in achieving the objectives to the extent that the Support partners of Oxfam developed capacity and expertise to take appropriate response to any emergency in any disaster. The partners are enthusiastic in carrying on emergency response and disaster risk reduction.
- The support partners have expressed their attitude of having developed their capacity and knowledge in participating in disaster response activities in supporting the vulnerable people and people at risk, especially the women and distressed.
- We hope that the capacity building of the Oxfam's support partners will enable a coordinated plan of action for emergency response and contingency plan for effective disaster risk reduction.
- Finally, we hope this project will continue for developing capacity of support partners.