ON

EMERGENCY HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE TO CYCLONE CIDR 2007- FOR REHABILITATION

In

Working Areas of Alayerpur, Mirwarishpur and Chayainy Unions of Begumgonj Upazilla of Noakhali, District of Bangladesh.

Submitted by

Sebika Songstha(SS)
House # 246/1/B, West Agargoan Mohammadpur
Dhaka-1207 Bangladesh. Phone-88-02-8153944
Mobile-01817595410E-Mail: sebika_songstha@yahoo.com

I. Background and Justification for Response:

In recent days, several districts of Bangladesh have experienced unprecedented and unexpected Cyclone CIDR. Following heaving rainfall, tidal bore, and blow of air in the Bay of Bengal, the cyclone CIDR hits Bangladesh severely in the coastal belts like Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Perojpur, Jhalakathi, Pirojpur, Batuakhali, Bhola, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Noakhali, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar etc. Districts in on 14-15th. November’ 2007 and severely affected the whole areas covering nearly 150,00,000 people, where many people have been passing miserable and painful days through taking shelters in different sheltered places. The Cyclone CIDR has destroyed human lives, livestock, standing crops, forestry resources, dwelling houses, educational institutions, roads, etc. due high blow of cyclone CIDR i.e. 210-240 km speed. The damaged and losses are primarily recorded from the field staffs from our working areas, are as follows but still actual figures are not collected. The main victim areas were the coastal belt of Bangladesh, which are adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. Our working area Alayerpur,Mirwarishpur and Chayainy Unions of Begumgonj Upazilla of Noakhali, District severely affected and most victims in Bangladesh and the death of human lives is maximum in Begumgonj, which is more that 100 and missing was more than 250 people. 95% houses, livestock, fisheries, forestry, sanding crops etc. were damaged totally and the people are suffering much in our working areas.

Actually the number of deaths, missing, damages, and losses will be more and more. Thousands of the poor coastal people are living under the open sky still and in the shelter places. The daily newspapers, Radios and TV channels circulating the news on severe ness and dangerousness affects of the cyclone CIDR and losses and damages in above-mentioned Upazillas of Districts along with other areas and also the total present situations continuously after every one-hour. Already the Deputy Commissioners and Upazilla Nirhabi Officers have sent the emergency news to the Bangladesh Government for immediate support for the severely affected poor and vulnerable people, because, the people are so much affected that which is not describable. Already the government departments, INGOs, UN organisations, NGOs, local CBOs and elite societies have come forward to help the victims in the coastal areas but those supports are not sufficient at all to face the severe ness. It is notable here that due to early warning and sheltering of the vulnerable people in the safe places by thousands of volunteers, government personnel, NGOs, etc. the human lives destruction was not so high according to the severity of the cyclone CIDR. Already all government departments, machinery, NGOs, INGOs, UN organisations fully involved in emergency works to save the severely affected poor people. The President, Chief Advisor, and the Advisors have called up emergency supports from the International Societies to save the lives of the severely affected poor people, because, the cold waves of the winter has started, so, people cannot stay in open sky with their minor children, which will cause more dies. At present, the victims needs emergency housing and rehabilitation supports for their survival.

It is hoped that every people, national donors, international donors, donor countries, UN bodies, donor institutions etc. have been observing the situations through the above-medias. Approximately 70% families of those Districts, especially in our working areas have been affected. Damages and losses are unlimited, because, human lives, all standing crops, livestock, fish resources, forestry resources etc. have been seriously damaged and most of the kacha houses have broken down due to cyclone CIDR. Moreover, the winter is Knocking at the door, so, the cold wave will disturbed the lives of the shelter-less victim people. In the mean time, Bangladesh government, individuals, institutions, political parties, clubs, NGOs, welfare institutions and other agencies have been providing different emergency relief materials and services to save the people. But these services are not sufficient to meet the needs, which need extra and collaborative supports, because, the affected people are not getting basic needs supports for saving their disaster lives. Under these circumstances, children, woman & old people are suffering too much.

Sebika Songstha (SS) Disaster Management Team closely followed the events in the region and carried out a series of rapid and timely needs assessments. Based on initial findings and in collaboration with development partner and with financial assistance from Sebika Songstha (SS), it has prepared and distributed immediate humanitarian supports and supplies to the affected families of above-mentioned Upazillas. These supplies included dry food, ORS, rice, lentils, edible oil, potatoes, iodized salt, protein biscuits, winter clothes, shelters, educational institution repairing and reconstruction etc. in the most severely affected areas as mentioned above.

• Distribution of Blankets and Clothes:

The majority of household members lost their winter clothes due to cyclone and tidal bore. Winter is approaching heading and it is necessary to provide winter clothes to the appropriate needy households in order to reduce illness and during the winter season especially among children and the elderly.

• Housing Reconstruction and Repair:

Communities consistently identify the immediate reconstruction and repair of houses as a high priority. Sebika Songstha(SS) could provide materials and construction supplies for rebuilding houses and latrines. Reconstruction and repair work would be done in a way that reduces future vulnerability to cyclones. An assessment team could carefully target and identify appropriate households unable to reconstruct their houses. Encouraging tree planting can also be an initiative in conjunction with house reconstruction.

The Mission’s assessment findings give a detailed picture of the situation in the cyclone -affected areas. They confirm that there is still scope for providing relief support to the vulnerable households in order to meet their immediate needs. The results also give indications of possible rehabilitation strategies and approaches. However, before undertaking rehabilitation activities, Sebika Songstha(SS) must co-ordinate with other NGOs, GOs and donors in order to maximise use of available resources and to avoid duplication of efforts.

II. Justification for involving Sebika Songstha(SS) Bangladesh.

Sebika Songstha(SS) is a private national, non-sectarian, not for-profit relief and development organisation.Sebika Songstha(SS)’s name is synonymous with efficient and professional emergency aid and effective long term development. Since 1987, Sebika Songstha(SS) has worked with people in Alayerpur,Mirwarishpur and Chayainy Unions of Begumgonj Upazilla of Noakhali, District of the country covering 1000 beneficiaries with the support of LIFE for Relief & Development, ,USA. Department of Youth Development, Department of Social Services, NGO Forum etc. and local contribution etc. to help them improve the quality of their lives. Currently Sebika Songstha(SS) operates development assistance and disaster relief programs in disaster prone areas has developed different teams within Sebika Songstha(SS) through providing many training courses and also developed many village level teams in disaster prone areas. Sebika Songstha(SS)’s programs directly address basic needs of the poorest people in the areas of primary health . Sebika Songstha(SS), agriculture and natural resources, infrastructure, education, disaster management & small enterprise development.

Today, millions of ordinary people from around the country support Sebika Songstha(SS). The local administration and government departments of each of the Upazilla, where Sebika Songstha(SS) has now established offices have joined them.

The donors who now support Sebika Songstha(SS)’s vital relief and rehabilitation efforts, however, understand well that effective aid must lead to long-term sustainable development. By making lasting improvements in their health & economic well being, people in developing countries and those who support them can help break the cycle of poverty and crisis.

Sebika Songstha(SS) currently promotes development activities through 6 projects operating in the central office throughout Begumgonj Upazilla. A motivated skilled staff of around 17 workers for Sebika Songstha(SS) with expertise in health, water and sanitation, agriculture, infrastructure development, logistics, commodity handling, capacity building, as well as emergency response .Sebika Songstha(SS) is also nationally recognised as a reliable, accountable and effective emergency responsible organisation. Sebika Songstha(SS) Bangladesh’s project support Unit keeps the extensive network running smoothly and efficiently using reliable systems developed over many years of practical experience.

The Sebika Songstha(SS) Institutional learning team, consisting of several core members specialised in different technical areas, is engaged in leading the Upazilla office’s efforts to design and implement a framework for development of all future Sebika Songstha(SS) projects as well as to promote organisation learning and establish mechanisms for innovative programming.

Under its basic constitution and policy, Sebika Songstha(SS) has been played/playing a unique role in the development field in Bangladesh .Sebika Songstha(SS) simultaneously works to build the technical and financial capabilities of staffs and beneficiaries and acts as a catalyst.

At present Sebika Songstha(SS) has 5 running projects in working Upazillas and Sebika Songstha(SS) also maintains close working relationship with the local administrations, local government departments, institutions, elite, local leaders etc.

The annual programming budget of Sebika Songstha(SS) is over Tk.115,00,000/- and the organisation receives funding support through several donors like LIFE for Relief & Development, ,USA., , Department of Youth Development, Department of Social Services, NGO Forum etc.

III. Goal:

The goal of this project is to reduce the long-term negative humanitarian impact of the cyclone CIDR and to assist households in rebuilding their livelihoods.

IV. Location:

Sebika Songstha(SS) will undertake these humanitarian and rehabilitation activities in 7 Upazillas of different Districts of Bangladesh:

V. Target beneficiaries:

The intervention will directly assist 1,000 vulnerable cyclone CIDR affected families to meet immediate basic needs, rehabilitation and winter clothes during the upcoming winter. Sebika Songstha(SS) assessment teams will select project beneficiaries in two stages. First the team, together with local officials, will identify female headed households with no land available for farming and with homesteads of less than half an acre and no alternative source of income. Once the team has identified this group, it will select families from within the group based on the following prioritised criteria: a) Families with deaths during cyclone, b) Families with children under 10 years, c) Displaced poor families, d) Disable people etc.

VI. Implementation Strategies:
Sebika Songstha(SS) will continue to work with the local Disaster Coordination Committee to implement the project. Sebika Songstha(SS) will also work with Union Parishad and Upazilla Parishad to conduct a house to house survey that will provide the basis for identifying beneficiaries .Sebika Songstha(SS) will issue a signature card to all selected beneficiaries stating the name, date, and time of the distribution point. Sebika Songstha(SS) will obtain a distribution certificate from the GOB staff, local elite, UP/UZ representatives who are present at the distribution point. A master role will also be prepared.

VII. Coordination & Partnerships:

In order to maximise effective use of resources and to avoid overlap with other agencies, Sebika Songstha(SS) will co-ordinate wall activities both at the national and local levels with the GOB Disaster Management Committee (DMC) and the NGO Forum, and at the District level with the District Commissioners, and with Upazilla Nirbahi Officers (UNO).Sebika Songstha(SS) will select pre-qualified NGOs to implement all project activities.

Sebika Songstha(SS) will ensure all necessary administrative and logical support from its Dhaka Office as well as from the Upazilla Offices in selected Upazillas.

VIII. Proposed Project Activities with time line:

Six (6) months from April 15, 2008 October 15, 2008

Activity. Week after having formal approval.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Remarks
Proposal submission & approval X
Mobilising staff and orientation. X
Beneficiary selection. X
Processing of procurement. X
Distribution. X
Prepare list for rehabilitation. X
Arrange rehabilitation activities. X X
Distribute rehabilitation materials and money. X X X

VIII. Short Term impacts:

• 1,000 families and their children will have food stuffs that will allow them to better cope in the upcoming starvation.
• 1,000 families will have ORS to cope with water borne diseases and to rehabilitate safely.
• 50families will have repaired houses to cope with housing problems.
• 100 women have income generating activities to earn incomes and improve family economic conditions and to make up losses and damages
• 200 families will have to cope with water borne diseases and sanitation lacking

IX. Long term impacts:

• Post cyclone morbidity & mortality will be reduced in 1,000 families affected by CIDR.
• 200 families will decrease the sale and/or loss of productive assets.
• Improve long term sanitation facilities and reduced water borne diseases.
• Created employment and income earning opportunities and improve economic conditions of the affected people and can recover loses and damages.
• Rehabilitate on agricultural sectors and improve production.
• Solved housing problems permanently among the affected people.

X. Monitoring and Evaluation:

Sebika Songstha(SS will closely monitor the quality of the work. Monitoring system will ensure appropriate beneficiary selection and material supply. Warehouse and commodity use monitoring will be conducted frequently and systematically. These checks will include commodity counts, commodity weighing and end use random recipient interviews.Sebika Songstha(SS) will randomly monitor the quality and quantify of the items during procurement, assembling, store in warehouse, distribution point and end use (beneficiaries houses).

An evaluation of overall project performance will be conducted at the end of the project and report will be subsequently submitted to the Donor Agency.

XI. Relief Package:

Each of the selected families will be provided with a package of the following items.

Sl. No. Items. Units. Families.

1. Rice 10 kg. 1,000

2. Dul. 1 kg. 1,000

3. Soybean. 1. kg. 1,000

4. ORS. 10 packet. 1,000

5. WFT. 20 piece. 1,000

6. Potato. 1 1,000

7 House repairing. 1. 300

8. Latrine support. 1 2,000

10. Seed capital support for IGAs for women 1 2,000

XII. Budget:

Sebika Songstha(SS) Bangladesh proposes a budget of approximately $22,657 for the emergency rehabilitation assistance activity. An illustrative budget is attached.

Sebika Songstha(SS).
Budget for Emergency Humanitarian Response to Cyclone CIDR’ 2007
Alayerpur,Mirwarishpur and Chayainy Unions of Begumgonj Upazilla of Noakhali, District of Bangladesh
Illustrative Budget

Items Unit Cost (Taka) Total Cost.
A. Emergency Relief Activities:
1. Rice-10 kg. Tk.40/- kg x 10x 1,000 400,000
2. Dul-1 kg. Tk.70/- kg x 1000 70,000
3. Soybean-1 kg. Tk.100/- kg x 1000 100,000
4. Salt-1 kg Tk.20/- per kg x 1000 20,000
5. Potato-2 kg Tk.45/- per family x 1000 45,000
6. ORS-10 Tk.6/- piece x 1000 x 10 60,000
7. WFT-20 Tk.15/- per family x 1000 15,000

Sub-Total: 710,000
B. Emergency Rehabilitation Activities:

1. House repairing for 50 families Tk.10,000/- per family x 50 5,00,000
2. Economic rehabilitation activities for 100 Tk.3000/- per family x 100 900,000
3 Latrine (ring and slab) for 200 families Tk.700/- per family x 200 140,000
Sub-total: 7300,000
Total: 1440,000
1. Overhead cost 7% for transports, maintenance, conveyance, volunteers’ refreshment etc. 100700
Grand Total: 1540800
US Dollar. (BDT.68/-=$1) $ 22,657

Total required project cost Dollar =Twenty two thousand, Six hundred Fifty Seven only.

Abu Masud
Executive Director
Sebika Songstha(SS) Bank Details = Sabika Songstha.
Agargoan Branch,
A/ C , No # 497 Sonali Bank
Dhaka Bangladesh

To
The Chief Executive,
. Submission of Emergency Relief for SIDR Project Proposal

Dear Sir,

Greetings from Sebika Songstha(SS).

You are well aware about the recent CIDR situation of Bangladesh, which has covered whole over the country and affected most of the parts of the country is coastal belts and affected nearly 150,00,000 people and damages and loses are unlimited, which is approximately 10,000 thousand crore of Bangladesh Taka. Like other areas our working areas Alayerpur, and Mirwarishpur Union of Begumgonj Upazilla of Noakhali District has severely affected, where Sebika Songstha(SS) has been working on disaster risk reduction program. Already many people of AlayerpuUnion have died, and alive people have taken shelter in high places like embankments, road sides, schools, religious institutions etc. to save their lives, who have been suffering much from food, shelter, medicines, clothes, sanitation facilities, etc.Sebika Songstha(SS)’s trained people have been working to save these sheltered people in different places and they have been providing primary health education, sanitation education and facilities, ORS, dry foodstuffs, etc. to the very poor sheltered families. The UNO and other government Officials, UzDMC and UDMC members are requesting us to under take relief and rehabilitation program intensively to save and rehabilitate the severely affected and sheltered poor families in Begumgonj Upazilla. You are aware that we have developed many staffs, volunteers and beneficiaries in working Unions, who have been working still and who help us to implement the Relief and Rehabilitation Program. Your are aware that recent CIDR has damaged 95% and destroyed many houses, standing crops, livestock, etc. 95% and have made the beneficiaries have less, who are passing days in miseries and painful conditions in the shelter places in Begumgonj Upazilla District, because, they have taken shelters in different high places to save their lives leaving their houses .Sebika Songstha(SS) has already provided them primary relief support for saving their lives. After return from the shelter places, they will not have food, shelter and will have suffered different diseases. So, now they need relief materials, medicines, and rehabilitation supports. So, we are requesting you to provide relief and rehabilitation support to the affected families of our working areas. So, they could be able to rebuild their lost and damages. Please extend your kind helping hands and cooperation and help us to rehabilitate the beneficiaries.

Anticipating your cordial cooperation and looking forward to hearing from you soon.

With best wishes and kind regards,

Sincerely yours,

Md. Abu Masud
Executive Director.

Encl: Relief and Rehabilitation Project Proposal.