FOCUS News Update

FOCUS News Update Spring 2008     FOCUS provided relief to families in Qumsangir in the province of Khatlon, southern Tajikistan in early March 2008.     Responding to winter crisis in Tajikistan The onset of severe winter conditions resulted in many communities across Tajikistan losing their electricity supply. FOCUS, with the support of the German Embassy in Tajikistan and in collaboration with the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defence, provided relief to families in Qumsangir in the province of Khatlon, southern Tajikistan in early March 2008. Stocks of heating materials and high nutrition food items were provided to more than one hundred families, many of whom are still in a process of rehabilitation since the devastating earthquakes of winter 2006. Almost a thousand homes were completely destroyed and 1,440 were partially damaged. A large number of these homes have not yet been reconstructed, consequently, many families are living in conditions of extreme cold with limited food. This relief effort was coordinated in conjunction with a wider relief operation being implemented throughout Tajikistan, by other aid agencies to support communities affected by the winter crisis. Meanwhile, a collaborative effort between the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and FOCUS also enabled the provision of relief to over 40 Afghan families living in the suburbs of Dushanbe, Vahdat and Kurgan-teppa, who were affected by the severe winter and ongoing electricity shortages. Community based disaster risk management training in Gilgit   The workshops aimed to strengthen local community skills by covering a range of technical educational sessions. Sixteen Master Trainers attended the first FOCUS community based disaster reduction management Training of Trainers workshop, in Gilgit, northern Pakistan between 19th February and 1st March 2008. The workshops aimed to strengthen local community skills by covering a range of technical educational sessions including basic search and rescue, fire fighting, resource mobilisation and first aid techniques; the last of which were led by the Pakistan Red Crescent. These Master Trainers are now equipped to conduct localised disaster reduction management training in their regions. Local village and community leaders were also among those who participated in the training, enabling them to be integral stakeholders of local disaster resilience programmes.         FOCUS organised the first in a series of consultative meetings for major stakeholders involved in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). First consultative meeting on risk reduction in Gujarat's schools In February 2008, FOCUS organised the first in a series of consultative meetings for major stakeholders involved in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in schools in Gujarat. The meeting marked the establishment of a 'partnership of learning' for school-based DRR projects by enabling the sharing of methodologies and processes. Representatives from Oxfam, SEEDS, Handicap International, the Gujarat State Education Board and the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority were among the participants. FOCUS presented the processes and tools it had developed under its school safety project funded by European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office. At the end of the meeting, Oxfam expressed its interest in replicating the FOCUS model on a pilot basis within its own preparedness programme in Gujarat.   An assessment was conducted to determine the level of food insecurity and affects of the severe winter conditions in communities in the Shikai district of Badakhshan.     Assessing food insecurity in Shikai, Badakhshan, Afghanistan In February 2008, FOCUS conducted an assessment to determine the level of food insecurity and affects of the severe winter conditions in communities in the Shikai district of Badakhshan. Due to the cold weather and frequent onset of avalanches, the FOCUS team were unable to access all the border villages but were able to meet village representatives in nearby locations. A detailed assessment by FOCUS resulted in a collaborative distribution effort of food and medicines by the Badakhshan Governor's Office, the United Nations World Food Programme and other regional aid agencies.   Hosting training at the Centre of Competence for Disaster Reduction in Dushanbe     Training of Trainers' workshop aimed to prepared individuals to conduct basic disaster awareness training in their own organisations. With the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the Centre of Competence for Disaster Reduction, FOCUS organised a Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop in February 2008, Dushanbe. The workshop aimed to prepared individuals to conduct basic disaster awareness training in their own organisations. Participants included representatives of local NGOs, officials from the Tajik Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defence. This initiative seeks to build on the previous accomplishments of the Central Asia Region Earthquake Safety Initiative (CARESI) Projects by improving the ability of individuals to prepare for and respond to natural disasters. The CARESI Projects focus on reducing community vulnerability to earthquakes in the Central Asian region through community-based disaster preparedness and mitigation modules. FOCUS continued specialist training for Tajikistani's state geology department between 24 December 2007 and 9 January 2008.   A collaborative effort by Aga Khan University Hospital, Kenya Red Cross Society and the Kenyan Ministry of Health, resulted in the provision of healthcare through an emergency measles vaccination programme.     Facilitating a relief assessment in Nairobi In December 2007, FOCUS assisted in a humanitarian needs assessment in Kenya. The assessment was conducted as a result of the effects of conflict following controversy during the national elections. During the crisis, over 1,000 people died and 300,000 were displaced. A collaborative effort by Aga Khan University Hospital, Kenya Red Cross Society and the Kenyan Ministry of Health, resulted in the provision of healthcare through an emergency measles vaccination programme. This extended programme was aimed at the significantly high numbers of children in the central camp at the Jamhuri showground on the outskirts of Nairobi, which housed 6,000 internally displaced persons in total. For a period of about three weeks towards the end of January, Aga Khan Education Services (AKES) sent teachers to a displaced persons camp in Limuru to provide educational and recreational activities for children. As part of this effort, AKES also donated food, exercise books as well as textbooks during the intervention. In addition, children and staff at AKES schools raised Kshs 1.27 million ($20,000) for donation to the Kenya Red Cross and UNICEF for their ongoing programmes to assist internally displaced persons.         The province of Chitral was badly affected by a number of natural hazards including heavy snow and avalanches. Providing relief in Chitral The province of Chitral was badly affected by a number of natural hazards including heavy snow and avalanches. Communities suffered through loss of lives and damage to homes and crops. FOCUS, alongside agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network government and the Ismaili National Council provided immediate food and fuel and other humanitarian relief items to affected families for the winter months ahead. In December 2007, FOCUS in collaboration with Aga Khan Social Welfare Board and the Ismaili Councils for Upper and Lower Chitral, conducted a relief assessment which resulted in the distribution of winter materials and humanitarian relief for more than 260 severely affected families living in Sonoghore, Wasich and Garmchashma, all in the district of Chitral, North West Frontier Province.