Disaster Risk Reduction & Social Empowerment

Appeal Target: US$ 866,280

Under the Tsunami Response ACT Appeal ASRE51, the Lutheran World Service India (LWSI), responded to the needs of the Tsunami victims in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Under this project the main activities were construction of hazard resistant permanent housing, community infrastructures, environmental regeneration and community based disaster preparedness and psycho social care capacity building, which has been implemented in a total of 25 communities, four of which are exclusively for the deprived communities of the dalits.

Most of the relief and rehabilitation assistance from the government and NGOs has initially benefited only the fishing communities as they were directly affected by the tsunami, while dalits and other poor and marginalised families living in the area were left out. During the rehabilitation phase, LWSI identified a number of villages with resource poor, non-fishing communities, whose livelihood opportunities are also directly or indirectly affected by the tsunami and the floods. These socially vulnerable people, mostly unskilled daily labourers in the fish processing sector, agricultural fields or construction sites are forced to migrate to the neighbouring towns and states in search of employment. Such communities are less privileged, marginalized and unorganized compared to the fishing communities. These people were also affected by the tsunami, though not directly by the tsunami waves. Strong caste bias, low social status and no land ownership are some reasons for these communities being deprived of any assistance. Reduction in agricultural production and inland fishing along with other allied livelihoods has affected these communities hard.

Addressing the issue of exclusion and deprivation of dalits and other marginalised, four communities were covered under a permanent housing programme. However, the needs are still very evident. Illiteracy and ignorance of their rights and entitlements have deteriorated the plight of these communities further.

LWSI plans to reach about 7,800 households in 80 villages, out of which 50 villages have already benefited from previous interventions under the appeal ASRE51 and Community Based Disaster Prevention and Livelihood projects supported by Danish Church Aid. The project will ensure the linking of relief and rehabilitation to development (LRRD) through five components: Support to Community Based Disaster Risk Management, housing and community infrastructure, livelihood,  environmental protection and strengthening of organisational community capacity. The activities in this proposal are scheduled for a period of one year.  This is the first part of a 3-year project which started 1 April 2008 and will be revised after the end of the first year. 

Project Completion Date:

First year         -           31 March 2009

Reporting schedule:

Interim narrative & financial: 31 October 2008
Final narrative & financial: 31 May 2009
Audit: 30 June 2009

Signed by:

John Nduna
Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office