Appeal Target: US$ 559,225

Total requested: US$ 235,757

Tropical storm Noel struck the Caribbean growing into a Category1 hurricane, leaving a total of 118 people dead. Dominican Republic was among the hardest hit by unexpected strong winds and floods induced by high level of rainfall. The Dominican Republic government declared a national emergency and requested international aid for both crisis assistance and long term rehabilitation.

According to the 3 November 2007 report of the National Commission for Emergencies, 87 people were reported dead and 48 missing. Some 16,712 houses were affected, of which 737 completely destroyed. The numbers of people displaced was estimated to exceed 66,800. In the aftermath of the disaster, overcrowding and unsanitary conditions in the shelters were responsible for various diseases. Influx of additional persons and overstretched capacities were likely to lead to similar consequences in the communities.

Swollen rivers, landslides and 46 broken bridges isolated 100 communities. In the southwest of the country electricity and telecommunication remained cut off for several weeks. It is only slowly, once rained stopped, that authorities and people could gain access and survey the isolated communities.

Many communities have been facing a lack of clean drinking water due to damaged pipes and aqueducts. The agricultural sector has been seriously affected, in particular crops such as plantain and rice as well as fruit trees.

ACT members Christian Aid, Church World Service (CWS), Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), and Social Services of the Dominican Churches (SSID) made assessments and decided to respond in some of the most vulnerable areas. The present appeal includes the proposals of Christian Aid and SSID.

Christian Aid and five of its implementing partners, APRODEMA – Asociación pro-Desarrollo de la Mujer y Medio Ambiente, Colectiva Mujer y Salud, FEI - La Fundación Emmanuel Internacional, Mosctha – Movimiento Social-Cultural para los Trabajadores Haitianos and Mudha – Movimiento de Mujeres Dominico-Haitianas - are responding in the south-western provinces of Santo Domingo, Boca Chica, Barahona, Ozama/San Cristobal, and Monte Plata.

The original appeal issued on 1^st December 2007 aimed to support a total of 3436 families in the poorest, most vulnerable and marginalised areas –  the bateyes – often inhabited by Haitian migrants or Dominican of Haitian descent working in sugar cane plantations. These communities are often overlooked by governmental response.

Through this second revision of the appeal, the activities of the Christian Aid proposal has been adjusted to the level of funds received and will focus on medical assistance and rehabilitation of livelihood. Some food and non food item distribution, planed for the crisis phase, could be carried out outside of the appeal through other sources of funding.

The first appeal revision was issued on 21 December 2007 to includes the Social Services of the Dominican Churches (SSID) component. SSID had previously benefited from the ACT rapid response fund and several in-kind contributions, including the local government, to distribute food and non food items in the provinces of San Juan and Barahona (southwest) and Monte Plata (East).

Through the appeal, SSID, and its partners PROCARIBE and GPI, are providing food and non food items, medical care and drinking water to 1000 families in 25 communities. 20 families will benefit from the construction of new housing and 60 families from rehabilitation of their homes, and a total of 450 families from rehabilitation of crop and food production. In addition, SSID is providing training on emergency and risk management and SPHERE standards to community organizations.

Project Completion Date:

CAID: 30 June 2008
SSID: 31 May 2008

Reporting schedule:

Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance Requested:

Signed by:

John Nduna
Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office