UNDP NepalCommunity Based Disaster Management Practices, 2006-2008

BCPR BureauforCrisisPreventionandRecovery

CBDMGs CommunityBasedDisasterManagementGroups

CBDMP CommunityBasedDisasterManagementProject

DDC DistrictDevelopmentCommittee

DRM DisasterRiskManagement

HIV/AIDS HumanImmunodeficiencyVirus/AcquiredImmuneDeficiencySyndrome

MOHA MinistryofHomeAffairs

NGO NonGovernmentalOrganization

REDP RuralEnergyDevelopmentProgramme

UNDP UnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme

VDCVillageDevelopmentCommittee

Acronyms

Nepalisoneofthecountriesintheworldmostvulnerabletonaturaldisasters,includingearthquakes.Increasingclimatechangeimpactsonfragilegeo-physicalsettings,recurrentandnewpatternsofnaturalhazardslikefloodsandlandslidesanddegradationoftheeco-systemsbyhumanactivitieshaveintherecentyearstakenanincreasingtollonhumanlives,lossesofpropertiesandeconomicgainsand investments.Recent floodingwithassociated lossofsignificantnumberof livesanddamagetolivelihoodassetsintheKoshiareaintheeastandKanchanpur,KailaliinwestNepalin2008aloneillustratetheseverityoftheproblem.Whiletherearewellestablishedimmediatedisasterresponsemechanismsatnationalandlocallevels,capacitytopreparefor,mitigaterisksandadaptneedstobebuiltup.ThenewlyapprovednationalStrategyDisasterRiskManagementinNepalwillbeakeydriverofthiseffort.

Economicallymarginalizedpoorcommunities,whotendoccupymarginalizedlandssuchasfloodplainsandhigherslopesthataremostpronetodisastersaretherebymostvulnerabletodisasterrisksandhaveusuallyverylimited,ifno,copingmechanisms.Whilelookingatdisastermanagementplanningandpreparedness,itisthusessentialtoinvolvethesecommunitiesinriskassessmentandimplementationofriskreductionactivities.

Recognizing the imperative need to assist communities at the local level prepare and protectthemselvestotheextentpossible fromthesedisasters,UNDPdecidedtopilota locallybased,communityfocusedDisasterRiskManagementProgramme.This2yearcommunitymitigationandpreparednessworkinpilotdistrictsundertheCommunityBasedDisasterManagementProgramme,carriedoutincollaborationwithMOHAandtheDistrictDisasterReliefCommittees,hascontributed

Foreword

todevelopingapproachesandmethodologies,trainingandcommunityengagementpackages,whichhaveclearlycontributedtoenhanceddisasteranddisasterpreparednessawareness,riskreductionandincreasedcommunityresiliencetowardsdisaster.Targetcommunitieshavebeenveryreceptivetoandengagedintheimplementationofthesecommunitybaseddisastermanagementinitiatives,andintheprocesscommunitymembershavelearnthowtocopewithdisaster,betterprepareforaresponseandmitigateimpactsofrecurringdisasters.

Thispublication is ananthologyof someof the successful stories andbestpracticesof community focuseddisastermanagementinitiativesundertakenbythecommunitiesthemselves.Ithighlightstheelementsofsuccess,whetheritbeamodelofcommunitymobilizationorasimpletechnologywhichcommunitiescanuseandadaptoraprocesswhichensuresownership.

Iwouldliketothankallthosewhowerethepartofdesignandimplementationoftheprogramme,particularlythe local communities who trusted us, put their efforts and actively participated in the programme. Thiscombinationofcommunitytrustandsupportintertwinedwithtechnicalguidancehasbeenkeytothesuccessoftheprogramme.

IhopethereadersofthissuccessstoriesbookwillfindtheseexperiencesgainedinmanagingcommunitybaseddisastermanagementactivitiesinpilotdistrictsofNepal,usefulandcanusesomeofthesebestpracticesforreplicationinotherareas.

Anne-IsabelleDegryse-BlateauCountryDirectorUNDPNepal

ThissuccessstoriesbookisdedicatedtothelocalcommunitiesofthesixdistrictsofNepal(Chitwan,Makawanpur,Sarlahi,Sindhuli,Tanahu,Syangja)whoputtheireffortstogetherwiththeDisasterRiskManagementteamofUNDPNepaltoidentifypotentialdisasterrisksandfindwaystomitigatethem.

Localcommunitieshavegainedadequateknowledgethroughtheirdirectinvolvementindisastermanagementinitiatives,whichwillbehelpfultocopewithfuturedisasterrisks.

StaffoftheDisasterRiskManagementUnitofUNDParehighlyacknowledgedfortheirhardworkinprovidingtechnicalsupporttothelocalcommunityindesignandconstructionofCommunityBasedMitigationStructures.

ThanksareduetotheForumforSustainableDevelopmentNepalforcollectingthecasestudiesforCommunityBasedDisasterRiskManagementactivitiesimplementedbyUNDP,Nepal.ThanksarealsoextendedtoMr.KrishnaAdhikari,aNepaleseJournalist,whowasinvolvedincollectingstoriesaboutcommunityinvolvementinDRMactivities.

Acknowledgements

Contents

Millennium Development Goals and Disaster Reduction 2

Floods are a Chronic Problem in the Tarai 6

Better Safe than Sorry 9

Landslide Mitigation and Preparedness Practices 12

Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Stories 15

Page.No.

2

United Nations DevelopmentProgramme/ Bureau for CrisisPrevention and Recovery’s study in2004 ranked Nepal as the 11th mostat risk country to earthquakes andthe 30th to flood risk. Similarly, theWorldBank’sstudyconductedin2005portrayedNepal as highly vulnerableto disaster due to the geographicalstructureofthecountryandintensifiedmonsoon. Though landslide is anaturalhazard,differentstudiesshowthat40percentoflandslidesoccurringinNepalareduetohumanactivities.Inlastfewyears,climatechangehasemergedasoneofthereasonsbehindthe increased incidentsofdisaster inNepal. Lives and property loss canbe reduced if national policies areamended to fulfill the commitmentsmade by the United Nations WorldConference of 1994 and UnitedNationsWorldConferenceonDisasterReductionin2005.Ifthishappens,asignificant contribution would have

Millennium Development

Goals and Disaster Reduction

been made towards achieving thetargetsoftheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals.Toachievethis,however,thereisgreatneedtointegratedisasterriskreduction into development policiesandplanning.

Nepal is rich in terms of natureand bio-diversity but it is equallyvulnerable to the adverse effectof natural hazards like flood,landslides, earthquakes etc. due toitsfragilegeologicalandgeophysicalconditions, steep topographyand extreme weather conditions.AccordingtoInternationalFederationof Red Cross and Red Crescentsocieties, nearly 100,000 Nepalesearebeing internallydisplacedeveryyearduetonaturaldisasters.

ThebreachofKoshiembankmenton18 August 2008 destroyed propertyworth billions of rupees in EasternNepal.Itresultedincasualtyofpeople

GabionBoxesweaving

3

preparedness for these hazards areconcerned. Although some reliefmeasures are undertaken afternaturaldisastersstrike,peopleoftenhavenowayoutuntilsomeconcretemeasuresfordisasterreductionandriskmitigationareimplemented.Theproblem of soil erosion, flood andlandslide is increasing every year,mainly because of non-scientificagricultural cultivation systemsand haphazard development worksundertaken without consideringthe negative effects exerted on theenvironment. It is ironic that themostvulnerablegrouptosufferthewrath of natural disasters are thepoor. Of themwomen and childrenaretypicallythemostsusceptible.

Realizingthegravityofthesituationreflected by alarming mortality andeconomiclossstatisticsgeneratedbydisasters,UNDPpilotedtheCommunityBasedDisasterManagement Project.

andthedisplacementofaround50,000locals. Road connectivity betweenEasternNepalandotherpartsofthecountry was also disrupted. Floodsand landslides in various placesof Western Nepal including Kailaliand Kanchanpur rendered similarcalamity in 2008. Every year, floodsand landslides claim hundreds oflivesandmakethousandshomeless.Such disasters destroy physicalinfrastructures and cause negativeimpact in each and every sectorincludingtheenvironmental,economicandsocialsectors.Peopleinthehillsarecompelledonadailybasistolivewithhazardsincludinglandslides,soilerosionandfloodingwhilethepeopleof Tarai have to endure floods, soilerosionandinundationeveryyear.

Floods and landslides are naturalphenomenonthatoccureveryyearinthecountryandmuchworkremainsttobedoneasfarasmitigationand

ThisProjectcommencedoperationatthecommunitylevelfromApril2006.Itencouragedandsupportedthelocalcommunities and people from 42wards of Syangja, Tanahu, Chitwan,Makawanpur, Sarlahi and Sindhulidistricts which were worst hit andconstantly facing problems of flood,landslide and river cut each yearwith the onset ofmonsoon to startactivitiesforminimizingtheimpactofthesedisasters.

Theproject,whichwas startedasamodel, has enhanced knowledge ofdisaster preparedness and disastercopingskillsatthelocallevel.Localpeopleweretrainedtoenhancetheircapacity to reduce their risk fromnatural hazards. The project alsoworks with the central and localgovernment levels. It is worthy ofnote that the government is soonexpected to approve a separatedisastermanagementactandpolicy.

4

Implementation of the projecthas contributed indirectly towardsthe achievement of the MilleniumDevelopmentGoaltargets.Ithasalsohelped tominimize the loss of livesand properties from flood, landslideandrivererosionintheselectedwards.Moreover, there has been significantparticipation of women in all theactivitiesoftheproject.Womenhavebeeninvolvedindecisionmakingforthemitigationwork,training,planning,implementation and informationsharing.Thishashelpedraiseincomeof the poorest families selected indifferentprojectwards.

The main goal of CBDMP is to“enhance thesecurityofwomenandmen vulnerable to natural disastersand protect common property andcommunityresourcesinselectdisasterprone districts; by implementingappropriate capacity buildingmeasures at community, district andcentral levels while supporting and

replicating community-based disasterriskreductioninitiativesthatpreferablyenhancelivelihoodopportunities”.

The Project has given emphasis tocapacity building and leadershipdevelopmentofthelocalcommunityalong with disaster reductionmeasures by providing varioustrainingsinallsixdistrictswheretheProjectworked.Thesetraininghavehelped people affected by disasterto develop skills and empowerthemselves. It has taught themvaluable lessons to reduce risksthroughtheapplicationofindigenousknowledgeandthroughuseoflocalavailableresources.

Sapana Shrestha of Hetauda-4Makawanpurfeelsthatwomenplayavitalroleinpreparednessaswellasduringrescue,reliefandrehabilitationactivities. She says, “my leadershipcapacity has increased after takingdisasterreductiontraining.”TrainingforCBDMGsonDisasterRiskReduction

5

Awareness raising programs aboutHIV/AIDS, women trafficking anddisasterriskreductionhasalsobeenconductedinproject implementationdistricts.SharmilaKarkiofRanigunj-4Sarlahi is active in the campaign toremoveirregularitiesandsuperstitionprevalence in the society. She hasbeenabletoinformthesocietyaboutmeasurestocontrolwomentraffickingand how to be safe from HIV/AIDS,after she received training on thesesubjects.Similarly,TulasaBhattaraiofRanigunj-4 isbusy informingpeopleabout disaster reduction and itsimportanceaftershereceivedtrainingin disaster management, whichmotivates the local people to worktogetherforthemitigationactivities.Shenotes“nowtheyhaveraisedtheirvoicetothelocalgovernmentforthefunds to allocate in their VDC forlandslidemitigationactivities.”

Wide spread rural poverty is achallenge for development of the

country. Various programs andschemes have been designed andimplemented to alleviate poverty.However improvement in thelivelihood of many people from themobilizationofseedgrantsprovidedbytheprojecthasprovedthatsmallassistance can bring big changes.Locals receive assistance directlyfrom this grant through DisasterManagement Committees formedat the local level for the purposeof operating enterprises like cattlefarming, sewing, vegetable farmingand small business. Though theProgram is for everyone, especiallywomen,dalitsandindigenouspeoplehavebenefittedfromthisgrant.Oneexample is Mana Maya Gurung ofPutalibazarMunicipality,Syangja,whotookaloanofRs.5,000tostartgoatfarming.Shesaidithasbecomeeasyforhertomeettheexpensesofherfamily after starting this enterprise.Likewise a local of Jagatradevi ofthe Syangja district says she has

earnedsomeincomefromthesewingmachinethatsheboughtwithaseedgrantof5,000rupeesfromtheCBDMPcommittee.

Theprojecthasdevelopedleadershipqualitiesofwomenandgiventhema platform to voice their opinionin decision making processes. TheProject ensures women’s activeparticipationinallactivities.Similarly,it has also demonstrated a goodexample of inclusiveness as peoplebelonging to various communitieslike Dalits and Janajatis participatein theprograms.AssistantResidentRepresentative of UNDP, Vijaya P.Singh, believes that the lessonslearned from this project, whichwas started with the objective ofminimizingpovertyandmeetingthetarget of Millennium DevelopmentGoalswillbeaguidelinefordisasterreduction and management in thedaystocome.

6

Floods are a Chronic Problem

in the Tarai

Ramu Ghimire of Ranigunj VDC inSarlahidistricthastearsinhiseyesashesurveysthePhooljorriver.Thisistheriverthatsweptawayallhisdreamsanddesires.“Whattodo,webecamehelpless infrontofnature.FifteenyearsagothePhooljorRiversweptawayallthepropertieswhichhad been used from the period ofmyforefathers.”Ramujustwatchedhelplesslyandcoulddonothingtoprotecthisland.

Many others like him share thesimilar stories. Ramji Mahato alsofaced a similar problem. Theirstories are more heart rendingbecause these people are ordinarypeoplewhohaveverysimplelives.Theyliveahandtomouthexistenceand when nature takes away thevery thingthatsustains them, theyhavenowheretoturnon.Thisusedto be the most productive land inthedistrict,nowitisbarren.

Each year the flood in Phooljhorriver converts more than hundredhectaresoflandintodesert.Theriverstarts from Chure hills and entersIndia through Sonbarsha. It hasbeeneroding20to25kmsofNepaliland every year. Besides Ranigunj,Parwanipur, Kalinjor, Ishworpur andRampurarealsoaffectedbytheriver.

Blackcloudsintheskyincreasestheheartbeat of the residents of GardiVDCinChitwan.ThelocalRiyuriverfloods every monsoon resulting inlossoflandandproperty.Thefloodsdisplaced almost seven to eighthundredhouseholdsforcingthemtomigratetootherareas.

TheNarayaniriveralsocreateshavocin the lives of people who live onits banks every year. The river haswashed away hundreds of bighasof land and made many peoplelandless.

Flood Mitigation by communities in Riyo River,GardiVDC,Chitwan

�

Everyyear thisscenario is repeatedin many districts of the country.Disaster preparedness and riskmitigation is vital to reduce thefearofthesecommunitiesandhelpprotect their lives and properties.SincetheCommunityBasedDisasterManagement Project (CBDMP) hasstarted working in the village,the villagers have found reasonsto hope again. The Project helpsreduce hazard vulnerability of thecommunities living in the districtsthrough community based disasterriskmitigationmeasures.TheProjectforms and capacitates CommunityBasedDisasterManagementGroups(CBDMG) in each community, whoin turn reduce the geo physicalvulnerability by designing andexecutingatleastoneriskmitigationwork such as the construction ofdykes,spurs,andembankementsinthe wards. From their participationin the CBDMP, Ramu Ghimire and

hisfellowresidentsofRanigunjVDCconstructedstonespursatthebankofthePhooljhorriver.ThevillagersofMadimadebamboospurs tochecktheflowofwater,whilethoselivingonthebanksofNarayanialsobuiltstonespurstofighttheflooding.

Central and local government aswellasvulnerablecommunitieswerealso helped with the financial andtechnical assistance of CBDMP. TheProject conducted various trainingsand awareness classes for thevillagerstoeducatethemondisasterriskmanagement.Theyweretaughttouselocallyavailablematerialslikebamboo, to control the flooding.The villagers also planted trees onthebankstofindamorepermanentsolutiontotheproblem.

Besides helping to control floodingand soil erosion, CBDMP hasencouraged the residentsofward

Constructionofdraintocontrolinundationinwardno11,BharatpurMunicipality

8

no 11 of Bharatpur Municipalityto construct a drain to controlinundation. The water washarming farms, agricultural plotsand transportation infrastructure.Inresponsethelocalsconstructedathreekmlongdrainagechannel,which has helped the wardssignificantly, in reducing theirflooding.

Residents from all affected areasreportamarkeddifferencethisyearduring the monsoons. They wantto continue with the constructionof bamboo spurs and stone spursevenaftertheProjectisphasedout.Now they are empowered enoughto recognize ways to prepare andminimize the risks of the naturalcalamitiestowhichtheyareexposed.This can be seen from the disastermitigation methods taken by theresidents of Chitwan, Sarlahi andother communities in the Projectdistricts.

GabionspurinAmbhanganjVDC,Hetauda

9

Better Safe than Sorry

AsNepalisadisasterpronecountry,itisimperativetoeducatetheNepalipopulace about safety measures,especiallyinthevillages,wheretheprevalentideaaboutdisastersisthattheGodsmustbeangry.

The Community Based DisasterManagement Project (CBDMP), aUNDP funded project, has beendoingjustthat.ThemaingoaloftheProject is to enhance the safety ofwomenandmenvulnerabletonaturaldisasters and to protect commonproperty as well as communityresources in select disaster proneareas.TheProjecthashelpedbuildamodelearthquakeresistantschoolinHetauda and Community Centersin Sarlahi, two districts that arepronetodisasters.Thepeoplewerefullyinvolvedinbuildingtheschool,whichwasbuiltatatotalcostofRs.�50,000.

Nooneknowswhennaturaldisasterwillstrike.Theonlywaytobesafeisgeneratingsufficientawarenessinpeople in order that they are self-motivatedtobebothpreparedwhensuch situations arise and to workpractically to reduce their levelsof risk exposure. There are manyorganizationsworkingintheareaofdisasterawarenessandpreparedness.

ModelofEarthquakeResistantCommunityCenterinSarlahi

10

3and10inMalangawaMunicipalityin Sarlahi district. The Municipalitywasinterestedenoughtojoinhandswith the Project and construct theearthquakeresistantmodelbuildings.Besidestheconstruction,theProjectalso conducts awareness andeducation programs on earthquakesafety measures. The objective ofconstructing thesebuildingswas toprovide a safe place for the localswho feel more happy and securenow.

Such measures have helped assureRamPreetShah,aresidentofwardno2whohasheard about thebigearthquake of 1934 and is anxiousabout the next big one. He fearsbeingburiedunderthedebris.Therearemanylikehiminthedistrictwiththesamefear.

ActingExecutiveOfficerofMalangawaMunicipality,RajKapoorMahatosays,“in the past we used to assist in

earthquakeinPakistan”.Thechildrenalsofeelsafe.“Itisarelieftoknowthatwestudyinasafeschool”,saysSangita Dhakal, a student of grade10. Another student, Bijaya Lamafeels that the whole school shouldbeearthquakeresistantandnotonlythreerooms.ThePrinciplehasplanstodojustthatifhecanmanagetoraiseadequateresources.

Inspired from the program, theCBDMGsofthemunicipalityplannedandconstructedearthquakeresistantcommunitybuildingsatwardno’s2,

CBDMP, along with HetaudaMunicipality and DDC Makawanpurconstructed a model earthquakeresistant building with three roomsin Shramik Secondary School inKaraofHetauda.Theywereunabletoconstructthewholebuildingthisway due to resource crunch. Thestudentsandteachersoftheschoolareveryhappywiththewaythingshave turned out. The Principle ofthe school,TejBahadur Lamasays,“wewantedtobesafeafterviewingfootageofschoolbuildingscollapsingand children perishing in the 2005

SchoolBuildingofShramikSecondarySchoolinKara,Hetauda

11

andhelpsprovidegreaterownershipwithintheMunicipality.TheMunicipalauthoritiesareconfidentthattheywillbeahugesuccessintheirendeavorof being a safe district, as far asearthquake resistant construction isconcerned.

Theschoolhasbecomeamodel toraiseawarenessamongcitydwellersabout construction of earthquakeresistant houses and safety

rescueoperationsonly,butnowwewanttoreducetheeffectsofdisasterand focus on safetymeasures.” Headded that the Municipality wouldencourage people to construct newstructures keeping these measuresin mind. To give continuity to thisprogram, the Municipality hasemphasizeddisasterandearthquakesafetymeasures in theconstructionofnewbuildings.

Disaster Management Committeeshave been formed in three wardsand employees of the Municipalityhave been trained in disastermanagement. Staff have also beentaken on exposure visits to otherdistricts with similar programs likeChitwan andHetauda to gainmoreperspective.Thesevisitsandtrainingsareexpectedtogivesustainabilitytothe program even after the Projectisphasedout.Thisalsopromotesabottomupapproachtodevelopment

measuresnecessary toovercome it.Dhruba Bhujel, Officer of HetaudaMunicipality said that the schoolhaspiquedthecommunity’sinterest.He said the Municipality wouldgive special emphasis to effectiveimplementationoftheNepalBuildingCodeandconstructionofearthquakeresistant buildings. People fromneighboring villages have beencoming to observe the school andseeiftheycanreplicateit.

SchoolBuildingofShramikSecondarySchoolinKara,Hetauda

12

Development is a sure sign ofsuccess,butitcanalsobringwithitcountless problems if disaster risksare not considered in the planningand implementation phase ofdevelopment interventions. CBDMPhas been helping people copewith disaster in an effective andsustainable manner. It works withthegoalofenhancing thesafetyofcitizensvulnerabletonaturaldisaster.The Project also helps protectcommon property and communityresources in select disaster pronedistricts.Theydothisbyinvolvingthepeople in theaffectedarea throughthe establishment of CommunityBasedDisasterManagementGroups(CBDMG),whicharetrainedindifferentissues of disaster management likehazard and vulnerability analysisplanning and execution of disasterriskmitigationworks.Thishasbeen

Landslide Mitigation and Preparedness

Practices

veryhelpful in thedistricts thatarepronetofloodingandsoilerosion.

An access road had to be built tothe site of Kaligandaki HydropowerProject, situated in Jagatradevi VDCinSyangjadistrict.But in thiscase,developmentcamewithitsshareofproblems. Therewas a landslide attheKhaharestream.Adrainhadtobeconstructedwhiletheroadwasbeingbuilt.Thisconstructiontriggeredtheproblemoflandslides.Thelandslidesdisplaced35familiesandthreatenedthe Jagatradevi Primary School.Landslide mitigation measures arebeingtakentosavethevillageandtheschoolthatliesinitsway.

ResidentsofChimkeshworiinTanahudistrictwerehappytohaveelectricitycourtesy of the Rural EnergyDevelopment Programme (REDP)

SeriesofwoodencheckdamstocontroldebrisflowinNepaneVDC,Sindhuli

13

a UNDP funded program. Howeverdue to a lack of proper protectionmeasures,landslidesoccurringduringeach monsoon disrupted electricityproduction. As mitigation, thecommunities implementedprotectionworks with the support from theProject ensuring electricity supply tothevillagethroughouttheyear.

On the other side of the district inAlaiche, Katuwatol and Tampidandaof Byas Municipality, residentshave a similar problem. They havedifficultysleepingatnightduringthemonsoon season for fear of beingsweptawayalongwiththeirhouses.This has happened many times inthepast.ManyfromtheirvillagelikeTilBahadurThapaandJhakBahadurThapawereforcedtomigratetootherplacesafter losing theirproperty tolandslides.

The residents of Nepane VDC inSindhuli also were fed up withfloodsanddebrisflow.Theywanteda permanent solution to theseproblems.ThepeoplelivingintheseVDCswerefortunatethatCBDMPwasworkinginthoseareas.

TheProjectsupportedlocalresidentsof these districts to implementsuccessful disaster managementinterventions. It helped enhance

community stakeholder capacitiesin different aspects of disastermanagementplanningandexecution.Locals were helped technically andfinanciallytocombatlandslides,soilerosion, flooding in a sustainablemanner and in raising their overallawareness of earthquake riskreduction.

The residentsof Jagatradevi formeda CBDMP and constructed stone

CommunitiesworkingforlandslidemitigationinNibuwakharkaVDC,Syangja

14

wallsindifferentpartsofthevillagewhichwereatriskoflandslide.Thevillagers also planted trees for amore permanent solution. Everyonepitched in.AsTikisaraBasyal,Chairpersonof theCommittee says, “weworkedcontinuouslyinspiteofbadweather, becausewe had to find asolution.”

Villagers in Chimakeshwori gottogether to construct a stone wallaroundthesourceofthelandslide.Itishearteningtonotethattheentirevillage comes together in times ofdisasters.ThisisanotherboonfromCBDMP. The awareness that theProjecthasbroughtintothevillagershasunitedthem,keepingasidecasteandgenderforacommoncause.

TheresidentofvariouswardsinVyasMunicipalityalsotookadvantageofthe training, awareness programsandfundsprovidedbytheProjecttobuilda31meterlongandtwometertall stone masonry wall. They alsoplantedvariousspeciesofplantsasastabilizationmeasure.TheProjectencourages residents to use localmaterialsasmuchastheycan.Thepeople of Nepane in Sindhuli havebeen using logs from the Sal tree,

whichareverysturdy,tobuildcheckdams.Theyhavecreatedasenseofawarenessinpeopleaboutplantingtrees.Now,localsareadvisedtostoptheopengrazingofcattleandnottocutgrassandfirewoodrandomly.

AllthevillagersintheProjectareasareexcitedwiththeirgoodwork.Theyhavepledgedtocontinuewith it intheyearstocome.TheGovernmenthastotakeownershipoftheprojectandtaketheleadinsupportingthepeopletocontinuetheirgoodwork.Thevillagershavetobeencouragednot to lose interest in the disasterrisk management and developmentworks being carried out in theirvillages and municipalities. The sixdistricts in which CBDMP works atcurrentlycandefinitelytaketheleadinsettinganexampleofdealingwithnaturaldisastersinaneffectiveandsustainablemanner.

StonemasonrywallforlandslidemitigationinVyasMunicipality,Tanahu

15

back home after spending 16 yearsthere. However she had nothing toshowforhereffortsinIndia.

Tilu heard about Community BasedDisaster Management Project(CBDMP) that was working in hertown.OneoftheProjectactivitieswasgivinggrantstothepoorestfamiliesin the community and Tilu’s familyalso qualified. From the Rs. 5,000shegot,sheopenedtheteashop.“Itisamazing,”shewondersaloud,“noonewaswillingtoloanmeevenRs.2,000andnowlookatme.ThankstoCBDMP, I amanentrepreneur.”SheearnsanaverageofRs.200dailyandsavesaroundRs.350permonth.

CBDMPhascomelikeabreathoffreshair into the livesof underprivilegedlocals. Though the Project primarilyworks to enhance the safety ofwomenandmenvulnerabletonaturaldisastersandhelpsprotectcommon

Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary

Stories

TiluTamangofHetauda,Makawanpurdistricthasbeguntodream…..

Shedreamsofsendingherchildrento good schools, having enoughto eat, buying a house andmaybeopeningalodgesomeday.Whynot?Afterall,shehascomethisfarfromashyandintrovertedcircusgirl.Sheownsasmallbusinessandisdoingquite well for herself consideringthe hardships she has undergonethrough her life. She has recentlyexpanded her tea stall and is alsonownowsellingsavorysnackstogoalongwiththehottea.

The villagers cannot believe it isthe same Tilu, who went to Indiawhenshewassevenafterherfatherpassedaway.Sheworkedinacircusthere.Shestill shudders to recountherlifeinthecircus.Butshehadnochoice as she had to send moneyhome to feedher family.She cameJanukaRaiinherearthwormfertilizerfarm

16

propertyandcommunityresourcesindisasterpronedistricts,italsohelpsbuildcapacityofcommunitiessothattheirlivelihoodsareenhanced.

TherearemanyotherslikeTiluwhohavebenefittedfromtheseedgrantprovidedbyCBDMP.JanukaRaitooktheRs.5000providedbytheProjectandstartedproducingfertilizerfromthe earthworm she bought fromthe money. She is into mushroomfarmingusingthefertilizer.Shesellsthemushroom forRs.150per kg in

themarketandalsosellsthesurplusfertilizertotheAgriculturalOffice.

Janukawhohasstudieduptograde10 is turning out to be a smartentrepreneur. She was involvedin the campaign, “Reduce the useof chemical fertilizer, and increasethe productivity of soil.” She is avociferous advocate of this slogananddoesnothesitatetopromoteittoothersinhercommunity.

Her family which migrated fromKhotangduetoextremepovertynowhas a comparatively comfortablelifestyle thanks to the help fromthe Project. Januka sends her twodaughters toaprivateschoolwhileher son goes to a governmentschool. The Project has increasedher confidence to such an extentshenowaimstobeanindependententrepreneurinthecity.Morepowertoher.

CBDMP helped Sita Pariyar find anicheinhercommunityofJagatradeviVDC in Syangja district. She sewsand mends clothes from a sewingmachine the Project bought for her.SheearnsuptoRs.200perday.Thiswas under the program initiated bytheProjecttoprovideseedgrantforstartingalternativeincomegenerationactivities. The awareness that theProject helped create in Jagatradevihas helped people like Sita whobelong to a disadvantaged class,verymuch.Herfamilyofnine,whichincludessevenchildren,donothavetolivealifeofhumiliationanylonger.The money that Sita earns fromsewing has ensured that her familyhas enough to eat. The children gotoschoolandSitahopestoseehereldest daughter graduate soon andhelp her with her business so thatshecanexpandit.Someofthethingsshewishesforatpresentaretraining

Teashopopenedbymicrocapitalgrantsupport

1�

inmodernsewingandenoughmoneytobuyapieceofland.

Itisnotjustthewomenfolkwhohavebenefited from the various incomegenerating schemes funded byCBDMP.Menhavealsofeltamarkedchangeintheirlivelihood.Onesuchperson is Shiva Bahadur Rana ofRangkhola in Syangja district. Hetookadvantageoftheloanprovidedby theProject tobuy twopregnantgoats. He made a profit by sellingthe kids. He has already refundedthe loans to CBDMG for circulationand is doing well for himself. Hesends his children to a privateschool. Others in his communityhavebeeninspiredbyhimtotrythesameprofession.DilKumariAryalisthrivinginthisprofession.However,she feels that thecommunitycould

bemoreproductive if theyreceivedsomekindof technical trainingandhadaccesstohighqualitygoatsforbreedingpurposes.

There are hundreds of others withequally interesting stories, whoselives have turned around for thebetterwithinterventionfromCBDMP.There is clear evidence that thelocals have been empowered. Theycanhopetoprovideabetterlifefortheirchildren.Theycanhopetoowna piece of land, they can hope tohaveasayinissuesthatmatterandcontributetodisasterriskreductionin their community because theProjecthashelpedthemfindavoiceandbecomeawareofwhat is rightforthem.

Goatsraisingbymicrocapitalgrantsupport

United Nations Development ProgrammePOBox10�,Pulchowk,Lalitpur,NepalTel:(+9��-1)5523200Fax:(+9��-1)5523991Website:www.undp.org.np

DisasterManagementUnitWebsite:www.undp.org.np/drmTel:(+9��-1)5010062