Housing Project Update
The ground work on the Housing Project is being completed, and so far we have:
1. Registered with the relevant authorities as a donor for providing housing for tsunami victims
2. Identified a community that needs their lives and livelihoods rebuilt
3. Conducted a needs assessment on the identified community group, to formulate effective programmes to benefit them in the long term
4. Formed liaisons with project partners (so far with the Rotary Club of Batticaloa, and the local governing bodies such as the Provincial Urban Development Authority)
5. Got land allocated to construct houses for the community identified
At present, we are liaising with the relevant authorities to enter into a formal agreement to obtain the land for construction.
Download the Sahana Housing Project Proposal
Posted by Relief for Sri Lanka at 10:33 PM 0 comments
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Friday, March 11, 2005
Need Assessment Research by ACNeilsen - Results are in!
The results of the Need Assessment study conducted to identify the real needs of the people displaced by the tsunami in the Dutchbar area in Batticaloa reveals that, among other needs, shelter is a prime need. The research findings are instrumental in fine tuning our long term project plans, and to deliver an effective rebuilding programme. The study was conducted by ACNeilsen, a premier international research company in Sri Lanka, and was done free of charge as a part of their contribution towards the Regency relief efforts, and as a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility Programme.
The research team lead by Crystal and Niranjan Boniface worked tirelessly to conduct this comprehensive research, and Regency thanks them for their invaluable inputs.The research findings revealed that:
1. of the three areas of needs tested - Housing, Livelihoods and Education, Housing was the most urgently felt need. Majority of the community had brick houses with two bedrooms, living room, kitchen, toilet (detached from the house) and their own well for water.
2. The group prefer to be relocated from their current location into a safe area, and wish that the entire community will be relocated together.
3. Prior to tsunami, the people had a relaxed lifestyle, and took pride in being independent. They do not like to be dependent on others now, and want to start livelihoods soon.
4. Occupations varied from carpentry, tailoring, mechanics, blacksmith and fishing. Some considered to be retrained in a new livelihood as well.
5. Education is considered a necessity, but they are confident that the facilities would be provided by the state.
6. Two months after tsunami, and after several shifts from and to temporary shelters, they are beginning to lose hope for a better tomorrow.
Regency intends to bring back the element of hope into their lives, and plan to expedite the relief programmes.
Read more on the Research Approach and Methodology, and the Research Findings
Posted by Relief for Sri Lanka at 10:19 PM 0 comments
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Thursday, March 03, 2005
Housing Project Update
Construction of houses will be the major project undertaken by Regency. We have selected one of the hardest hit villages for this. With the help of the Rotary Club of Batticaloa - the Club closest to the affected area, we have selected a village located in the eastern coast near the city of Batticaloa. This village known as Dutchbar, consists of 263 families, and is of a mixed ethnicity. We have committed to build 100 houses in this village, and plan to start reconstruction using a part of the funds received.
The cost of constructing a house which is at least 500 square feet in size with basic facilities such as electricity and water, and community facilities for the village is estimated to cost SLR 500,000 (USD 5,000).
The community in this village is closely knit, and have requested that they be housed together as far as possible when they are relocated. We have started dialogues with local and foreign Rotary Clubs and other donors, and are hopeful that we will be able to raise funds to finance houses for all these families.
Posted by Relief for Sri Lanka at 11:34 AM 0 comments
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21 January 2005
ACNielsen Lanka to help Regency plan long-term project
We have requested ACN Lanka to conduct a series of focus group studies which will become our planning base. We requested them to find out as much as possible, the “real” requirements of these devastated people and their expectations. We wanted the ACN Lanka professionals to consider the various relationships that exist in the community and how they interact; what about the surviving children and the women… what are the special needs etc. Another request was to find out how best we could help them with rebuilding their livelihoods. This way, we will have a realistic and accurate assessment of the people we all want to help. We can then build on this base and plan our project. Our thanks to Crystal and her enthusiastic team at ACN Lanka; hope we can have a go ahead soon!
We shall soon post the proposed intermediate and long term plans of Regency to rehabilitate and get these people back on their feet.
21 January 2005
Regency ACN research next week
The study is to be conducted next week after we agree on the methodology and discussion guidelines. Our problem is with getting suitable land; the bureaucracy always moves slower than us. President Mario and Prabhu are working on it.
Please feel free to email us any suggestions you may have to include in the research to Rotary Regency.
Regency ACN LT project research update
President Mario and Rotarians Thilal, Prabhu and Gehan met with ACNielsen [ACN] MD Dwight Watson [himself a tsunami survivor], Crystal Nathan and Udayana Seneviratne on 26 January to finalize the way forward of the long-term project. Here is a progress report:
Objectives
- Understand the key problems/issues;
- Ellicit their current needs in the short term and long term;
- Assess the kind of relief activities/measures that are currently implemented;
- Evaluate their reaction to various project ideas;
- Model village
- Livelihoods project [within the model village] and
- Educational project [within the model village]
Logistics
It was decided that the recruitment for these groups would take place at the refugee camps in that area. However a problem that remains is the identification of one village/area to make the research findings more purposeful and it was agreed by the rest of the team. We would now speak to the Batticaloa team and narrow it down to one village and a total of 4 groups will be conducted.
It was decided to have the groups scheduled during the 11th – 13th of February 2005. Since the rotary team is well versed with the terrain of the land, at least one of them would accompany the ACN team to Batticaloa for the groups. We offered to look after the transport and lodging of the moderator who would conduct these groups.
27 January 2005
Focus Group Discuission Guide
1. INTRODUCTIONü Introduce Self, ACN
ü No right or wrong answers
ü Importance of each and everybody’s presence and participation
ü Confidentiality and anonymity
ü Tape Recorder, one to speak at a time
I want to understand a little about your lives pre tsunami and post tsunami
o Family…number of members
o Village…how was it, how many people lived there, what was the key occupation
o Livelihood…nature of job, income received, number of people in that job
( Moderator to encourage the group to share/recreate as much as possible their life before Tsunami )
3. POST TSUNAMI
a. Can you describe your life to me now…what is the level of impact…how/why
o On Self
o Family
o Village
o Livelihood
b. Tell me , according to you what are the key issues that you are facing today ….why
o Damaged houses
o Loss of income/livelihood
o Lack of clean drinking water
o Lack of food
o Loss of educational facilities
c. In the short term (from now to the next three months), what would you say are the key things that you would need…why
o Food
o Clean drinking water
o Medicines
o Shelter
( Moderator to elicit more short term needs and ask them to arrange in order of priority )
o Source of income ….what would you like to do
o School for children
o Playground for children
o Hospitals
o Shops
4. RELIEF MEASURES
a. I understand that lots of people have come forward to help you in this time of grief…can you describe to me as to the kind of help that you have been receiving…
o Food packets
o School books
o Warm clothes
o Medicines
o Monetary funds…how much…what is the nature of these funds
o Funds for buildings…how long will they take to give the funds…how long will it take to finish the building
o Employment opportunities…what kind of jobs/where
5. RELIEF IDEAS
I now have some relief ideas with me which I would like to share with you. I want you to be honest and let me know what you think of them
o Fishing project
o School packs
o Model village
b. Has it been done before…when/where/who
c. What do you think are the benefits that we can receive…why
d. What do you think are the weakness…why
e. How can we improve this idea…what would you need…can you describe them to me in detail …why
6. Comparative Evaluation
a. Let us now arrange these ideas in the order of importance…why have you done so…
THANK YOU
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