Nepal Red Cross Society

Vol. 8 No. 4 October - December 2008 Kathmandu

Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) Nepal and the NRCS got involved in disaster relief emergency fund as an supported by the International Federation shelter, food, NFRI and protection immediate start to the appeal. Besides, of the Red Cross and Red Crescent clusters. Red Cross volunteers were Nepal Red Cross also raised about 10 Societies (IFRC), distributed relief goods mobilized to support the management million Nepali Rupees within the country to more than 60,000 people affected by of the camp and dissemination of for the affected population. floods following a breach in the eastern information. The NRCS, in close embankment of the Saptakoshi River in coordination with stakeholders including The IFRC has a global mandate for Nepal’s south. More than 30,000 people the Government of Nepal, was actively coordinating emergency shelter and in or roughly 6,000 families were provided involved in NFRI distribution and view of this, a shelter coordinator was emergency shelter by Red Cross emergency shelter. placed for the first three months. The volunteers. purpose of positioning a coordinator was Following the floods, the IFRC launched to map the temporary shelter Red Cross provided the humanitarian a global appeal for USD 2.33 million requirements for the affected population support keeping in view the needs of more to assist more than 20,000 families before they return to their original than 70,000 people displaced from the affected by the floods. Besides assisting location. This was, in part, the eastern belt of the Saptakoshi River as the families affected by the flood waters Federation’s support to the Nepal Red the flooded River broke out its eastern from the Koshi river, this appeal was Cross as well. As Ms Andrea Reisinger, embankment on August 18, 2008 and also meant to assist people affected by Federation Representative in Nepal, flooded over the dense human settlement. flash floods in the country’s far west. explained, “The Federation office in So far, about 90 per cent of this appeal Nepal had two roles: to support the NRCS This was also the first time a cluster has been covered. The flood operation in its response and to lead the emergency approach to the management and received an initial 227,740 US dollars shelter coordination.” coordination of relief was introduced in from the International Federation’s contd. in page 2 Nepal Red Cross Society Newsletter 1 Red Cross volunteers distributed food and non food relief items and Red Cross ration cards proved a lifeline for the affected people. The Red Cross also provided first aid services to those wounded and free telephone communication facilities to all the affected people. Nepal Red Cross also helped the missing connect with their families.

For the three months that the operation went on full swing, the Nepal Red Cross Society mobilised 200 volunteers daily. Not only were the volunteers an embodiment of the voluntary service the Red Cross is known for, they also made the relief mechanism more effective. Says NRCS relief coordinator Dharma Raj Pandey, “To fill gaps in the camps, the NRCS selected and oriented volunteers, prepared checklist with and familiarised the volunteers with the maps of the clusters. The Red Cross also shared information with all other humanitarian actors in the coordination meetings so that the real needs could be addressed.”

In the initial days of the relief operation, the Nepal Red Cross’ National Disaster Response Team (NDRT) and District Disaster Response Team (DDRT) worked alongside the Regional Disaster Response Team (RDRT) to assess and work out ways of reaching relief to the affected people. Red Cross district chapters from the neighbouring districts as also those far off also provided food and non-food items as well as monetary support. RC volunteers downloading food items in Koshi area Since the relief operation began, the Nepal Red Cross got huge public support. Red Cross work was also highlighted by the local and the national media and this visibility made the provision of Red Cross services easier, while it also promoted the Red Cross Movement’s neutral and impartial image.

Indeed, the Annapurna Post, a leading daily newspaper run by a well-established media house of Nepal, appealed for funds from donors inside the country to support the Nepal Red Cross’ relief operation. The newspaper has collected NPR 3,878,648.35 so far.

This was a huge disaster displacing tens of thousands of people and the movement of the people in the camps and the accompanying demand for more and more food and non-food items was huge. All this was only complicated by blockages in transportation of the relief because the river cut of all communication to the affected region. However, this logistical challenge was overcome with experience in dealing with similar operations and with the active involvement of the district chapters.

As the flood operation moves on, it is hoped that the displaced families will soon be in a position to return to the place of their origin before the next monsoon season. The Red Cross is geared to work with the government and a shelter tool kit will be provided to the returning people. In case the people cannot still leave, the Red Cross will advocate for their needs, while addressing whatever needs it can, be it food or anything else.

Affected of Koshi flood receiving relief items from RC volunteers Nepal Red Cross Society Newsletter 2 -Dr. Sushma Bhusal The HIV and AIDS programme, which is a part of the NRCS and a component of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Global Alliance on HIV, will contribute to the achievement of the national targets set by the National Strategic Plan of the Government of Nepal, Global Agenda and Millennium Development Goals. The HIV Global Alliance is an enabling framework to mobilize capacities and resources to provide harmonized, effective support to the National Societies for the achievement of their HIV programmes within the framework of the Federation's Global Agenda. An effective HIV Global Alliance is expected to deliver better results and impact for the vulnerable clients, improve efficiency, attract more resources and build the capacity of National Society. NRCS is now implementing HIV and AIDS programme in 25 districts of the country to contribute to the reduction of the burden of the HIV through strengthened local response, community-based prevention, care and support and anti stigma and discrimination activities in collaboration with its partners. The HIV and AIDS programme is focused on youths, migrant workers and their spouses, people living with HIV and their family members, and other key populations of the project areas. About 5,000,000 youth and community people have been receiving information on HIV/AIDS annually. In Nepal, about 0.5% of the total population is supposed to have been inflected through HIV. There are very few cases of HIV and AIDS reported. It is estimated that the actual number of people living with the virus exceeds 64,000.

Demonstration provides practical knowledge: Peer educator demonstrating youths how to use condom on the World AIDS DAY The NRCS has developed partnership with the PLHA (people living with HIV/AIDS) network. In the community, PLHA have been working as peer educators. They have also been training other people in the community regarding HIV/AIDS, stigma and discrimination. The NRCS has supported to the PLHA network, income generation activities, office operation and has encouraged individuals to affiliate to the network.

NRCS has been celebrating the World AIDS Day every year to disseminate the message for the prevention of HIV. This year, the World AIDS Day was celebrated nationally following the universal message "Empower, Increase Access, Deliver." All district chapters celebrated this day by organizing myriad activities such as street drama, rally, quiz contest, and photo exhibition.

The overall NRCS health interventions are guided by its health policy and strategic framework. The implementation of the HIV and AIDS programme is one of the priority components of its health programme. Realizing the rapid transmission of HIV and AIDS epidemic all over the country and its long term socio economic impact, the NRCS has involved in implementing HIV and AIDS Prevention, Care and Support programmes since 1994. Nepal Red Cross Society Newsletter 3 The NRCS, UNICEF, SCNSA and the Government of Nepal jointly organized a programme on the 15th of October at the NRCS national headquarters to observe the Global Hand Washing Day, one of the activities observed on the occasion of the International Year of Sanitation 2008.

“The message of hand washing should not be limited to the urban areas only, it should reach even in the rural communities,” said Bijaya Kumar Gachhedar, minister of Physical Planning and Works. “The plan of making new Nepal will be successful if people are aware of personal hygiene and sanitation,” he added.

Minister Gachhedar & UNICEF country representative Mellsop in the hand washing programme at NRCS HQs

The importance of hand washing with soap and water was the focus of the programme. Over 1.5 million children under 5 years die every year in the world, where as the practice of hand washing with soap and water can reduce the child mortality rate by 45 percent.

“Global Hand Washing Day is one example of public-private partnership in Nepal, said the UNICEF Country Representative, Ms. Gillian Mellsop.

In the report of UNICEF, 61 out of 1,000 children die because of a lack of proper sanitation in Nepal before they celebrate their 5th birthday. Half of them die because their mothers do not wash their hands before they touch their children.

“Though the Nepal Red Cross started sanitation programmes such as hand washing with soap water many years ago, it has recently got international recognition,” said Dev Ratna Dhakhwa, Secretary General of the Nepal Red Cross.

Programmes were organized on both the national and local level to make people aware about the importance of hand washing for a healthy life.

In Nepal, 77% of the people have access to safe drinking water, and sanitation facilities have reached 46% of the population. “The Nepal Red Cross Society alone has covered 15% of the water and sanitation facilities in the national coverage," said Dev Ratna Dhakhwa, Secretary General of the NRCS. The NRCS has implemented different Drinking Water and Sanitation (WatSan) projects since 1983 with the support of international donors including the Government of Nepal, which provided water and sanitation facilities to more than 1.9 million people of 25 districts of Nepal. The NRCS is implementing four WatSan projects from this year onwards, which will provide WatSan facilities to more than 75,700 people in 16 districts by 2011. The projects are being implemented through a community-based or a school-based strategic approach. The Belgian Red Cross – Flanders (BRC-F), German Red Cross, Austrian Red Cross, UN-HABITAT, DWSS, UNICEF and CIDA are supporting NPR 112 million for these projects. At this moment, a new Belgian Red Cross-funded program is starting up. It is unique in the sense that it combines the school -and community-based approaches in one single project. “We like cooperating with the NRCS since they have such capacity and experience in many programmes”, says Kris Binon of the BRC-F. “Besides, the WatSan activities of the NRCS have a very broad scope and a proven commitment towards sustainability.” The BRC-F is supporting € 449,992 which was raised through a Belgian national broadcasting station and their listeners organizing a myriad of funny and creative activities. The cooperation between the NRCS and BRC-F is equally not new: both Red Cross organizations have been cooperating for more than 25 years, and the total amount of programmes currently being implemented amounts to more than 160 million NPR.

Nepal Red Cross Society Newsletter 4 SG Wolfgang Kopetzky of the ARC washing hands in community tap

A team of the Austrian Red Cross (ARC) along with three national media persons led by Secretary General Wolfgang Kopetzky observed the NRCS Community Development Project of the Khotang district from 2 to 5 December 2008. The main objective of the observation was to show how the NRCS is running community based development programmes. The ARC is supporting the Community Development Programme in Rukum and a drinking water and sanitation programme in Rolpa district from 2009. Meanwhile, the team also visited the NRCS Central Blood Transfusion Centre.

A programme was organized on 1 December 2008 in the NRCS national headquarters to inform the team about the overall programmes and activities. The Secretary General of the ARC inquired more about the Red Cross law, eye care programmes and the junior and youths’ participation in the humanitarian services. The NRCS Secretary General shared the ARC interest to partner with the NRCS in long-term programmes.

The Austrian journalists were expected to disseminate best practices and experiences of the CDP for fundraising purposes in Austria.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) During the conflict in Nepal between 1996 and 2006, issued a news release on 24 December 2008 thousands have been killed and over one thousand families recommending the Nepal Government to amend where still have no information on the fate or whereabouts of necessary the draft "bill on enforced disappearance of their loved ones. persons." The news release was issued to urge government to bring the bill in closer compliance with the obligations In August 2008, the ICRC published the names of more set out under International Humanitarian Law. Therefore, than 1,200 people following the first publication in the families of those who disappeared in the conflict February 2007, who were reported missing from the could apply to the Missing Persons Commission and conflict for getting public recognition for the families have their needs addressed. and acknowledgement of their suffering.

"We are ready to share what we know about those who The ICRC and the Nepal Red Cross Society have been went missing and to support the process of recovery and supporting the families of the missing since 1999. identification of human remains," says Mary Werntz, the head of the ICRC delegation in Kathmandu. Nepal Red Cross Society Newsletter 5 Sudarshan Adhikari

For the first time, the NRCS entered in a Global Accident Insurance for the NRCS 2,225 programme volunteers through the IFRC. Under this scheme, the Red Cross Action Team (RCAT) volunteers (supported by the ICRC), first aid volunteers and key governance volunteers from district and central level are being insured every year from February 2009 onwards. From a long time back, the NRCS, using its own resources, has managed the provision of medical and accidental insurance to all headquarters staff and the volunteers of the Central Executive Committee. The history of national-level volunteering service in Nepal began with the collection and distribution of the relief materials to assist the victims of the 1934 earthquake in Kathmandu when 8,519 persons were dead and 43,342 buildings had collapsed. After this event, the services became more rampant to assist in other occasions. Many people in Nepal are involved in social, religious and mutual support in one way or the other. In many communities, social welfare works such as building academic institutions and public constructions such as taps, roads, temples etc. are constructed on community level. With its establishment in 1964, the Nepal Red Cross Society mobilised volunteers for neutral and impartial humanitarian services to the affected people. In line with the Federation Volunteering Policy 199, the NRCS defines a volunteer as a person who provides regularly or when needed voluntary service for the welfare of humanity being affiliated with the organization in accordance with the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross. Volunteering is an activity. The NRCS constitution has also clearly defined “RC volunteer” and “RC member”. Currently, the NRCS has 104,435 volunteers who can be mobilized immediately when humanitarian services are to be provided. These volunteers have their own specific skills on first aids services, disaster management, rescue and response, and so on. The volunteers have also participated in trainings and workshops for their capacity building. There are a million members of the NRCS who are also being mobilised depending on the need during emergencies. In the floods of east and west this year, 400 volunteers were mobilized regularly for three months for assessment, coordination and relief distribution. The NRCS members also helped in the flood operations by collecting relief items from their own places. These members have been playing key roles in providing health, sanitation, first aid and blood services to the people across the country. Sometimes, the NRCS members and volunteers play professional roles. There is a special commitment in the statutes that the entry of volunteers is open to all. And special provisions are made to encourage women and backward communities in the programmes (and thereby in the organisation) through capacity building.

The NRCS has been working continuously to build its volunteers’ capacity at all levels to deliver improved humanitarian services to the needy people. The Volunteer Management Programme started capacity development activities of the volunteers in 2005. The Korean Red Cross Society assisted the NRCS Volunteer Management Programme for two years and the Swedish Red Cross is assisting the programme to establish a system for the volunteer management on the all levels of the NRCS.

The NRCS has a Volunteer Management Policy, and a Volunteer Manual has been developed following the policy. The Manual is being used on all organizational levels. A web page has been developed (www.rcvolunteers.org.np) which will be linked with the NRCS website (www.nrcs.org) soon. It has started a database of volunteers throughout the country. The Volunteer Management Information System (VMIS) has been set up on the national level. During the last four years, two Volunteer Investment and Value Volunteers working in a group for capacity building Audits have been completed.

For better planning, mobilization, recognition and retention of the volunteers, the NRCS has started capacity building initiatives and a database system for all volunteers since 2008. This will provide complete information on the volunteers, which can be used by all programmes and stakeholders as per their need. The NRCS has a received a very positive support to the intervention in the volunteer management from all associated to it

There are many things to be done by the Society for improving the performance and recognition of its volunteers. A database has to be set up on district- and sub-chapter levels. The volunteers need further training and orientation. The NRCS volunteer management section is to be further strengthened so that it can work more effectively. The best practices and the lessons learnt of the volunteering within the RCRC Movement are to be shared in a common forum more regularly.

Nepal Red Cross Society Newsletter 6 -Andrea Reisinger

Indra Adhikari, Communication Director for coordination role for emergency shelter was Indra: With a good preparedness plan we can the Nepal Red Cross Society, talked to Andrea taken on for the Koshi River flood response. save more lives and funds. What is the importance Reisinger, Federation Representative to Nepal, In this context, the Federation office in Nepal of preparedness for the NRCS? about the Federation support mechanism, NRCS had two roles: to support the NRCS in its response capacity, continued relief operation response with the launch of the emergency Andrea: Disaster Preparedness is important for and partnership. Here is an excerpt of the appeal and the provision of technical expertise, better response. The NRCS is supported by many interview. and to lead the emergency shelter coordination. partners to carry out community preparedness For the latter, an experienced IFRC team came programs in disaster prone districts. The IFRC Indra: Andreaji, when did start your Red Cross to Nepal to coordinate emergency shelter is mainly focusing on policy and harmonization work? stakeholders in the field. Due to the large issues, as the NRCS has enough experience to displacements, the Koshi River flood was a implement community based programmes. The Andrea: My parents were Red Cross volunteers. very complex disaster – in the nature of the IFRC support focuses mostly around the Global After primary school, I went to the Red Cross response more comparable to an earthquake. Alliance on Disaster Risk Reduction, Alliance office of my village and then only I went to my For the NRCS, the cluster approach is only a of DRR stakeholders to further push the DRR home. My mother was spending most of her new terminology, as the NRCS has been agenda and to link the national with the regional time there. When I started university and studied coordinating the NFRI distributions for the past and global level. International Humanitarian Law, I found another years. The IFRC comes in as a support role of the Red Cross. Out of this interest I was coordination mechanism only during larger Regarding earthquake preparedness a lot was connected to the Austrian Red Cross achieved in the past years, when we supported Headquarters. This is the seventh year of my the NRCS to draft its contingency plan for an involvement in the Red Cross. During this time, earthquake in Kathmandu valley. A simulation I came to Sri Lanka in the tsunami operation exercise was carried out to raise awareness and now I am in Kathmandu as an IFRC delegate. amongst NRCS governance and senior Indra: You have a good RC family background management. Our RC Movement Partners and as well as long involvement in the Red Cross IFRC DM experts from the Regional and Zone works. You have also worked both in normal office, as well as UNOCHA participated in the and conflict situation. What do you find the role exercise. The drafting of the contingency plan of the IFRC in responding to the emergency? was however only the beginning; now the plan needs to be operationalized and the gaps Andrea: In times of natural disaster, the IFRC’s identified in the exercise need to be addressed, main role is to support the National Society with especially in the area of communication. its operation and with the coordination of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners. Indra: There are national and international For this, the IFRC has a strong support partners supporting the NRCS in its mission. mechanism, which was tested in Nepal in 2007 How do you see the role of communication in during the monsoon season and in 2008 for the partnership? Koshi River Flood response. Our surge capacity is established from regional (New Delhi) to zonal Andrea: Communication is very important in (Kuala Lumpur) to headquarters (Geneva) level. two ways - one is technical systems and the other Personally, I have had very positive experiences is sharing information. When we tested the of the RC Movement’s coordination and contingency plan for the earthquake we faced cooperation mechanism in Nepal and before in complex emergencies. The lessons learnt are communication challenges between RC Sri Lanka, where the IFRC worked together with the more organisations cooperate with the cluster Movement partners and the NRCS. It was equally the ICRC to provide support to thousands of lead, the more they can influence. hard to start communication with the outside people affected by the Tsunami and the conflict. world. It is important to have the proper technical Indra: In the late monsoon, the western part communication means in place to be able to Indra: The IFRC has a coordination role and of Nepal was equally affected by floods like the communicate to each other after a disaster, when immediately after a week of your arrival in Nepal, eastern part. Red Cross demonstrated its normal communication networks, such as mobile there was a large scale natural disaster. What presence in both parts. The IFRC was phones, are down. Equally important to the is your experience in responding to natural supporting the NRCS in both operations. How technical aspect is is information sharing in times disaster? The role of the IFRC? The role of the do you assess the relief delivery in the Koshi of natural disasters. The better we communicate NRCS? region and the western part? the more others know what we are doing and have trust in our actions. This also makes us Andrea: The western flood was a typical more accountable to our beneficiaries. Also, Andrea: Within my 18 months in Nepal, we had through sharing information we can avoid to respond to two major natural disasters for monsoon flood whereas the Koshi flood was caused by negligence and lead to a large duplication of humanitarian services. which the IFRC launched an international appeal Communication has a lot of power. for the NRCS. In Nepal, the NRCS is the main number of IDPs. During a typical monsoon actor in responding to natural disasters because flood as in Kanchanpur and Kailali, in 2008 most people are able to return to their homes Indra: Finally, do you have anything as it is the leading humanitarian organization for complement to the interview now? the distribution of relief items. Since the Koshi after the water level recedes. In Sunsari, the Koshi River was inundating residential area Flood, the coordination mechanism for the Andrea: There is much more to say on how the international humanitarian response for and thus people were forced to stay in camps. As such, the extent of the Western flood was IFRC supports the NRCS and most of the above emergencies has changed in Nepal, as we shifted was focusing on disasters. The other core areas from the so called “one door system” to the smaller than the one in the East and the NRCS was able to cope with it; thus, the role of the of support for the NRCS are however equally cluster approach. This cluster based approach important and focus around the Global Alliance was introduced after the Tsunami on the global IFRC was limited to appealing for funds to replenish relief goods distributed. Having on HIV and the Operational Alliance on level by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Organisational Development. My doors are open in which the IFRC is a standing invitee. Here said this, Koshi took a lot of attention from the western floods, which has its own for interested to learn more about these two new different organizations take a lead coordination operating models of the Federation of the Futrure. role for particular sectors, such as WFP for food particularities, e.g. families refusing to return or UNICEF for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. to their original villages due to high risk of flooding. In the cluster system, the IFRC is the convener Hundreds of families are currently squatting of the emergency shelter cluster. This lead forest areas with a demand for new land. Nepal Red Cross Society Newsletter 7 Red Cross’s non-food relief items (NFRI) reached to 45,830 people of 7,635 families as floods and land- slides wrecked havoc in the western and far-western districts of Nepal. The eight affected districts were Kailali, Kanchanpur, Dadeldhura, Bardiya, Salyan, Doti, Dang and Gulmi.

Presently, Red Cross volunteers are engaged in distributing food from the World Food Programme to Houses collapsed in floods in Kailali district the affected population in Kailali and Kanchanpur. They distributed WFP food to above 207,400 persons of 31,200 families. The volunteers distributed 2,579 metric tonnes of WFP food (rice, pulse, oil and salt) to the flood- affected people in these regions. The Red Cross also got public and Government support for this operation.

More than 172,000 people or about 29,000 families were affected by these floods set off by torrential rainfall beginning September 19.

The NRCS national headquarters supplied non-food relief items to the districts to help bridge the gap between the existing needs in the region and the distribution that have been carried out. Red Cross has also supported the affected population with water and sanitation to avoid occurrence of water-borne diseases.

NRCS coordinated the distribution of relief assistance Shelter first: An old woman’s family under temporary shelter with government agencies as well as with international and local non-government organizations to deliver relief services. 8,000 affected families were supported by the appeal launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

With years of experience in responding to disasters such as this year’s in Nepal, the Nepal Red Cross has been working for community based disaster risk reduction, mitigating and preparing communities that live in harm’s way to face such life-threatening eventualities. A Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction programme has reached 47 districts of Nepal, in the process enhancing the coping capacity of the communities in times of natural disasters. People gathered at food distribution site in Kanchanpur

Communication and Humanitarian Values Department, Nepal Red Cross Society, Kathmandu Phone: 977-1-4272761, 4270650, 4270167, Fax: 977-1-4271915 E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.nrcs.org Editor - in - chief : Indra Adhikari Editor: Nirmal Adhikari

Nepal Red Cross Society Newsletter 8