Columbia SIPA

October 25, 2008 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY Workshop in Development Practice Preliminary Terms of Reference Fall 2008 – Spring 2009 Title: Community-Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) in North Sumatra, Indonesia [two potential projects – one to be selected in consultation with IIRR]: (1) Final Project Evaluation of Capacity Development through Participatory Action Learning – a pilot CMDRR project in Nias Island OR (2) Feasibility Study on Ecosystem-based CMDRR – a follow-up intervention to a livelihood project in Medan Client/Host International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), US Office Agency: 40 Exchange Place, Suite 1111, New York, NY 10005 Background: IIRR is an international development and training organization. The mission of IIRR is to enable the poor and their organizations to release their full potential to overcome poverty. By applying participatory approaches to developing capacity and sharing knowledge, IIRR works with communities, their organizations and other development actors to enable them to effect meaningful change toward better livelihoods, a sustainable environment, gender equity, increased civic engagement and improved health and education. Throughout the years, while working with poor rural communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America, IIRR has come to recognize the threat that natural disasters pose to livelihood, food security, health and nutrition of the poor. In 2004 IIRR added disaster risk management to its existing array of services. IIRR now works with communities and development practitioners in what is known as the field of Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) through implementation of projects, training, documentation of best practices and the development and dissemination of publications. Previously, IIRR has demonstrated its expertise in the area of CMDRR through specific regional initiatives which include the following: In Asia - disaster risk management was integrated into the IIRR-assisted project in the Bicol region following a major volcanic eruption in the early 80s. More recently, in the watershed management project in Bicol, community members and local government officers have been trained to more effectively assess their problems and needs for coping with disasters caused by typhoons and volcanic eruptions. In Africa - IIRR has worked with Cordaid on drought cycle management in the Greater Horn region since 2003. The project involves capacity development work with local NGOs in Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Tanzania to strengthen their work with communities affected regularly by droughts. Two international courses on CMDRR were held in 2006 for development practitioners from different organizations from Kenya, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Malawi and Tanzania. Five customized courses were also facilitated for various international NGOs In Latin America - IIRR worked on community disaster risk management with funding support from Lutheran World Relief (LWR). This work focused on capacity development at three levels in Peru and Bolivia: LWR country level staff, local partner organizations of LWR, and the communities with whom they work. In 2005, the 1st international course on Facilitating Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction was initialed and held in Ecuador. Cross-Border - To consolidate practice-based learning and innovations globally, IIRR and CordAid developed a training manual on CMDRR through organizing a writeshop in January 2007. The manual is a distillation of the experiences and lessons learned by CMDRR focal persons from IIRR Africa and Asia and the many participants of the CMDRR trainings. See Annexes 1 and 2 for background, objectives and deliverables for the two proposed projects. Requirements: Ideal candidates for the SIPA team should possess the following skills and experience: . Strong grounding in participatory tools and methodologies; . Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication and facilitation skills; . Experience in rural community-based development, including feasibility studies and/or evaluation, particularly with a focus on disaster risk reduction; . Experience in the region or country; . Proficiency in Bahasa Indonesia is a plus. Logistics: The SIPA team will develop an understanding of the relevant project through reviewing relevant documentation and communicating with IIRR Regional Center for Asia staff. IIRR’s regional team will work with the SIPA team electronically throughout the project including preparation for and during visit(s) to Indonesia. Team members will do research and planning from New York, and travel to the Indonesia in January and March to meet with IIRR and Caritas/Cordia staff and to conduct fieldwork. Throughout the course of the project, the SIPA team will stay in regular contact with staff of IIRR’s Regional Center for Asia and US Office regarding the 2 progress of the work via e-mail, phone, Skype, and in-person meetings. Caritas/Cordia will cover all costs related to local travel, food and accommodation while in Indonesia. Caritas/Cordia will also help with interpreters for the field visits. 3 Annex 1 Final Project Evaluation of Capacity Development through Participatory Action Learning, Indonesia – a pilot CMDRR project on Nias Island, North Sumatra, Indonesia The December 2004 tsunami and March 2005 earthquake destroyed hundreds of buildings hospitals, ports, and the commercial centre of Nias Island in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The death toll was in the thousands. But earthquakes, flash floods, landslides and overall environmental degradation are common occurrences in Nias. Caritas Keuskupan Sibolga (CKS) is a humanitarian organization that was founded by Sibolga Diocese in response to the December 2004 tsunami and later to the March 2005 earthquake. CKS provides services to communities affected by these and other natural disasters including physical reconstruction, livelihood development, health and disaster risk reduction. In July 2007, IIRR was commissioned by CKS to provide technical assistance in designing and implementing a CMDRR pilot project on Nias Island. The goal of this project has been to develop the capacity of CKS and its two selected partner organizations in establishing two CMDRR projects in both rural and urban communities in Nias Island. In order to achieve this goal, the project sought to accomplish the following activities: . Determine training needs for target groups (CKS and its two local partners) and develop appropriate training programs; . Equip the target groups with the concepts, methods and tools for facilitating participatory disaster risk assessments and community action planning; . Facilitate the target groups in preparing its own community disaster risk reduction action plans; . Facilitate target groups in developing a project monitoring and evaluation framework and in institutionalizing participatory self-monitoring and evaluation within community organizations; . Equip target groups with the tools to enable self-assessment; . Document and share best practices on the application of CMDRR for the particular target groups and communities. IIRR would now like the assistance of a SIPA team in carrying out an evaluation of the project. The objective of this project is to conduct an independent final project evaluation of the Capacity Development through Participatory Action Learning project in Indonesia. The evaluation will look at the following elements: . Overall effectiveness of the design and management of the CMDRR project; . Progress towards achieving the project’s goals, objectives, associated outputs and intended impact; . Documentation of lessons learned about what worked and what did not work; . Recommendations on ways that the program’s relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability can be improved; . Project contribution to building resilient communities and decreasing disaster risks in the target areas. 4 The expected deliverables include: . An end-of-project evaluation design that outlines the objectives, methods, tools and plan for analysis with detailed work plan; . Draft report outline; . Draft report; . Presentation of preliminary findings and recommendations to CKS in March 2009; . Final report; . A public presentation of findings and recommendations at SIPA in April 2009 and a presentation to IIRR staff and board members. 5 Annex 2 Feasibility Study on an Ecosystem-based CMDDR – A follow-up intervention to Livelihood rehabilitation for the 2006 flood-affected people in Bengkel Village, Besitang Sub-District, Langkat Regency (North Sumatra) Indonesia Cordia Caritas Medan is an international development organization that provides social services to marginalized communities in Medan, Indonesia. In response to the challenges specific to the region of North Sumatra, Cordia developed a strategic plan focusing on four main areas of intervention including Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Preparedness, Livelihoods, HIV/AIDS and Community-Based Rehabilitation for the Disabled and Handicapped. The DRR program aims to “strengthen the capacity of local communities to develop an environment and behavior of safety and resilience at all levels, to reduce the risk to future disaster through the implementation of training, documentation, and best practices.” The Livelihoods program aims to “achieve livelihood securities and self-development through the implementation and improvement of micro-enterprises that also strengthen the civil society’s social and economical well beings and equitability.” In January 2008, IIRR was commissioned

Load more