Elements of Disaster Resilience: Lessons from Bangladesh

Elements of disaster resilience: lessons from Bangladesh

Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred Approaches to Disaster Management Project

Funded by

from the Department for International Development Sustainable & Diverse Livelihoods building disaster resilient communities

Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred Approaches to Disaster Management Project any poor people in rural needs, capacity and opportunities. Bangladesh live in areas subject With improved knowledge and support Mto extreme flooding and mechanisms, several thousand riverbank erosion which destroy their vulnerable families from flood-prone, crops, homes and livelihoods, river eroded areas of Bogra, Gaibandha undermining their economy, health and and Sirajganj districts now have the nutritional security.. Two key strategies capacity to reduce their vulnerability to are generally considered to reduce disaster risks. vulnerability to disaster: 1) decreasing the impacts of hazards on lives and Livelihood diversification resources through prevention, protection and preparedness; and 2) through on-farm and off-farm increasing resilience by strengthening activities and diversifying livelihood options. Increased income can be achieved On-farm activities: Training in practical through skill development for technologies and skills for farming alternative or diversified livelihood activities, such as profitable livestock options, both on farm and off farm. (cow, goat, sheep) rearing, poultry The 'Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred (duck, hen, pigeon) rearing, bee- Approaches to Disaster Management' keeping/apiculture, homestead (DRR) Project of Practical Action gardening, garlic and watermelon Bangladesh has used a sustainable cultivation, early maturing rice livelihoods approach to demonstrate cultivation, nursery establishment and positive development impacts that fruit sapling plantation, were provided increase resilience and the ability to to individuals and groups (project adapt to climate change. The project participants). The project also provided has promoted a number of on-farm and appropriate inputs to the trainees. off-farm activities based on local 4,000 families in the project locations are now using newly acquired increased earnings, but also provided knowledge and skills. Gainful alternative sources of income. Two employment has been stimulated years after receiving a goat, a within the communities, leading to beneficiary can be earning Taka increased earnings, the ability to 5,000-6,000 per year. The income satisfy basic needs and increased from a cow can be Taka 45,000 - disaster resilience. 60,000 per year. Apiculture is a profitable and popular enterprise This appropriate needs-based approach among landless households, requiring has resulted in measurable economic little land, simple technology, and a gains by beneficiary families. Livestock high market price for the honey.. This interventions have had significantly intervention has been replicated both greater impacts on strengthening within and beyond the project areas, livelihoods than purely agricultural creating income earning opportunities technologies. Cow, goat and sheep for many.. rearing have not only significantly

Farming the flood: floating vegetable gardening enable families to ensure household food supply during flooding. Off-farm activities: A number of off- sub-groups taking up separate farm activities, such as bamboo components such as raw material product-making (handicraft), mat- collection, marketing etc; each group making, blanket making, curd contributing to the production of the production and seed preservation, end product. Each component can were promoted under the project by even be run as a separate competitive providing training to selected enterprise. Curd production was a participants. The project also completely new way of generating provided equipment to the trained income for the community. The persons so that they could begin beneficiaries who received training in earning money using their newly these skills are now earning money all gained skills. year round - even during the monsoon season, previously a period when no Packaging and blanket making have sources of income were available. been replicated within the community. Skilled beneficiaries involved in these The group of people involved may off-farm activities are now each choose to divide responsibilities with earning Taka 70 - 150 per day..

Neelmoni (left) of Kazipur received training on making bamboo products including 'darki,' a trap for fishes. A fishreman moves towards flooded spot to fix his traps to catch fish (right). Impacts of livelihoods promotion

The project beneficiaries have used their additional income from on- farm and off-farm activities to reduce their future vulnerability; raising their homestead plinths, repairing and strengthening their houses and improving their hygiene practices through flood-proofed latrines, and improving their water supply by installing flood-proofed Adaptation against odds: raised houses tube-wells. Some have also saved enable families to cope with flood. money in the bank or in mud pots in preparation for future needs. Their and even leasing land for increased income has enabled cultivation. Increased income has people to meet many needs such as increased food security, health, purchasing food, funding their well-being and the ability to cope children's education, buying or with hazards, shocks and stresses. making furniture, repaying loans

Opportunities/ Lessons learned The livelihoods-centred approach to existing livelihood strategies. This DRR has clearly demonstrated that objective was achieved by selecting skill training coupled with initial input new livelihood options through support can equip people with new participatory analysis, considering opportunities and enhanced ways of vulnerability, availability, effectiveness, earning a living. Improved incomes not adaptability and environment. Building only move people away from on locally available resources and destitution, but also increase their capacities ensured that many of the ability to cope with both predictable technologies chosen were replicable by and unpredictable shocks and stresses. the community without external Strengthening and diversifying support. It is important to work with livelihoods through skill development government departments and of on-farm and off-farm activities is personnel as much as possible, and easily replicable in other areas of the link communities with existing country and provides a means of government schemes and services. reducing poverty and vulnerability Involving government officials in while increasing resilience to project activities also provides an disastrous events. Livelihood opportunity for them to learn new diversification must not be done at the approaches and new ways of thinking expense of other initiatives, but rather that they may not have been exposed build on, complement and strengthen to before. Challenges Shortage of land for on-farm and off- expenditure and profit margins as well farm activities was found to be a major as the ability to label information to constraint, especially for extremely communicate with customers. More poor communities. The illiteracy of investment is needed for the some group members had the potential development of human resources that to cause problems, particularly in will further increase the resilience of understanding concepts of income, targeted households. The chain reaction: reaching the non-targeted Searching for and applying new, transfer mechanism was also suitable, sustainable mechanisms for promoted between non-beneficiaries the distribution of assets was a to non-beneficiaries successively. As a feature of the DRR project. Many result, although the project initially participants received a she-goat or distributed more than 1100 goats sheep from the project. During the and sheep among target households, distribution of these, the project the number of families that will participants were committed to hand benefit will continue increasing as over their 1st goat/sheep kid to offspring are handed on.. Close another vulnerable but non- supervision from the CBO and/or beneficiary family under the local government is needed for supervision of the CBO and Union effectiveness and sustainability of Parishad members. This asset this system.

At a village of Sariakandi, women gather to donate their sheep kids (left). A woman heads to her home with a young goat which she has just received from a neighbour as donation (right). his bank account. This money provides security in the event of a disaster. He has also purchased a cow as an additional source of income. In addition he has invested in risk reduction strategies, raising the plinth of his homestead, investing in a flood-proof tube well and building a cattle shelter. Khalilur Rahman - the Honey- He has become a renowned man from Kazipur! resource person in the locality, and has been hired by other organizations to facilitate training Khalilur Rahman of Kazipur Upazila, on apiculture. He also supplies Sirajganj, is an active and responsible apiculture boxes and bee colonies to community volunteer, trained in DRR. In new apiculture farmers. Over the 2007, following training on last three years, 20 other families beekeeping/apiculture, which included trained by Khalil have started visiting active bee-keepers to gain practical apiculture. Khalil plans to form a experience, Khalil received one apiculture beekeeping group where apiculture box (hive) and a colony of bees, (at a cost will be part of the farming system, to the project of 2000 taka). His initial creating alternative employment earnings from this single hive were Taka opportunities for local vulnerable 400-600 per month. Later he increased communities. his number of hives to four. In 2010, he is selling an average of 8 kg of honey, worth Khalilur Rahman is now renamed, at least Taka 2,400, each month. This has and well known in his neighborhood allowed Khalil to repay a previous loan of and beyond as "Madhu Khalil or Taka 5,000 and deposit Taka 10,000 in Khalil the Honey-man".

Packaging dreams through small enterprise Under small enterprise development, the supply of packaging. project developed new skills of women and girls of flood-affected families to The group has a good number of create and diversified their income orders, regularly selling packaging generation opportunities to support their goods worth Taka 5,000-6,000 per families both in normal and disaster member each month. With profits of periods. In 2009, 10 selected vulnerable Taka 1,200 -1,500 per household women beneficiaries of Kamarjani of per month, those women are self- Gaibandha district received training and reliant and contributing to the input support on packaging (box-making). family income. Some are paying for They initiated the production of various their children's education, preparing types of packet for supplying to different stronger housing and installing shops in the local markets. This group sanitary latrines. Their success has has establishing good linkages with a positive influence on their society famous sweet and sari shops in and contributes to the disaster Gaibandha, providing them with a regular resilience of their community.. Rubia (front) of Polashpur village of Kazipur, with some of her neighbours, received training on packaging (box- making). With the new skills, Rubiya and her fellows initiated a small enterprise of box-making, with a regular supply to local shops which ensures their income throughout the year.

This publication is a part of a compilation For more information: entitled 'Elements of disaster resilience: lessons Practical Action Bangladesh from Bangladesh' published under the House 12/ B, Road 4, Dhanmondi Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred Approaches to Disaster Management Project of Practical Dhaka -1205, Bangladesh Action Bangladesh supported by UKaid from the T +880 2 8650439, 9675236, 9675243

Department for International Development F +880 2 9674340 Practical Action 2010 (DFID)/ Conflict and Humanitarian Fund (CHF). E [email protected] W www.practicalaction.org Cluster Housing a pathway to reduced disaster risk and poverty alleviation

Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred Approaches to Disaster Management Project eople are at risk from natural families of the project areas. Their hazards because of their social, physical insecurity and exposure Peconomic and environmental pointed to a hopeless future. Without vulnerability.. While their capacity to safe housing they were unable to make prepare for and respond to hazards can a living. lessen the scale and impact of potentially disastrous events, "Cluster Housing" is an initiative which increasing their resilience is the key to establishes a group of houses in a reducing their risk of suffering losses. particular location which is above the Families living in disaster-prone areas, level of the highest recorded floods. with the ever-present risk of physical 135 homeless families were housed in damage, are unable to engage in six cluster villages in safe localities in sustainable income generating Bogra, Gaibandha and Sirajganj activities. districts. These homes not only reduced the physical exposure of the Practical Action Bangladesh, under the families, but also enabled them to project 'Mainstreaming Livelihood- engage in a range of different Centred Approaches to Disaster productive economic activities which Management' (DRR), recognized the increased their resilience. plight of the landless and homeless

Target groups The selected beneficiaries of cluster housing used to live on embankments or in other people's houses. Their houses were in very poor condition, major repaired by every year. They did not have safe drinking water or hygienic sanitation facilities. They did not have scope for cattle and poultry rearing or land to cultivate vegetables or plant trees. They couldn't go away to sell their labour due to unsecured houses and most of them suffered from asset loss due to floods. Their dreams come true - by signing the notarized papers, now they have homes of their own.

Translating a dream into reality

Beneficiary families were selected in Committee designed the position of consultation with local community- individual houses within the village based organizations (CBOs), the Union according to the available land and its Parishad (UP), the elected local location. All construction related government body with final activities were done using local labour. endorsement from the UP Chairman. The beneficiaries' contributed about 3- Suitable land was identified by the 5% of the total cost. local population on the basis of UP determined criteria and purchased in After construction, each house in each the name of local implementing village was handed over to a pre- partner organizations. The selected selected family.. A notarized agreement beneficiary families helped to raise the was signed between the family and the land above flood level, while being local implementing partner made aware of their roles and organization under which a piece of responsibilities and the facilities they land, the house on it, and the common would receive. facilities of the cluster village were leased to the family for 99 years. Each A 'Cluster Village Implementation beneficiary agreed to their shared and Committee,' consisting of a concerned individual responsibilities and an UP member, members of the local informal management committee was community based organizations formed in each village. A savings (CBOs), volunteers, elite persons and scheme was initiated for the funding of project staff were formed to coordinate cluster village development initiatives. cluster village construction. The A cluster village built in Sariakandi.

Salient features of DRR project cluster village

● Low-cost model (around Taka 40,000/house in 2009) tested using locally available materials (of C.I. sheet and RCC pillars )

● Village plinth raised 2 feet higher than 1988's (the highest) flood level

● Each one-room house has cooking and gardening space (1.5-2 decimal/house)

● Houses are made flood and moderate storm resistant

● Access to safe drinking water (1 tube-well for 5 families) and hygienic sanitation (1 latrine for 2 families) facilities are in place

● A pond providing water for domestic chore and space for fish culture (e.g. in Kazipur)

● Scope for home-gardening to grow vegetables for household consumption Security leading to serenity in lives A fixed home address in a cluster status of beneficiaries has noticeably village has many benefits including a improved. Good social networks have sense of security, both physical and been established within the clusters. mental. The legal lease holding of a In Kamarjani (Gaibandha), an informal house and a piece of land has school has been established in the increased feelings of well-being and community house of the cluster village social cohesion. Increased income, providing children and adult education. better nutrition, and proper water and sanitation facilities are keeping them Challenges and opportunities healthy and fit for work. Households are now able to engage in economic The cluster housing initiatives of the activities such as cattle or poultry DRR project clearly demonstrated that rearing. They can grow vegetables in participatory planning and community- their small gardens. Women are free driven approaches are essential for the from disaster impacts during critical successful achievement of sustainable times like during pregnancy and child community development. The provision delivery.. In many instances, the social of safe housing has been shown to not only reduce loss of assets, but also to consider whether livelihood allows the spontaneous uptake of opportunities are available. Suitable income generating activities previously affordable land for cluster village is beyond the reach of homeless people. often hard to find in river-eroded areas. The increased cohesion and The design and materials used for strengthening of the relationships house construction needs to take between the rehabilitated families is account of local culture, demands and very important for mutual gain, to availability. tackle complex situations and for ensuring support from local The cluster villages of the DRR project government institutions and other have demonstrated how a relatively low service providers. cost intervention has ensured the security of vulnerable peoples' assets Several issues have been identified and lives. Physical security has created during the implementation of the income opportunities for the relocated cluster village initiatives. When people contributing to their overall choosing suitable sites it is necessary disaster resilience.

Women busy with domestic chores. Cluster housing raised the confidence of Nurul Islam

"Now I am no more vulnerable to devastated flood of 1998, he could flooding as my new home is raised not recover homestead and was two feet higher than the flood level forced to live with misery in relative of 1998" houses.

Nurul Islam (55), a river-eroded Nurul Islam's family was selected hardcore poor living in Goghat by the DRR project to be housed in village of Gaibandha District having the cluster village considering their one son and three daughters. Once vulnerable social and economic he had arable land, homestead, conditions. Presently, he is no cows, goats and other household longer vulnerable to river erosion assets. But he lost everything due and has gained his lost confidence. to frequent river erosion, turning He boldly expressed "We are no into a vulnerable landless day longer treated as refugees. We are labourer dependent upon others and free from social violence, getting all unable to provide three times meals kinds of facilities, social networks, a day for his family.. "I have changed earning sources and linkages with my home at least 12 times and others. I am very happy and grateful rebuilt my homestead with hard to Practical Action Bangladesh as labour after each erosion period" well as SKS for proving us a Nurul Islam said. But after the permanent address".

Like a fugitive, river erosion forced Nurul Islam to take refuge in many places. Now he has a safe home. Nurul Islam with his family in front of his new home at cluster village (right) and immediate past house (left). Living at cluster village, Shahana feels as secure as the baby in her lap. For the first time in her life she has a secure place to live. Shahana moved to the cluster village built at Salabhora village of Kazipur when it opened in early 2009. She was chosen by her peers in the local community, because she had nowhere secure to live with her husband and young baby.. She said that the best thing about the new village is that it gives her security, this means that her husband, a casual day-labour, can travel further for work without having to worry about her because the villagers all look after each other.

Department for International Development F +880 2 9674340 Practical Action 2010 (DFID)/ Conflict and Humanitarian Fund (CHF). E [email protected] W www.practicalaction.org Improved WatSan Facilities for increase resilience of vulnerable community

Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred Approaches to Disaster Management Project espite Bangladesh's notable The 'Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred progress in water & sanitation Approaches to Disaster Management' Dprovisions for its people, these (DRR) Project of Practical Action facilities are still limited in most flood- Bangladesh identified the need for prone areas. Most of the existing hand- safe water and sanitation in the pumped tube-wells and latrines in targeted flood-prone project areas of these areas are not resistant to Bogra, Gaibandha and Sirajganj flooding. In the 'Flood emergency districts. Accesses to hygienic WatSan response, preparedness and risk facilities have been shown to be a management Survey of 2007' crucial element in improving general Practical Action found that due to health and well-being, contributing to inappropriate technology 98% of tube- more resilient livelihoods and the wells in rural areas were inundated ability to cope with disasters. The each year during the seasonal floods. project promoted appropriate models In the absence of safe drinking water for hand-pumped tube-wells and people are forced to consume sanitary latrines which demonstrably contaminated water, resulting in reduced the vulnerability and improved people suffering from serious illnesses the health of beneficiary communities. such as diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera, typhoid and sometimes even death.

Purpose of water & sanitation activities ● Enhance access of target groups to basic level of water supply and sanitation using appropriate technology

● Reduce incidence of water-borne diseases, especially during periods of inundation

● Promote sustainable water and sanitation services in flood-prone areas

● Ensure privacy of women and adolescent girls

● Build capacity of communities to minimize the problems relating to water and sanitation Salient features of water & sanitation activities

● Consider existing practice of the community

● Innovative model with appropriate cost-effective technology

● Demonstration of models

● Orientate users on maintenance

● Both tube-well and latrine platforms are above highest flood level

● All tube-wells were tested for arsenic

● System developed for common users to maintain the tube-wells and latrines

Flood-proof Tube-wells To ensure year-round access to safe arsenic contamination in the ground drinking water, a total of 162 flood- water. With active instruction from the proof elevated tube-wells were DPHE Engineer in each Upazila (lowest installed in the three project locations. administrative unit), the installation Normally at least 10 families or 50 started. The area of each tube-well people access safe drinking water from platform or base was 5 feet x 5 feet, each tube-well. This number rises to with a final height of two feet above 20 families or 100 people during flood the 1998 flood level - the highest ever times. recorded for the area. On average the bases were 3-4 feet above the ground. Before installation, information on the All platforms were constructed with expected depth of the water table for a bricks, sand and cement. All tube-wells locality was collected from the were installed 15-20 feet away from Department of Public Health the nearest latrine. Toolkits with Engineering (DPHE) and the Union necessary components were provided Parishad (local government body). All to trained caretakers for routine repair tube-well sites were tested by DPHE for and maintenance.

Workers set a fire to join pipes during the installation phase of a flood-proof tube-well. "Now we are no more vulnerable due to lack of safe drinking water, especially in flood period."

Anguri Bewa (45), Hindukandi village, Sariakandi, Bogra

Anguri Bewa has lost all her arable and homestead land to river erosion. This has happened four times in her life. She now lives on the embankment. Previously she had no source of safe drinking water near her home; she had to collect drinking water from other well for safe drinking water. people's houses about a kilometer away. Recognising the need of Anguri During periods of flooding, she often Bewa and others like her, the had no alternative other than to use project has installed a flood- river water. This meant that her family proof raised tube-well nearby members were frequently affected by which now supplies safe drinking various waterborne diseases. Due to water for not only her family but her poverty she did not have the also for her neighbours. financial resources to install a tube-

Raising of a tube-well platform in progress. Flood-proof Sanitary Latrines A total of 437 flood-proof sanitary concrete rings with a water trap pan latrines have been installed in the slab at the top. The project followed three project locations. In normal ring and slab construction standards in periods, a family of 5 will use a single consultation with the local DPHE. latrine, but during periods of flooding Before starting construction, the as many as 6 families (30 people) will adjacent ground was compacted need to use a single latrine. appropriately.. The latrine bases were constructed with brick, sand and The hygienic flood-proof model is cement, with the finished slab placed basically a pit type latrine in which the 1-2 feet above the flood level of 1998. earthen pit is protected by five

A mason finishes the base of a flood-proof latrine (left) replacing an unhygenic latrine (right). "We are now saved from water-borne diseases by using sanitary latrine supported by Practical Action." Hazi Kubbas Hossain (58) Karaibari village, Kamarjani union, Gaibandha In response to both the frequency of flooding and the villagers' capacity, the DRR project installed 49 flood- friendly sanitary latrines in Karaibari village of Kamarjani Union using low cost technology.. At the same time courtyard meetings to increase awareness on health and hygiene were conducted with the village inhabitants. Once people had become aware of the benefits of improved sanitary arrangements and how these contribute to reducing their exposure to disaster risks, people began to rubbish and no bad roadside install sanitary latrines using the smells. Less disease means lower approved technology.. As a result they expenditure on medicines by have become used to using sanitary families and children with better latrines, reducing the incidence of health. Women are also getting water-borne diseases. privacy and safety from floods. Karaibari, with 80% sanitation Karaibari village is now free from coverage, is a model village in defecation in the open, with less Kamarjani Union.

Impact of flood-tolerant Tube-well and Sanitary Latrine The elevated tube-wells and flood- better health and lower economic proof latrines have ensured safe water losses. This was clearly evident during and hygienic sanitation all-the-year- the devastating floods of 2007 when round in targeted flood-prone areas. disease outbreaks were reported to be This reduces the incidence of disease higher in areas not covered by the DRR and hence disaster risks. During project's water and sanitary flooding the tube-wells installed interventions. The vulnerable through the project serve more than communities have welcomed these 16,000 people while the latrines are technologies and mainstreaming is used by more than 13,000 people in already underway.. Local government the three project areas. This leads to authorities have already started to fewer cases of diarrhoea, dysentery and replicate these technologies under other water-borne diseases, reflected in their annual development activities. Transferring Technology from one hand to another

Anisur Rahman Uzzal (35), Kamarjani, Gaibandha.

Noting that the DRR project's raised tube-wells were not inundated during the floods of 2007 and 2008, Uzzal was motivated to raise his own tube- well using the demonstrated technology. In addition, he persuaded and assisted his relatives and "I am really motivated by the neighbours to adopt this simple initiatives of Practical Action technology and helped to spread the demonstrating raised tube-well installation of flood-free tube-wells considering the flood level." to other parts of his village. Kulsum of Dhekuria village of Kazipur washing clothes with tube-well water. Located on the river side of an embankment, her house usually inundates during seasonal flooding. Her husband lost his eye-sight for which the family has to struggle for a living. The family had no source of water of their own - for drinking and for domestic use. When the flood attacks, tube-wells in neighbouring homes inundate and discharge contaminated water. The project has installed a flood-proof raised tube- well near her house which now ensures the availability of safe water. She says, "It's really great help, not for only me, but also for my neighbours".

Department for International Development F +880 2 9674340 Practical Action 2010 (DFID)/ Conflict and Humanitarian Fund (CHF). E [email protected] W www.practicalaction.org Community-based Organization a vehicle to community risk reduction

Community-based organization providers, CBOs initially established (CBO) is a group of community with a disaster mitigation agenda can A members who voluntarily come also support local development together to contribute to the overall initiatives. development of their community.. They are often initially motivated by the Realizing these opportunities, Practical need to tackle a particular local issue Action Bangladesh, under its or problem, such as DRR. With 'Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred appropriate facilitation, training and Approaches to Disaster Management' equipment, CBOs in disaster-prone (DRR) Project, facilitated the areas can initiate and support positive, establishment of three CBOs in Bogra sustainable changes that promote (Sariakandi), Gaibandha (Kamarjani disaster resilience within their Union) and Sirajganj (Maizbari and communities. Their social standing Kazipur Sadar Unions). The CBOs and influence allows them to adopt an have not only worked as entry points ambassadorial role, promoting disaster for DRR initiatives in these flood-prone risk reduction (DRR) at the grassroots areas; they are expected to continue to level. At the same time, by exist and continue to promote disaster establishing linkages with other local resilient livelihoods beyond the life of development institutions and service the project.

Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred Approaches to Disaster Management Project CBO formation process ● Build rapport with persons respected by the community ● Identify potential persons having leadership skills ● List people from all walks of life willing to serve their community ● Primary discussions with the group about the DRR project ● Create a working group by mobilizing people with specific, basic skills and commitment to serve all including the most vulnerable members of the community ● Identify roles and responsibilities of the 'community organization' ● Formation of a general assembly of 21-31 persons and an executive committee of 7 nominated members ● Build their capacity on leadership, disaster management and early warning ● Strengthen the organization by formulating a constitution, establishing an office, sources of income, providing resources such as an evacuation boat and early warning equipment, and registering with government system.

Roles of CBOs in disaster risk reduction and development The DRR project has highlighted the important roles CBOs play before, during and after disasters. They have worked closely with the project to implement project activities and achieve the prioritised outputs. The CBO members have helped to develop 'Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction Plans' for their respective communities. They have overseen the implementation of planned activities early warning messages as and when and helped to increase awareness of required. During floods, they have DRR issues, through various helped to organize and conduct search campaigns including informal and rescue operations along with local courtyard sessions, rallies and cultural administrations. They have also shows with appropriate messages. planned, organized and conducted They maintain close links with the relief delivery with aid agencies. CBOs Union Parishad (the elected body for a play an important role in maintaining Union - the lowest local government contact with other humanitarian unit), its Union Disaster Management organizations as well as government Committee (UDMC), the community service providers. CBOs provide a vital volunteers, local NGOs and the link between the communities they community in general. CBOs regularly represent and the outside authorities monitor disaster threats and provide and services on which people depend. Lessons from CBO initiative: Challenges and opportunities Well constituted CBOs can help accountability, poor chain of command communities to evaluate, plan for and and dependency on project support take collective actions to meet resulted in ineffective institutions. specific, regular or emergency needs. Ensuring the stand-alone long-term The DRR project has shown that CBOs sustainability of the CBO is make a real contribution to the challenging. Experiences in resilience and long-term development Bangladesh and elsewhere have shown of communities. In the event of an that two to three years may not be emergency, CBOs can mobilize the sufficient for the establishment of a community to implement their confident, self-reliant CBO. An exit contingency plans, providing an initial strategy in relation to CBOs needs to response before external support be planned from their initial arrives. They can also help establishment. The creation of formal communities to manage existing or linkages with local government potential conflict situations by institutions (e.g. Union Parishad) and enhancing social harmony and government service providers can community cohesion. The operation, support and significantly contribute to self-reliance and sustainability of a the long-term viability of these CBO is dependent on their having a organizations. source of income. Saving schemes, including revolving funds, can contribute to their long-term viability.

While the value of CBOs as vehicles for both development and disaster risk reduction are undeniable, obstacles to achieving effective, committed CBOs have been encountered. In some instances lack of transparency and

CBOs in Flood 2007

During the floods of 2007, the CBO temporary cattle shelters; and members of all three project establishing temporary sanitary locations played a vital role, latrines and elevated tube-wells. On monitoring the flood threats, raising all occasions they took part in flood awareness in the wider community, shelter management and assisted in and disseminating early warnings to selecting beneficiaries for emergency the community using equipments relief distribution. supplied by the project. CBOs also participated in rescuing flood- Ashar Alo Unnayan Sangstha, the stranded peoples, evacuating houses CBO of Gaibandha, installed six damaged by river erosion, erecting temporary latrines in flood 2007. Dighalkandi Manob Unnayan Songstha - a vehicle for disaster risk reduction Dighalkandi Manob Unnayan Songstha, goats & sheep among hardcore poor consisting of 19 general members (10 households, and providing financial men, 9 women), was established on 27 support for treatment & marriage March 2007. The members of this CBO ceremony to hardcore poor households. of Sariakandi, Bogra, include community The CBO members have maintained leaders, young active persons, school close linkages with other stakeholders. teachers and other able persons from the For example, some CBO members are locality. As a part of capacity building, also members of Sariakandi Sadar UDMC this CBO received a series of trainings on Early Warning Committee and their disaster management, financial respective Ward Disaster Management management, and contingency planning. Committees. Aware of the importance of They then became involved with different raising funds to ensure its sustainability, social activities in their locality, such as this CBO is generating income through a early warning message collection & number of initiatives including poultry dissemination, courtyard meetings, rearing, cow rearing, beef fattening, rescue activities, tree plantation, and day renting out the rescue boat, weekly observations. They also assisted their savings, etc. while maintaining a bank community in raising homestead plinths, account. They are now working to installing tube wells & sanitary latrines, stimulate their community's development constructing livestock shelters, repairing and disaster risk reduction. embankments & roads, distributing free

CBO members, as part of the Early Jamuna Somajbettikh Sanghaton, the Warning Committee, always alert local CBO of Kazipur, Sirajganj, raised people about possible disasters money from the locality and helped to whenever needed. They collect flood arrange marriage of the daughter of forecast information from the Nazir Hossain living in Matherpara Bangladesh Water Development Board, village in 2008. In 2009, the CBO measure the water level in their locality members also helped with money to and verbally disseminate early warning arrange burial of Shree Jagobandhu, an messages to their community using extreme poor person of Kunkunia megaphones and public announcement village. systems of the local mosques.

Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred Approaches to Disaster Management Project During disasters, community volunteers can play a significant role to provide immediate support to the worst-affected families when outside respond delays.

xperiences of Bangladesh in trained and engaged 300 community disaster management have clearly volunteers in Bogra, Gaibandha and E shown that the first response and Sirajganj districts under the a significant proportion of the total "Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred support in disaster situations come Approaches to Disaster Management" from local people. It may take days for (DRR) Project. Community volunteers outside responders to enter affected are now playing an active role in the areas due to the time needed to society while acting as a defense group assemble personnel and resources, for the community.. The project transportation limitations, or provided training to the volunteers on unfamiliarity with the area. Given the disaster preparedness, mitigation, significant role a community can play rescue, evacuation, first aid, early in disaster prevention and emergency warning systems, climate change, and response, effective utilization of social disaster risk reduction. A simple capital is crucial in community-based Bangla pictorial guidebook, to which disaster management. they could refer, was given to each volunteer. A first-aid box was given to Realizing the importance of community each of the 10 volunteer groups. A volunteers in disaster risk reduction megaphone, radio, umbrella, uniform (DRR), Practical Action Bangladesh and cap was also supplied. Criteria for volunteer selection

● Permanent residence in respective union (local government unit) ● Age within 18-45 years ● Accepted by the community ● At least with primary level education ● In good health ● Hard-working, honest and sincere ● Have motivational capacity and attitude towards local development ● Ready to serve at least 10 households ● Willing to offer additional services as per project needs

Service stimulated by capacity building Each volunteer is responsible for 10 disaster preparedness activities, such households. The volunteers offer as courtyard meetings, rallies, day support to risk and resource mapping, observance, cultural programmes, identifying local problems and dramas, early warning, and establishing providing possible solutions. They linkages with local service providers. actively organize and participate in Following a disaster, volunteers

Volunteers in a group discussion session during training. participate in damage and loss meetings in their respective assessment, selecting worst affected communities. Through these meetings families for relief distribution, shifting community members are made aware affected people to safe flood shelters, of important issues such as plinth flood shelter management, funeral raising, raised tube wells, flood activities, while providing special proofing sanitary latrines, storing dry support to pregnant women, children, food, portable stoves, savings and the elderly and wounded people. Once the storage of saline solution and flooding has subsided volunteers medicines as risk reduction strategies. encouraged people to return to their Discussions have also been held on homes from the flood shelter. The storing cattle feed, shelter for animals enthusiasm and motivation of the and improved animal health through volunteers contributes to the on-going vaccination. As a result of this success of the community-based DRR acquired knowledge, many households, and livelihood initiatives. despite their economic constraints, have raised their homestead plinths, Community volunteers are directly sanitary latrines bases, and tube-well responsible for facilitating courtyard platforms above flood level. Volunteers raise awareness of community members on different issues through courtyard sessions. Planning meeting of volunteers.

Establish formal communication structure To ensure sustainability, community volunteers were formally linked with Union Disaster Management Committees (UDMCs) (local government's disaster management body), community based organizations (CBOs) and other service providers. 4% of the community volunteers contribute as active members of the five UDMCs of the project areas. CBOs and government service providers are aware of the role of the volunteers and use their help on a regular-basis during both disaster and non-disaster periods. All the project volunteers are to be coordinated by their respective UDMCs at the end of the project.

During the flood season (June- suffered from inundation. In September), the CBOs and early September the community volunteers, warning committee members trained during the project, rescued constituted under the DRR project 222 families (Bogra 50, Gaibandha 27 provided warnings on the flood and Sirajganj 145) from marooning situation in the three project locations. and erosion, and shifted them to safe Though flooding in 2008 was not places using the rescue boats supplied severe in all parts of the country, some by the project. low-lying areas of project locations "This year's the embankment, etc. (2007) flood During the flood of 2008, members gives us an of Dhalu Pramanik of Bogra opportunity to repaired the weakened test our skills embankment, saving about 3,000 and the households in six villages from knowledge that we have learned and being flooded. planned with support from Practical Action." During the floods of 2010, 4 Ayub Ali, a volunteer from families from Dhakuria Kamarzani Union of Gaibandha. embankment under Maizbari Union of Kazipur Upazilla were rescued by volunteers using the community's During the devastating flood of rescue boat. 2007, the volunteers of Kamarzani Some volunteers of Sariakandi Union of Gaibandha district (Bogra) wrote a drama script on collected money from the local DRR and performed the drama in elite, hired a boat and rescued 26 February 2009. About 1000 people flood affected family members from enjoyed the programme while being the char and placed them in secure made aware of the importance of places such as school buildings, on disaster preparedness

A scene from a drama staged by the volunteers in Bogra. Mahmuda (right), a community volunteer of Bogra, dresses the cut-finger of a woman. She saved three families of Partitparal village during the flood of 2009. One night, becoming aware of the impending danger, she rushed through the dark to inform the relevant CBO of the need to rescue the people. The CBO rescued people from the houses which were about to be eroded by the river with the assistance of volunteers and the project rescue boat.

Department for International Development F +880 2 9674340 Practical Action 2010 (DFID)/ Conflict and Humanitarian Fund (CHF). E [email protected] W www.practicalaction.org

The `Mainstreaming Livelihood-Centred Approaches to Disaster Management' is a multi-country project of Practical Action, under its Reducing Vulnerability & Natural Resource Management Programme. The project is funded by UKaid from the Department for International Development (DFID)/ Conflict and Humanitarian Fund (CHF). Started in January 2006, this five-year project is being implemented in Bangladesh, Nepal, Peru, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe with active participation of local partners. The Bangladesh component of the project, also referred to as 'DRR Project', directly worked with 6,000 vulnerable families of five unions of Gaibandha Sadar upazila (Kamarjani union) of Gaibandha district, Sariakandi upazila (Sadar and Narchi unions) of Bogra district, and Kazipur upazila (Sadar and Maizbari unions) of Sirajganj district. All three upazilas are situated on the west bank of the mighty river Jamuna and vulnerable to recurrent river flooding and river erosion. The main aspect of the project is to develop, test and promote a model for livelihood-centred approach to disaster risk reduction taking into account local vulnerabilities. To do so, different relevant options were tested, resource materials and knowledge products were developed, and the livelihood-centred approach was advocated at different levels for further adoption. This compilation - Elements of disaster resilience: lessons from Bangladesh - summarizes the experience of the Bangladesh component of the DRR Project. Five important elements of this initiative, namely livelihood options, cluster housing, water & sanitation, community-based organizations (CBOs), and volunteers, are included in this compilation. A summary of the compilation in Bangla is also included.

Compilation and publication team Md. Zainal Abedien, Selim Uddin Ahmed Implementing partners Md. Rezaul Haque, Amzad Hossen Haseeb Md. Irfanullah

Kazi Shahidur Rahman, Farhana Sharmin

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R E I A C D O E V S E L A M O PMENT PROG R Acknowledgement SoMaSHTe- Society for Media and Suitable Human Communication Techniques

For more information: This material has been funded by UKaid Practical Action Bangladesh from the Department for International House 12/ B, Road 4, Dhanmondi Development, however the views expressed Dhaka -1205, Bangladesh do not necessarily reflect the department’s T +880 2 8650439, 9675236, 9675243

official policies. F +880 2 9674340 Practical Action 2010 E [email protected] W www.practicalaction.org