Overview
In India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, at least 3,513 people died or were missing following the tsunami in 2004. The remote Nicobar Islands were severely affected. Located in the south-east of the Bay of Bengal, the Nicobar Islands are comprised of 22 islands, of which only 12 are inhabited. Salt water, which washed over the islands, contaminated many sources of fresh water and destroyed large areas of arable land. Most of the islands’ jetties were also destroyed.
Partners
ERD ’s partner in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the Church of North India (CNI), a union of churches of varying traditions that comprises 26 dioceses with 1.5 million members. Ninety-six percent of the Nicobar Islands’ populations are members of CNI. Because of limited international access to remote areas in the Nicobar Islands, the Church of North India, with ERD’s support, was one of the first respondents in the area, and continues to be a leader in rehabilitation efforts. CNI’s Program Office in Port Blair coordinates rehabilitation efforts on five major Nicobar islands- Car Nicobar, Kamorta, Katchal, Nan Kowry and Terresa as well as several projects in North Andaman.
In the Nicobars, ERD and CNI work directly with the Tribal Council as the local governing authority in this protected tribal area to implement an integrated community development program. The communal culture means that livelihood recovery strategies are based on cooperatives, shared farms and community centers. CNI also interfaces closely with the Indian authorities in Port Blair to expedite shipping permits, and advocate for shelters and assistance which reflect the cultural priorities and preferences of the tribal groups.
The rehabilitation strategy puts emphasis on supporting the communal social structures of three traditional tribal areas and includes participatory community planning to design reconstruction, incorporation of local materials and architecture into the design of new buildings, re-stocking of small livestock and providing counseling and healing care to traumatized persons. Seed funds for the establishment of women’s cooperatives, vocational training, and an emphasis on children’s education are also hallmarks of this approach.
Goals and Accomplishments:
Phase I - December 2004-March 2005
- Provided food, shelter, medicines.
- CNI teams supported relief operations in 15 villages of Car Nicobar and distributed relief materials to 85 different relief camps. Emergency food aid was provided to more than 8,000 people. Non-food items were distributed to over 3,000 people. Seven hundred and fifty units of baby food, dry food, and biscuits were distributed to children in Car Nicobar. Three hundred and fifty sets of carpentry and masonry tools were distributed to assist communities in their reconstruction efforts.
- Provided freight costs for 75 donated medicine boxes. Each box contained 16 essential medicines and medical supplies in sufficient quantities to respond to the common illnesses of approximately 1,000 adults and children for two to three months when placed in a rural clinic.
Phase II - April-December 2005
Housing Reconstruction
Two hundred and fifty-seven houses were rebuilt with local materials and labor in five villages in North Andaman. In Nicobar, CNI successfully advocated for more cost effective and culturally acceptable temporary shelters. One hundred and thirty-two semi-permanent shelters were provided in four villages of Nicobar. Housing reconstruction efforts helped provide safe shelter for 1,958 people.
Livelihood Recovery
- Before the tsunami, most basic goods and household products were brought to the Nicobar Islands by non-tribal groups. In an effort to empower tribal women and stimulate the local economy, CNI worked with women’s groups in 15 villages to assess the needs of the community and plan for the establishment of cooperative stores. Trainings on cooperative formation, management, and marketing were conducted with 376 women.
- In North Andaman, CNI consulted local leadership on the formation of backyard poultry farms for tsunami-affected women. Five women’s cooperatives were formed to facilitate and monitor the farms.
Trauma Counseling and Psychosocial Care
As part of its community support program, CNI worked with a team of professional counselors from Partnership for People to provide counseling training to members of the local community and to establish local processes for treatment and referral for traumatized persons. 24 mentors from 13 villages were professionally trained to facilitate community-based services with regular professional supervision. The mentors in turn trained 554 community support facilitators who regularly visit houses and facilitate community outreach activities.
Integrated Community Services
The government of India requested CNI to reconstruct up to 36 schools in the Nicobar Islands. CNI, with the support of ERD and other donors, took up the challenge. It was determined that schools would not be built directly on the coast as before but on higher ground for the safety of the children. The challenges faced in construction have included an absence of infrastructure, roads, electricity and water, ships to transport materials, and monsoon rains on these remote islands. Construction on the first schools began in 2005.
ERD provided start-up funds for community study centers in 15 villages. Village community centers began operating in 2005, providing education and recreation as well as one nutritious meal per day for school age children. Each community service center is managed by trained community members who are monitored by a village education committee.
Internal Capacity Building
ERD covered staff and travel costs for CNI in order to support an effective rehabilitation program. Technical expertise was provided by four architects and engineers in residence on Car Nicobar who oversaw construction projects, as well as accountants who tracked funding and reporting requirements. ERD’s support provided stipends for volunteers and hired boats to ship supplies to the islands.
ERD and CNI are producing a documentary on the community rebuilding in the Nicobar Islands. Filming will conclude in 2007.
Phase III - January 2006-December 2008
Livelihood Recovery
- CNI worked with local leadership and the village women’s cooperatives to secure land, construct store buildings, open bank accounts, and procure goods from the mainland for sale in the Nicobar Islands.
- In 2006, 11 cooperative stores were inaugurated and 4 more stores opened in early 2007. The cooperative store in each village is run by the local women’s cooperative. Profits are used to bring in additional supplies and provide needed income for cooperative members. 9000 villagers benefit from this service provided by the cooperatives.
- 50 backyard poultry farms were constructed in North Andaman and women were trained in poultry and finance management. Each farm was provided with 100 starter chicks. The poultry farmers all belong to one of five women’s cooperatives formed to support and monitor the farms.
Trauma Counseling and Psychosocial Care
Personal and group counseling continued from Phase II. Group programs were designed to enable the community to overcome the trauma of the disaster and resume normal cultural activities.
Integrated Community Services
- The first three ERD supported schools (primary, secondary, and senior secondary) were inaugurated in June 2006. These were the first permanent concrete buildings reconstructed in the Nicobar Islands since the devastation of the tsunami. Two more schools completed in early 2007 and construction on additional schools will continue throughout the year.
- ERD funds supported the curriculum development, coordinator’s training, materials production and supervision for 15 community study centers serving 1,500 children.
- Out of 33 churches, 18 were totally washed away and 15 were heavily damaged. CNI’s 25 other dioceses are covering the support costs of these parishes, as the diocesan office and all its resources were swept away. At the request of community leaders, ERD is working with CNI to develop a plan for the reconstruction of up to three churches.
Internal Capacity Building
ERD is helping with management costs, such as monitoring and evaluation, rent, utilities and documentation. Support is also being provided to cover the salaries of five community organizers, one driver, four support staff and two accountants.
Total Phases I-III spent or allocated through June 2007: $2,989,891
