(ERTR) Livelihoods Programme - UNDP

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18 ERTR Aceh-Nias Livelihoods | 24-month Report ERTR Aceh-Nias Livelihoods | 24-month Report 19 A total of 13 local NGOs, two Industry and Trade Departments, and five community cooperatives became the local partner of several UNDP implementing partners. As a result, they were revitalized and strengthened in areas such as organizational management, accounting and business ethics. These local institutions are now prepared to ensure the sustainability of the enterprises UNDP re-established, and carry on the development efforts by applying newlygained knowledge and expertise. Specifically within the livelihood recovery projects implemented by IRD and PCI, three members of each village were supported by the project. These individuals were selected by their communities and given training. Later, they helped their communities identify needs and worked with the implementing partners to distribute assistance. The last component was the Labour-Based Infrastructure Rehabilitation, implemented by ILO. 216 male and female engineers, technicians and contractors from the Public Works of Aceh Besar received theoretical, contract management and on-the-job training on road rehabilitation. No Sector Training Activity Number of Beneficiaries District Implementing Partner some business management trainees, while others are still surviving and need more financing and marketing support. Problems and Lessons Learned A long list of problems and lessons learned was identified by UNDP implementing partners and/or monitors. The capacity of targeted participants was much lower than originally estimated; therefore, greater efforts were required than previously planned. There was a lack of understanding of what cooperatives stand for and how they can help promote democratic values to a community at large. ILO also pointed out that the coordination mechanism, originally launched by ILO, eventually lost its momentum and coordination became less apparent, while in some cases competition became the norm. Recommendations To address these issues, the implementing partners made a few recommendations. For example, follow-up technical support is required; focus on outreach for capacity building training; clearly determine strategic alliances; and focus on capacity y building for Disnaker in labour relations and labour administration. The participants also offered some recommendations. For example, to divide participants into two groups: those with a business and those without, or beginners. This division will make the training more targeted and allow trainers to focus on entrepreneurship concepts and assess new business ideas for potential entrepreneurs. Also, the owners of existing businesses can go into more depth about actual business management skills. In addition, extra support should be provided to the younger target group to increase the likelihood of business start-up. Extra attention should be provided in targeting women and supporting women's businesses. This support is necessary as women's businesses tend to be smaller than men's, and some women are more vulnerable as lone breadwinners for their family because of the tsunami. 7 . S P O R T S Post-tsunami, significant construction assistance was directed towards rebuilding schools, houses, roads and health facilities. Assistance to rehabilitate other community facilities, especially sporting facilities, was limited from local and international NGOs. Few NGOs designed a special programme to restore the sports sector as a tool for trauma healing for tsunami-affected youth. Dinas Pemuda dan Olahraga (Dispora), the government authority overseeing sports and youth issues, identified damaged sporting facilities in 12 districts in Aceh and intensively searched for assistance to rehabilitate these facilities. In many communities in Aceh, volleyball and football are major sports, played by men and women. UNDP, in partnership with Dispora Aceh Province, took a special initiative to rehabilitate and reconstruct 89 sport facilities. A Letter of Agreement was signed by both parties to initiate the activities. To date, UNDP has reconstructed and rehabilitated 41 volleyball courts, 12 football fields and one basketball court. Impacts A number of impacts were observed. For example, more workers became qualified to enter the workforce of Aceh's emerging reconstruction and rehabilitation effort. Those trained for work placement became linked in and were recommended to NGOs. The overall reconstruction process was accelerated because organizations could identify workers relatively quickly and found access to qualified workers. The pre-tsunami economic level was effectively regained by Project Activities 1. Sports Site Reconstruction UNDP, through HOPE International, agreed to rehabilitate 89 sport facilities in 12 tsunami-affected districts. 46 sports facilities were rehabilitated, including 35 volleyball courts, 11 football fields and one basketball court. Close consultation and
20 ERTR Aceh-Nias Livelihoods | 24-month Report ERTR Aceh-Nias Livelihoods | 24-month Report 21 participation with the communities were made in reconstructing the sports facilities. Workers were recruited from community areas to strengthen community participation. stakeholders, a block grant distribution system in 19 villages was established to provide cash grants to the vulnerable groups, such as widow groups, elderly groups and orphanages. These grants of IDR 50,000 - IDR 375,000 were to be used for daily needs such as food, health care, school kits and basic house equipment. A total of 1,941 people were assisted by this activity. Widows, the elderly and orphans in Baitussalam were in line to receive cash assistance for health and education needs. The volleyball court under construction in Desa Meunasah Mon, Mesjid Raya, Aceh Besar [left]. Youth playing basketball on a rehabilitated court in Lampriet, Banda Aceh [right]. 2. Distribution of Sports Equipment In November 2006, UNDP procured 7,520 sets of sports equipment for schools in 12 affected districts in Aceh. The equipment included: 3,500 volleyballs 630 volleyball nets 200 table tennis tables 800 table tennis paddles 600 boxes of table tennis balls 800 badminton rackets 190 badminton nets and 800 tins of shuttlecocks Lessons Learned It is not easy to monitor the flow of cash distributed to groups, as the amount is not big and most of the money is used for daily needs, health care and educational needs. The impact is not very visible because the cash is spent quickly. Also, while beneficiaries feel it is a big help, the disbursement design is not sustainable. This type of project should not be maintained in the long run to avoid dependency on cash grants. Instead, vocational training for vulnerable groups, such as young orphans and widows, are needed to ensure future livelihood capabilities. The establishment of grant communities is very important for the transparency of beneficiaries. In addition, the involvement of female representatives is necessary to represent and identify the needs of vulnerable women in the community. 9 . E N V I R O N M E N T 8 . COMMUNITY GRANTS Overview The 2004 tsunami left a high number of vulnerable groups in Aceh, such as young orphans, widows, widowers and elderly people with dependants. UNDP tried to assist these vulnerable tsunami survivors through a community grants programme implemented by International Relief & Development (IRD). Project Activities and Achievements This programme was implemented through working together with established Community Self- Help Groups (project focal points) in 19 villages in the sub districts of Baitussalam and Leupung, Aceh Besar. Each committee is comprised of three village representatives who were appointed by their communities using a community meeting structure. These committees, comprised of 57 people from 19 villages, identified vulnerable people from each village they represent. They also received capacity building training on how to run the project. Through IRD, UNDP facilitated the establishment of a three-person Community Grant Committee in each sub district, with at least one female representative on each committee. Each committee had to identify and register the vulnerable groups in the villages: widows, orphans and the elderly. The committees conducted the registration themselves, a process acknowledged by village authorities and verified by IRD. In collaboration with community Overview Based on the damage assessment produced by BAPPENAS (2005), the earthquake and tsunami had enormous impacts on Aceh's coastal environment, causing damage and loss of animals, plants, habitats and important ecosystem functions. Although the extent of damage to these ecosystems was not confirmed at the time of this assessment, some preliminary results have been obtained. For example, there was full damage to 25,000 ha of mangroves, which were already in poor condition, and some 300 km of coastal areas need restoration. UNDP is one of the concerned agencies that gave considerable support to environmental rehabilitation. For a full recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts must ensure that identified needs are met and that the results of recovery activities are environmentally sustainable. One of the major efforts undertaken was the mainstreaming of ecological issues in rebuilding livelihoods to ensures long-term sustainability of results for victims of the tsunami and for generations to come. By integrating ecosystem approaches into livelihood recovery activities that have been implemented by UNDP implementing partners, UNDP has helped prevent conflicts over resource use and reduce negative development impacts, such as pollution. Activities/Achievements Environmental awareness was mainstreamed in all livelihood activities. For example, a new firing system using rice husks was introduced to replace wood in 40 brick kilns rehabilitated in Aceh Besar. Community requests for chainsaws from people cutting down trees in the forests were rejected. Instead, they were taught to value the forest as an environmental resource and about the anticipated effects if it is destroyed.
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