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1.5 REVIEW BACKGROUND
In accordance with the above policy papers, NRC Burundi initiated an environmental
review of its shelter, camp management and office administration projects. A Steering
Committee was created, consisting of the Shelter Adviser, the Camp Management
Adviser, the Senior Adviser for Strategic Management Support, the Legal Coordinator
on Climate Change and the Programme Co-ordinator Burundi, all from
NRC s head office, as well as the Country Director and the Shelter and the Camp
Management Programme Manager from the NRC country programme in Burundi.
The review, undertaken by ProAct Network, had three specific objectives, which were
to:
1. find alternative solutions to firewood in order to reduce its use by 75 per cent in
the three Congolese refugee camps managed by NRC;
2. analyse the technical approach adopted by NRC in the construction of houses,
household latrines and social infrastructures, and propose improvements or
possible alternatives for the use of materials with limited adverse environmental
impact; and
3. fight against waste and environmental pollution in NRC offices in Burundi.
1.6 METHODOLOGY
Following a series of initial briefings with Technical Advisors from NRC s
headquarters in Oslo, desktop and background research was carried out ahead of a
two-week field mission to Burundi that was conducted from 27 October to 8
November 2008. This Mission combined field visits with interviews, meetings and
focus group discussion.
The broad methodology applied for meetings and consultations involved groups of no
more than ten persons, with each group being briefed initially on the purpose of the
Mission. In order to focus discussions on the priority topics, no more than five
questions/themes were raised in each session. The participants were encouraged to
elaborate on any of the issues raised, and the consultants (through a translator)
transcribed these comments/discussions.
Due to time constraints the Mission was unable to spend more than three hours at
any one camp it was not possible to embark upon empirical studies or enter into
minute detail on many issues. The type of data collected came either from group
discussions, direct observation and questions asked by the consultants to both
beneficiaries and NRC staff. As such, the data was qualitative in nature, as this was
considered to be the only appropriate way of forming an impression of the situation in
the field, given so little time.
This report compiles the main findings and recommendations of the review and
provides additional tools for further use by NRC in Burundi and other countries. It is
separated into three sections corresponding to the three specific objectives outlined in
the Terms of Reference to this review.
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