Empowering conflict- affected communities to respond ... - Saferworld

14 e m p o w e r i n g c o n f l i c t-aff e c t e d c o m m u n i t i e s t o re s p o n d t o s e c u r i t y p ro b l e m s in s o u t h o s s e t i aResults of initiatives“The mill in Teregevancommunity was practically builtfrom scratch. The initiative setsa precedent not just for othercommunities in Znaur/i district,but for all South Ossetia,demonstrating that acommunity can take theinitiative to resolve a problem.”CRG memberAll four planned initiatives were successfully implemented, providing communities withaccess to drinking water (Buzal and Rustav communities) and functioning water mills(Dmenisi and Teregevan communities). Further to these concrete results, the initiatives set aprecedent in the post-war period, since this was the first occasion of people coming togethersince the initial outbreak of violence to actively resolve a problem, despite limited resourcesavailable. This has set a positive example for other communities and proved a stimulus forfurther independent action by communities: for example, following the successful work inRustav community, residents in the village of Khetagurovo, at their own initiative and usingtheir own funds, laid water lines in the streets of the village. The initiatives have fostered awillingness to take an active part in society, suggesting movement beyond the ‘victimsyndrome’ and disengagement from civic processes. Furthermore, the initiatives provide aunique example of people cooperating with the administration and vice versa, allowing forthe growth of mutual trust and partnership in responding to problems.