oxfam international - tsunami fund

Oxfam International Tsunami Fund

End of Program Report December 2008

Front cover: A coir worker at the Irani mill in Dickwella, southern Sri Lanka, photographed in November 2005. Until recently,women who spun coir (coconut fiber) for a living were the poorest of the poor, but since the tsunami, Oxfam has helped over3,000 of them to revive and expand their businesses. Once the mills were up and running again, we supported research intohow these women at the bottom of the market chain could increase their profits - and their standing in the community. Theresulting plan involved introducing new techniques and machinery to enable them to sell higher quality products, and theformation of a federation of self-help groups to help them wield greater influence in the marketplace. The result is that thewomen in the Oxfam program doubled or even tripled their incomes. (Photo: David Levene/Oxfam)

Foreword 3Introduction 5Indonesia 10Sri Lanka 17India 23India: Andaman and Nicobars 28Regional program: Green Coast 30

Myanmar 31Thailand 32Maldives 33Somalia 34Learning 36Financial overview 38Contacts 40

Contents

Farmer Jamil Hamzah walks through rice fields at Gampong Ladang, near Meulaboh, in Aceh, in October 2005.Soon after the tsunami, Oxfam helped to desalinate land that had been contaminated by seawater and providedfarmers with paddy seeds and tools to enable them to restart agricultural production (Photo: Jim Holmes/Oxfam)

This is one of four reports Oxfam International is producing to mark the end of its tsunami program. The others will be:

Collaboration in Crises: Lessons in community participation from the Oxfam International tsunami research program, February 2009Oxfam International Tsunami Fund: an evaluation of the tsunami response, March 2009 Oxfam International Tsunami Fund Annual Report and Accounts, May 2009

Oxfam International Tsunami Fund | End of Program Report, December 2008

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Foreword It was always going to be a marathon, not a sprint. Once the scaleof the destruction caused by the tsunami - and the overwhelminggenerosity of the public - became clear, we knew we would have toput in place programs that would last for years. After all, the taskfacing the aid community was the equivalent of rebuilding andrehabilitating a city of a million people. The money we received allowed us not only to help meet the immediate emergencyneeds of tsunami-affected populations, but also to try to address the factors thatmade them vulnerable: not least poverty and the fact their basic rights - to a decentlivelihood, to education and health services and to have an influence over their ownlives - remained unfulfilled.

This has been an unprecedented effort for Oxfam: we have delivered a €227mprogram over four years, assisted some 2.5 million people across seven countries,recruited thousands of new staff to help implement this program, and worked withapproximately 170 different local partner organizations. An effort on this scale wasnever going to be straightforward, and we faced significant challenges and problems.

Yet what has been achieved is astounding. Hundreds of thousands of people arenow living in better conditions than they were in before the tsunami thanks to thegenerous support we received from the public, the dedication and hard work of ourstaff and local partners and the efforts of the affected communities themselves torebuild their lives.

Women in Sri Lanka and India who used to live in grinding poverty and work asagricultural laborers now have more hope thanks in part to the fact they belong toOxfam-funded self-help groups which, for the first time, have given them access tolow-interest credit and a say in their future.

Our lobbying of, and close working relationship with, the Indonesian authorities hasalso borne tremendous fruit: people in Aceh who rented and squatted on otherpeople's land before the tsunami are now legally entitled to their own home, whilewomen were granted joint ownership with their husbands of newly constructedhouses.

A huge amount of attention was devoted to the physical rebuilding process, and itwas distressing to see people living in temporary shelters two years after thedisaster. But tangible results, such as the construction of houses and the distributionof boats were only one indicator of progress. The less concrete interventions werejust as important: giving people the means to improve their lives whether throughbetter market access for their goods, the knowledge to protect themselves againstfuture disasters, or the confidence to demand a say in decisions that affect them.

The tsunami response has vindicated Oxfam's approach of building the capacity oflocal civil society and vulnerable communities to be better placed to improve theirown lives. We have helped to "build back better". Equally, though, we must behonest in admitting that our response was not perfect. It is inevitable in such a hugeresponse that mistakes were made: our oversight of financial management in partnerprograms in India was sometimes inadequate; we were guilty of promising more thanwe could deliver in the early phases of our program in Aceh; and an evaluation in SriLanka said that our response there could have been more effective if the differentOxfam affiliates had worked more closely together.

Barbara Stocking, Chair,Oxfam InternationalTsunami Fund Board(Photo: Oxfam)


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The tsunami response has magnified many of the problems that Oxfamand other humanitarian agencies faced before the disaster and hasbeen a catalyst for change. This is especially true of internationalhumanitarian coordination: as major evaluations pointed out, too manyagencies spent the early stages of the response rushing to be seen tospend money in 'easy-to-access' locations and avoiding difficult ones,something we tried to avoid. The tsunami also exposed unevencoordination in the international response, a lack of leadership andaccountability. Efforts to improve this were already under way beforethe tsunami, but the disaster has given them added impetus.

We have used the tsunami response to improve our own internalcoordination mechanisms and disaster response guidelines: oursuccessful response to the Yogyakarta earthquake in May 2006 wasinformed to a large extent by the lessons learned in the tsunamiresponse. The large sums we have been able to spend on monitoring,evaluation and research have allowed Oxfam to improve itsperformance, not least with regard to our accountability to affectedcommunities. The tsunami response was driven by a unique set ofcircumstances, but we believe its legacy will be felt for many years tocome, not only in the affected countries, but anywhere we launch anemergency response.

There are still far too many people in tsunami-affected countries livingprecarious lives, their opportunities limited by poverty, their futuresthreatened by future disasters or ongoing conflict. Oxfam will continueto work with them in longer-term development projects.

It's clear that the money the public donated has had a lasting impacton the lives of people affected by this disaster. Thanks to thisgenerosity and their own skills and resilience, they now have the toolsand knowledge to be stronger in the face of future adversity.

CountryBeneficiaries

Dec 04 - Sep 08

Indonesia* 705,138

Sri Lanka 792,127

India 776,025

Myanmar 60,171

Thailand 75,022

Somalia 59,260Maldives 25,000

Total 2,492,743

Beneficiary numbers provide only a roughindicator of Oxfam's impact. It is neverpossible to be certain that there is nodouble counting, as people may benefitfrom more than one intervention. Inaddition, a beneficiary might receivesomething as small as a bucket of reliefitems, or as large as a permanent home.It is also impossible to quantify thenumber of people helped by Oxfam'sresearch and advocacy work, whichmake up an important part of ouractivities. It has not always been possibleto disaggregate cumulative beneficiaryfigures, but where we have done it, wehave been pleased that women havefrequently constituted more than half ofbeneficiaries.

About the FundThe Oxfam International Tsunami Fund was established in March 2005 as an independent company andregistered charity in the UK. The Board of Trustees comprises the Executive Directors of 12 Oxfam affiliates**and two non-executive Trustees from outside Oxfam.

Program work is carried out by Oxfam and local partner organizations. To avoid duplication, some affiliatesimplement programs in affected countries, and others provide funding and support.

The Tsunami Fund Management Team (TFMT) allocates the Fund's resources and ensures that its work ismanaged, reported and communicated in an effective and transparent manner. A small secretariat manages theallocation process, coordinates evaluations, operates Fund accounts, consolidates affiliates' reports, arrangesexternal reviews and audits, and communicates results.

The Fund, which closes in December 2008, maintains its accounts in US dollars.

By the end of its four-year response, Oxfam expects to have received a total of €227m, more than 90 per centof it from the public. When the Fund was set up, a cap of 10 per cent was put on administration and fundraisingcosts. However, less than five per cent has been required, leaving more than 95 per cent of the total fund to bespent on programs.

* Does not include the 700,000 people assisted under the PRIME disaster management program (see page 16).**Oxfam affiliates are listed at the back of this report. Oxfam France-Agir ici, which was not a full affiliate when theTsunami Fund was created, is not represented on the Board.

Barbara Stocking,Chair, Oxfam International Tsunami Fund Board


IntroductionWhen the tsunami struck, humanitarian agencieswere confronted with an unprecedented challenge:a major disaster in multiple locations acrossnumerous countries, some already severelyaffected by conflict. As well as the huge loss of life,hundreds of thousands of people were displaced,millions lost their means of earning a living, and, inmany places, the destruction of infrastructure wasalmost total. Humanitarian agencies were givenmore donations than they had ever before receivedfor a single emergency. There was a massiveresponsibility to spend it wisely and transparently.

Oxfam responded to this challenge by setting up aseparate charity, the Oxfam International TsunamiFund (see page 4), to manage the response andensure that funds received by all the Oxfamaffiliates were allocated in a coordinated andtransparent way.

Emergency phaseBecause of our extensive network of localpartners, and our own disaster response capacity,we were able to launch an immediate and effectiveemergency relief operation across seven affectedcountries. Where we did not have partners, inAceh or the Maldives, for example, we rapidlydeployed Oxfam operational staff. Indeed, theTsunami Evaluation Coalition (TEC)* praisedOxfam for its ability to deploy experienced staff

rapidly in the event of major emergencies. In mostlocations, this delivery of relief supplies wasaccompanied by the replacement of lost assets,such as fishing boats or agricultural tools, andcash-for-work interventions, where affected peoplewere paid to clean up their communities andrestore infrastructure like wells, drainage ditchesand roads.

At all stages of the operation, Oxfam strove toabide by and promote the use of internationally-recognized minimum standards such as the RedCross Code of Conduct and Sphere standards.

Lobbying governments and international bodies isone of our great strengths and in the early stagesof the tsunami response, we demanded thatgovernments of industrialized countries pledgenew money for the recovery effort, rather thandiverting previously promised funds; we called forthe reconstruction to leave affected communities ina stronger position than they were in before thedisaster.

As the response progressed, we changed ourapproach and focused more on advocating withthe governments of the affected countries toensure that local issues - such as land rights,unhindered access to affected communities orequal treatment for marginalized or minority groups- were tackled.

*TEC evaluation published in July 2006

Google Earth


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Long-term aimsAs we embarked on this massiveundertaking, we were aware that ourresponse in each country would varyaccording to the differing needs of thepopulations, local factors such as accessto affected communities and the capacityof local partners. Given the scale of thedisaster and the quantity of money we had,we were clear that we would be planning aresponse that would address not onlyimmediate humanitarian needs, but alsolonger-term development issues. Ourultimate aim was to strengthen the abilityof affected people to control their ownfuture and respond to future crises. It wasvital that in delivering assistance we didnot deepen the dependency of people onoutside help, and in most cases weachieved this.

As is usual with Oxfam programs, ourapproach is, wherever possible, to workthrough partner organizations that aremore likely to understand their localcontexts. While assisting affected people,we have also worked with theseorganizations to strengthen theirknowledge base and capacity to betterserve their communities in the long term.

Oxfam believes that programs are more

likely to be successful and sustainable ifaffected communities take ownership ofthem. We strove to involve beneficiaries inthe design and implementation of projects,from the construction of houses to thelocation of communal latrines; from themembership of livelihoods groups tolearning to manage mangrove plantations.Wherever possible, Oxfam and its partnershave trained people to maintain facilitiesafter the program ends.

A failure to utilize local capacities wasidentified by a number of externalevaluations as a key weakness of theoverall tsunami response. However, givenits underlying philosophy, this was an areawhere Oxfam did well. Indeed, we onlyimplemented programs directly wherepartners did not have the capacity to meetthe needs of the affected population orwhere we had no local partners. Oxfamwas praised by the TEC evaluation for theNGO support network it developed in Acehwith a view to putting local people at theheart of the response.

From the outset, we recognized the needto be flexible and innovative in the use ofour funds. This was a unique opportunity tospend relatively large sums of money onlong-term projects that would addresspoverty and marginalization. Oxfam was

IntroductionBanda Aceh bore thebrunt of the tsunamiand the earthquakethat preceded it. Thedestruction ofinfrastructure wasalmost total (Photo:Jim Holmes/Oxfam)


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determined to avoid duplicating the work ofother agencies and sought to assist groupswho were being bypassed or neglected bylarge official programs.

We sought to help not only those who lostproperty and family in the tsunami, butpeople who relied on the industries thatwere devastated, host communities whotook in displaced persons and affectedcommunities more generally. For reasonsof equity, in some areas, we assistednearby communities that were not hitdirectly by the tsunami, but who weremade comparatively poorer byrehabilitation activities.

We looked for programs that we couldimplement on a scale that would havemaximum impact for people living inpoverty and focused our efforts in sectorsin which we have a comparative advantagein terms of expertise - the provision of safewater and sanitation, for example, helpingto build sustainable livelihoods, andadvocating with governments. However,given the funds at our disposal and theneeds on the ground, as revealed byextensive discussions with affectedcommunities, we also built permanenthouses and funded the construction of 43schools. We sought to incorporate genderequality and awareness of HIV and AIDSacross all of our work. In most programs,both men and women have been targeted,with a greater majority of femalebeneficiaries. This is because women aremore likely to live in poverty, and thereforebe more vulnerable, than men. We havealso tried to identify other groups - such astribal groups and transgender people inIndia - that had been neglected and helpthem achieve their fundamental rights.

Oxfam was adamant that reconstructionshould not merely rebuild and replace whatwas lost - effectively recreating the povertythat existed before December 2004. Ourapproach was to leave tsunami survivors ina stronger position - economically, and interms of the influence they have overdecisions that affect them - than they werebefore the disaster. In this way, poor

people would be better placed to escapethe poverty that made them so vulnerablein the first place. To this end, we haveaimed to improve market access for poorproducers, improve infrastructure, ensureenvironmental sustainability and reducevulnerability to future disasters. It was clearfrom the outset that this would not beachieved overnight.

Challenges facedOne of the difficulties for aid agencies,including Oxfam, was bridging the gapbetween the emergency phase and thelonger-term development phase. In somecases, such as in Sri Lanka, renewedconflict resulted in tsunami-affectedfamilies being uprooted again - sometimesmultiple times - and requiring reliefassistance some time after the emergencyphase of the tsunami response.

Elsewhere, the transition to longer-termprogramming was difficult to manage. InIndonesia, with no budget constraints andhigh expectations from governmentagencies and communities, staff 'thoughtbig' and ambitious projects were launched.However, this also led to over-expansionand a loss of focus and control. A majorprogram evaluation in late 2005 helped toidentify these problems and get theprogram back on track.

Each country in which Oxfam launched atsunami response has its own uniquechallenges. In Aceh, Oxfam was returningafter a break of several years and had nolocal partners; in Sri Lanka, the responsehas been complicated by a resumption ofviolence; in Somalia, affected communitieshave been beset by conflict and drought.But in all countries there were similarities:traumatized, displaced communitiesdesperate to rebuild their lives and fearfulof future disasters.

When the tsunami response began, it wasclear that rebuilding would be a long andcomplicated process. While it is asignificant achievement that more than250,000 houses have been constructed aspart of the international construction effort

Introduction

Dharmaja standsoutside her Oxfam-funded temporaryshelter inKarunagapally, SouthIndia, in May 2005.Some 650,000 people,many of them alreadyliving in extremepoverty, were forcedfrom their homeswhen the tsunamistruck. (Photo:RajendraShaw/Oxfam)


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Introduction

in less than four years, it must also beacknowledged that in some places, thereconstruction process was too slow.

There were many reasons for this: there was alack of clarity about government restrictions onbuilding within buffer zones next to the sea;complex negotiations about land rights had tobe conducted, and indeed, official records ofland ownership were lost in the tsunami; a largearea of land in Aceh, which had been home to120,000 people, was permanently submerged;governments were slow to give poor tenantsand squatters the right to a house; there was asevere shortage - and increased cost - oftrained laborers and building materials,including sustainable timber.

In all tsunami-affected countries, Oxfam and itspartners worked hard to ensure that peopleforced to continue living in temporaryaccommodation had access to a safe andhealthy environment, whether throughadvocacy with the authorities or throughimplementing water and sanitation and healthawareness programs ourselves.

Many of the challenges faced in the tsunamiresponse stemmed from the large amounts ofmoney received. There was a strong temptationto scale up rapidly and agree to implement

programs for which there were ultimatelyinsufficient trained personnel. Oxfam began towork in areas in which it had scant experience,for example, the construction of permanenthouses. Recognizing this, we sought to workwith partners and other agencies that hadexperience of housing construction. In Aceh,the initial "community-driven" approach, wherebeneficiaries took responsibility for buildingtheir houses, later resulted in deteriorating andunsafe structures, and so some of the houseswere renovated.

The amount of money donated increased thebudgets of some country teams and partnersenormously. The rapid recruitment of local staffwas not always accompanied by properinductions or training and consequently led toan inconsistent approach.

It was a constant challenge to balance theneeds of donors who wanted to see quickresults and those of the beneficiaries, withwhom thorough consultation was necessary.Oxfam tried to ensure that accountability tobeneficiaries was central to our work, andconducted evaluations on this specific theme inboth India and Sri Lanka. As part of a globalpilot project, we used the tsunami response tointroduce innovative ways of engaging withcommunities and keeping them informed.

L.D. Indranai, a farmer in thevillage of Bodahaindiwewa, inSri Lanka, takes a break fromtending her crops. She is amember of a self-help groupsupported by the GiruwapathuDevelopment Society(GIDES), an Oxfam partnerthat provided seeds, irrigationequipment, fencing materialand technical support. GIDESalso helped the women find afair buyer for their produce.The inputs from GIDES haveallowed the women to growcrops during the dry seasonand sell their produce for ahealthy profit (Photo: AtulLoke/Panos for Oxfam)


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It has been acknowledged that coordinationbetween humanitarian agencies andgovernments - especially in Indonesia andSri Lanka - was poor in the early days, partlyas a result of the vast sums of money theyreceived and partly because of theproliferation of small and inexperiencedagencies that arrived in tsunami-hit regions.

There was inevitably some duplication ofeffort, especially in high-profile areas.However, as the response has evolved,coordination has improved and has in thelast couple of years been excellent.

Exiting responsiblyAs the end of the tsunami responseapproached, an increasingly importantpreoccupation has been working withcommunities, partners and local governmentto ensure the handover and sustainability ofprojects. This has included trainingcommunities and local authority engineers tomaintain and repair water installations,developing disaster contingency plans withpartners or putting in place long-termdevelopment programs.

Oxfam has largely completed its tsunami-related programs as planned. A handful ofprojects will continue into 2009, as a result ofdelays. In Sri Lanka, for example, access toproject areas has been complicated by thelack of security, while in India a major reviewof some partner programs has led to delaysin disbursing livelihoods loans.

The tsunami response is sure to leave alegacy. The money so generously donatedby the public has enabled organizations likeOxfam not only to implement extensiveprograms, but also to devote funds toresearch, monitoring and evaluation in waysthat we would not normally be able to do.This has not only improved the delivery ofassistance to those affected by the tsunami,but it has also driven change in the sector asa whole and so improved the help that willbe given to people affected by futuredisasters around the world.

Ina Wira holds cocoa podsharvested from her gardenin the village of Satelit, onNias Island. Oxfam hasprioritized assistance forpoor agricultural producersin Nias, and has formed 60farmers' self-help groupson the island to providethem with training and helpto improve the quantity andquality of key primarycommodities such asrubber and cocoa, and soachieve better marketprices. (Photo: JimHolmes/Oxfam)

Introduction

Spend (€ 000s)Dec 04-Sept 08

Public Health 22,407Food Security 1,610Livelihoods 15,360Social Services 7,373Shelter 14,689DisasterManagement 8,419ProgramManagement 18,591Total 88,449

Beneficiaries

Dec 04- Sept 08

Public Health 303,537Food Security 3,000Livelihoods 76,153Social Services 191,229Shelter 47,545Disaster Management 83,674*Total 705,138

IndonesiaThe earthquake that happened off thecoast of Sumatra on 26 December 2004and the massive tsunami that it triggereddevastated coastal towns and villagesalong the north and west coasts of Acehprovince, killing an estimated 160,000people and driving another 2 million fromtheir homes and livelihoods. An estimated70 per cent of the fishing fleet wasdestroyed and vast swaths of agriculturalland were submerged under seawater.Three months later, a second powerfulearthquake caused widespread damage onNias Island, off Sumatra's western coast.

Oxfam's was the largest program by a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Acehand Nias and it was the tenth largestdonor. The program assisted over 700,000people, more than half of them women, inseven sites: Aceh Besar, Sigli,Lhokseumawe, Lamno, Calang, Meulabohand Nias Island.

Given that Aceh was emerging not onlyfrom a major natural disaster, but also along conflict, one of our biggest prioritieswas to help strengthen fledging civilsociety groups so they could deliverservices to communities and play a role inthe political life of the province. Throughour four-year response program, we haveprovided a broad range of support toAcehnese society and local government.We have focused on areas where we havea comparative advantage over other

agencies: providing sustainable sources ofsafe water and long-term livelihoodssupport, and advocating for pro-pooreconomic development and gender justice.

But given the large amount of money atour disposal and the local context, weundertook new areas of work, such asrebuilding schools and the construction ofpermanent shelters. Our decision to buildhouses was a community-driven one:tsunami-affected people identified housingas one of their greatest needs andrequested that Oxfam provide houses aspart of the recovery effort. Communitieswere at the core of this work, withbeneficiaries being involved in the designand supervision of projects, and intially inthe construction itself.

It would be unusual if a programme of thisscale did not have problems: we had torethink our community-led approach toshelter and water projects as a result ofinsufficient skills among beneficiaries and alack of adequate materials; furthermore, amajor redesign of sanitation projects wasrequired as a result of the altered water-table caused by the earthquake.

There were instances of fraud in cash-transfer programs and with materials forinfrastructure projects. These problemsresulted from poor internal controls, a lackof awareness of accountability principlesamong staff and a lack of checks on thehandling of funds. We addressed these

*does not include 700,000 people assisted by PRIME disaster management program (see page 16)

A man shovels mud and detritus from astreet in Kampung Laksana village aspart of an Oxfam cash-for-work programin the early stages of the response.Paying tsunami-affected people to takean active part in the clear-up helped tospeed up the recovery and pump muchneeded money into the local economy.(Photo: Jim Holmes/Oxfam)


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Indonesiaissues and put in place mechanisms toensure that communities could participatein designing, implementing and monitoringprograms, as well training all staff inpreventing fraud. Oxfam's decision topublicize the problem* in 2006 was widelypraised for its transparency, with theTsunami Evaluation Coalition evaluationstating: "few agencies had Oxfam'scourage to deal openly with fraud orerrors".

One of our biggest challenges was buildingthe appropriate bridges to link our biggestemergency response to longer-termdevelopment programs that couldeventually be carried on beyond the end ofthe Tsunami Fund, often by partnerorganizations. A transition learning review,commissioned in 2008, found that Oxfamhad succeeded in achieving this, but notwithout having to overcome somesignificant problems. The review foundthat, after a successful emergency phase,the sheer volume of funding caused Oxfamto over-expand in 2005, making it difficultfor it to "redesign and program in line withits values and programming principles".However, it said the Oxfam team regainedits focus and was back on track by mid-2006 when it "threw itself wholeheartedlyinto consolidation and quality".

Oxfam's strong input in the immediatehumanitarian response gave itconsiderable credibility with the Indonesiangovernment's reconstruction agency forAceh and Nias (the BRR), Aceh'sprovincial government and the Governorhimself. This platform gave us aconsiderable impact in the field of policyand advocacy work. We were instrumentalin framing government policy on land rights(see shelter section) as well as providingtechnical assistance to the new provincialgovernment on poverty reduction and pro-poor economic development, as part of theGovernor's Aceh Green Strategy, a long-term vision for ecologically sustainable andsocially equitable development in Acehprovince. Engagement with this processhas been an Oxfam priority in 2008.

A great deal of research was conducted tosupport this advocacy and lobbying work.Given our emphasis on economic justiceand promoting sustainable rurallivelihoods, research was conducted intothe sustainable use of resources, theimpact of climate change, land rights,women's economic empowerment andaccess to essential services.

The presence of numerous internationalNGOs in Aceh after the tsunami changedthe political and social agenda, andcreated new opportunities for local NGOsto take part in and influence the politicallife of the province. Organizationssupported by Oxfam were able to combinetheir operational activities with lobbyingwork. Oxfam has striven to build theirorganizational capacity so that theycontinue to play a role in the future ofAceh.

Public healthThe tsunami destroyed much of Aceh'swater-supply system, yet the incidence ofwater-borne disease was mercifully low,thanks to the speedy provision of cleanwater. Within days of the tsunami, Oxfamwas distributing emergency water suppliesand other essential relief items to tsunami-affected people, including isolatedcommunities along the west coast. By mid-January 2005, we began regular truckingof clean water supplies to tsunami-hitpopulations in six of the seven tsunami-affected areas. During 2005, almost 15,000hygiene kits were distributed.

Oxfam was the first international agency toprovide emergency relief on Nias after theearthquake there. We arrived on the islandby helicopter within six hours withemergency water supply equipment,enabling us to provide safe water within 24hours of the earthquake.

Water trucking operations continued untilDecember 2007 in Aceh Besar. Over athree-year period, Oxfam delivered anestimated 308 million liters of clean water.In support of the recovery efforts athousehold and communal levels, Oxfam

A resident of SuakTimah village, nearMeulaboh, collectswater from an Oxfamwater point. In threeyears, we deliveredover 300 million litersof water to tsunami-affected households.(Photo: JimHolmes/Oxfam)

*Oxfam's investigation found evidence of losses amounting to €17,050, of which €15,500 was recovered.


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Indonesiacleaned, rehabilitated or constructed over5,800 wells throughout Aceh and Nias. Wedrilled or rehabilitated 90 boreholes andtube wells and constructed over 20 newgravity flow water supply systems,including an experimental sub-surfacesystem in Moncut, Aceh Besar. We alsorehabilitated or repaired 33 damagedexisting gravity flow water supply systems.To provide purified water at householdlevel, Oxfam provided 216 locally-constructed sand filters in Aceh and Nias,with priority given to families with youngchildren.

Oxfam built over 6,000 latrines for tsunamiand earthquake affected families in Acehand Nias. Oxfam engineers introducedsignificant improvements in the quality ofseptic tanks in 2006 and 2007 followingconcerns over the possible contaminationof water supplies by leaking tanks. Toextend the life of septic tanks, Oxfam, incollaboration with the London School ofHygiene and Tropical Medicine, developeda hand-operated de-sludging pump for thesafe disposal of sewage from septic tanks.We provided collection bins, tools,materials and trucks to facilitate the safedisposal of household waste in 435villages, benefiting more than 26,500families.

All of the permanent houses that Oxfambuilt were equipped with a safe watersupply and sanitation. In addition weconstructed over 10km of drainagesystems to reduce health risks associatedwith stagnant water around temporaryshelters and new settlements. We alsoprovided wells and septic tanks for 100houses constructed by other NGOs,enabling tsunami survivors to move morequickly out of overcrowded temporarybarracks.

Throughout the response, Oxfam providedtechnical assistance to the BRR, otherlocal institutions and several internationaland local NGOs. Increasingly, we looked toimplement longer-term projects, includinglarge-scale urban water supply systems.With technical support from the UK'sUniversity of Surrey and Thames Water,we installed a river water treatment plant to

provide clean water to residents in Lamno;Oxfam completed a piped municipal watersupply system in Lhokseumawe, whichnow serves 10,000 people in 15 villages inthe Geudong area. Oxfam negotiated withthe municipal water authorities a reductionin connection fees for local residents,along with reduced water rates. To ensurethe long-term sustainability of this project,local government engineers have beentrained in water management. On Nias, wetrained Ministry of Health staff on thetreatment and safe disposal of sewage.Oxfam also completed work on five smallerwater systems on the island of Pulo Nasi,which, due to its remoteness, had beenlargely neglected by NGOs.

Everywhere it worked, Oxfam establishedcommunity committees to ensure thesustainability of its interventions and long-term access to water: 600 trainingsessions were carried out to help localcommunities operate and maintain theirwater supply systems, while 2,500community health volunteers were trainedin safe water practices and hygienepromotion messages, including 160 child-to-child facilitators.

Restoration of livelihoodsOxfam's initial focus was on cash-for-workinitiatives, whereby people were paid toclear debris or rehabilitate water sources.This contributed to the rehabilitation ofdestroyed infrastructure, such as roads,schools and arable land, as well as quicklypumping cash into the local economy andhelping people to recover psychologicallyfrom the shock of the disaster. At the sametime, we looked to replace lost assets -such as agricultural tools, livestock andfishing boats - to allow farmers andfishermen to return to work. These initiallivelihoods interventions benefited over60,000 people.

Towards the middle of 2005, a process ofcash grant distribution was initiated tosupport affected families as they tried torestart their livelihoods. By the time thecash grant project was completed in 2006,we had dispersed nearly 6,000 cash grantsworth more than €2.3m. This was

Mukramati, head of thewater committee in thevillage of Moncut, nearBanda Aceh, stands infront of the storage tankof the Oxfam gravitywater system. Moncut isone of 170 villages inAceh and Nias nowserved by this kind ofmetered water systemwhere the cost of thewater is set by thecommunity. (Photo: RoyProbert/Oxfam)


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Indonesiaaccompanied by continued distribution ofagricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizer,machinery and tools, and the rehabilitation ofmore than 3,000 hectares of contaminatedagricultural land.

Oxfam repaired 36 bridges and 115 kilometersof road, which gave isolated communitiesmuch improved access to markets.

Oxfam began to move to more developmentalcredit-based programs in mid-2006. Buildingon the capital that was infused intocommunities through cash-for-work and cashgrant programming that defined the initialresponse, self-help groups (SHGs) wereformed in an effort to channel that capital intosavings and, eventually, into productive loansthat could be regenerated throughout thegroup. In total, we created 644 SHGs assisting8,800 members.

SHG members were given training inbookkeeping or specific vocational skills.There were also successful efforts tointroduce new livelihoods activities with highmarket demand, such as mushroom farmingand handicrafts relying on local materials.

As a result of a series of assessments in late2005 and 2006, Oxfam prioritized assistancefor agricultural producers, especially in Calang

and Nias, and increasingly for women.Farmers were encouraged to establishproducer groups to take advantage of thepotential benefits of collective knowledge-sharing, procurement of seeds andequipment, and marketing. In Calang, afarmers' association consisting of 40 farmers'groups was created, along with a FarmersService Center to provide training andorganizational support to the association.

Oxfam actively supported 99 SHGs in Niasand Calang, regions where rural poverty isrelatively high, providing them with trainingand inputs to improve the quantity and qualityof key primary commodities, particularlyrubber and cocoa in Nias and rubber, rice andchili in Calang. SHGs in other areas werehanded over to local NGOs.

A microfinance program involving Oxfam,partners BRAC and Hivos, and localimplementing partner ASD, began in February2008. Some 206 village-level committees, witha total membership of 3,655 women, havebeen formed in five sub-districts of Bireuendistrict. Some 3,120 have become activeborrowers, while another six have taken alarger enterprise loan.

Following the success in Bireuen, another five

Mahmulia paints a house in thevillage Beuring In. She was oneof 37 women who were trained byOxfam as house painters in Aceh.This is traditionally a male-dominated area of work, but manyof the women found work in theburgeoning construction sectorafter their training. (Photo: JimHolmes/Oxfam)


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branch offices were established in Pidiedistrict in August 2008. It is estimated that,despite delays in the start-up phase, theoriginal aim of 12,500 women borrowers inthe first year will be met. It is hoped thatthis will give a solid foundation for ASD toestablish a self-sustaining microfinancescheme that can be accessed by poorcommunities for many years.

Restoration of social servicesAs part of a global agreement with Oxfam,partner Education International (EI)completely rebuilt 30 elementary schools intsunami-affected areas. It is reconstructinganother five, which will be completed by theend of 2008. The 35 schools have capacityfor 7,000 children, and by the end ofSeptember 2008, 3,200 had enrolled. EIstaff carry out regular monitoring visits toidentify any problems that may exist, notjust with the school building, but also withthe teachers, students and equipment.

Some 2,000 teachers perished in thetsunami, meaning a pool of educatorsneeded to be trained to fill this gap. EI hastrained 1,200 primary- and secondary-levelteachers in the Acehnese curriculum, and,with the assistance of the AustralianEducation Union, developed the leadershipskills of the principals of all 30 completedschools.

EI also focused on developing managementskills in Aceh's main teaching union, thePGRI, which had a history ofmismanagement and political control. Morethan 800 teachers and pupils took part in atrauma counseling course, while 3,655children received a monthly scholarship toenable them to attend school.

One of the most important aspects of ourwork in this area was to support theburgeoning civil society sector as it tried toempower poor and marginalized people tohave a say in decisions that affected them.To this end, Oxfam's Partnership Program,as well as supporting local partners'operational projects, gave them grants tocontribute to longer-term civil societydevelopment in Aceh.

Between 2005 and 2007, we supported 75organizations with grants for a total of morethan 100 projects that benefited some240,000 women and men. Initially the focuswas on assisting displaced people withhealthcare facilities and trauma counseling,cash grants to rebuild livelihoods or toestablish radio stations to ensure thattsunami-affected people were informed ofdevelopments.

Later, the emphasis shifted to advocacyand lobbying: one partner, MiSPI,succeeded in achieving femalerepresentation on Aceh's influential ulemacouncil, the province's leading religiousauthority, while another, KKP, was at theheart of a government decision to ensurethat civil society would be involved in thedrafting of all provincial laws.

Oxfam has trained its local partners in awide range of financial, planning andproject management skills to strengthentheir development and ensure they areaccountable to the people they serve.

From the outset of our tsunami response,gender equality has been a priority issueand we have endeavoured to integrate itand promote it in all of our work and that ofour partners. A dedicated unit has visited allproject sites to ensure that womenbeneficiaries are targeted appropriately andare involved in the design of programs.Gender analysis has been conductedacross all our programs and correctiveaction taken where appropriate, such aswhen our livelihood program in Nias wasredesigned to include more womenfarmers, whose role in the sector we hadunderestimated.

One of our most successful attempts topromote equality and challenge genderstereotypes was a storytelling roadshow,watched by 3,000 people in 20 villages inAceh Besar and Calang in late 2007. Wealso produced 12 10-minute radio showsabout gender equality during the spring of2006, as well as organizing a series ofwomen's empowerment training sessions inLhokseumaw, Calang, Nias and AcehBesar, which were accompanied byworkshops for men.

Indonesia

Martini works in thenursery at theGreenHandpermaculture trainingcenter in Lhoong village,run by Oxfam partnerIDEP. The projectpromotes alternativeagriculture methods thatrestore livelihoods whileprotecting Aceh's naturalenvironment. (Photo:Jim Holmes/Oxfam)


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ShelterAround half a million people were lefthomeless in Aceh by the tsunami. To meettheir immediate need for shelter, Oxfamprovided family tents and plastic sheeting for16,275 people within the first month of thetsunami. Immediately following the Niasearthquake, we provided emergency sheltermaterials for 23,440 people.

Oxfam was the first international agency toprovide housing to tsunami survivors, buildingour first model house in February 2005. Fromthen until early 2006, we quickly built"transitional" houses of timber and masonryto enable families to move out of temporaryshelters.

Following a change in BRR policy in early2006, we sought to upgrade many of thehouses we had built previously to permanentstructures. All new houses built by Oxfamfrom then on were complete masonrybuildings built in accordance with nationaland international seismic resistancestandards.

To ensure that our commitments to theAcehnese people and government could befulfilled on time and to exacting standards, inlate 2006 Oxfam's shelter program shiftedfrom a community-driven approach to acontractor- and partner-led approach. Ratherthan relying upon communities to supplymuch of the construction labor, professionalbuilders were hired. While this decreasedcommunity participation, beneficiary

satisfaction with Oxfam-funded houses rose.Of the 650 houses constructed in 2007 inCalang and Aceh Besar, 483 were built bypartners CHF and AIPRD.

Given Oxfam's policy of integrating water andsanitation facilities and electricity into all of itshouses and its high level of communityparticipation, the occupancy rate ofcompleted Oxfam houses routinely exceededthose of other organizations. All of Oxfam'shouses are culturally appropriate, and menand women have equal rights to ownershipand tenure security.

Over the course of the response, wesupported the rebuilding or rehabilitation ofessential infrastructure, including more than100 km of roads, 31 bridges and 45community centers. We also trained over1,800 people in carpentry, masonry, andhouse painting.

By December 2008, a total of 1,566permanent houses will have beenconstructed or rehabilitated by Oxfam acrossthe province; 652 of these will have beenbuilt by partners. Originally 549 semi-permanent houses were built, and these havebeen replaced with permanent houses orrenovated.

There was a constant tension between thedesire for greater community involvement asa way of fostering self-reliance and ensuringaccountability, and, on the other hand, thelimited capacity within those communities.Oxfam initially utilized a unique "self-build"

Indonesia

A workman in the process ofconverting one of the semi-permanenthouses constructed by Oxfam in theearly phase of the tsunami responseto an all-brick structure. We upgraded549 half-timber houses in this way.(Photo: Jim Holmes/Oxfam)


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Indonesiaapproach, in which carpenters were trainedto build their own or others' houses in theirvillage. While initially successful, variousproblems - such as a lack of qualitymaterials and carpenters finding other work -militated against community involvement. Weconcluded that the best course of actionwould be to engage professional builders tocomplete the projects to the proper standard.

The reconstruction of housing gave Oxfamthe opportunity to redress social injustices,by, for example, advocating for the provisionof land to renters and squatters and for jointland titling to protect women's propertyrights. Our advocacy efforts helped to shapethe overall policy environment in Aceh withregards to housing: the BRR revised itsoriginal approach and decided that landlesstsunami survivors would be entitled to landand housing which they would own in theirown name. The government agency askedOxfam to draw up guidelines forimplementing the new policy.

Disaster managementOxfam partner Hivos has worked with localNGOs and the provincial authorities on aprogram aimed at reducing vulnerability inpost-tsunami Aceh by putting in placecommunity-based disaster risk reduction and

peace-building mechanisms. Hivos's localpartners have not only strengthened theirown capacities, but worked with 20 flood-prone villages to develop contingency plans,early warning systems and disaster responseteams.

The reintegration of ex-combatants isemerging as one of the most pressingconcerns in Aceh, and Hivos partners have aseries of projects aimed at smoothing thisprocess: a network of 11 local organizationswas established to monitor the situation andmake recommendations on how to avoidconflict; a conflict early warning system wascreated in 15 villages; 30 community peacefacilitators have been trained; and vocationaltraining has been given to ex-combatantsand those affected by conflict.

One local NGO is acting as a resourcecenter for the whole province, monitoringand analyzing disaster trends, while partnerWalhi Aceh helped to prepare draft provinciallegislation on disaster management. As wellas producing a journal and website devotedto disaster management issues, Hivos hasdocumented the program and developedtraining modules that can be used in futureby other organizations working in the field ofdisaster management.

Building resilience throughout IndonesiaGiven the increased occurrence of natural disasters in Indonesia, it was decided that a proportion of the Tsunami Fundmoney would be used to improve disaster management in vulnerable communities across the whole country. ThePRIME program - standing for Preparedness, Response, Influence of Policy: a Model for Emergencies - was createdin 2005. It has three key areas of work:

Preparedness: providing small grants to local partners to enable them to develop preparedness activities, and trainingcommunities in how to assess vulnerability to disaster. A mapping exercise identified more than 200 civil societyorganizations with the potential to increase their involvement in disaster management work. We have supported riskand vulnerability assessments in 125 villages in 13 districts and helped develop risk reduction action plans in 98villages.

Response: providing relief assistance in the event of disaster. Since PRIME was created, Oxfam and its partners haveresponded to 20 emergencies in Indonesia, delivering essential relief items to around 700,000 people.

Influencing policy: building the disaster management capacity of NGOs and government staff and advocating for themto incorporate disaster management in their planning and budgets and establish minimum standards in theiremergency responses. Oxfam worked with Indonesian NGOs to help develop a new National Disaster Law. In 2008alone, we have trained over 1,000 partner staff and over 300 government officials, who in turn will train communitymembers in disaster preparedness.

Sri LankaThe tsunami affected two-thirds of SriLanka's coastline, killing around 35,000people, leaving 150,000 without alivelihood and making more than half amillion homeless.

With our long-standing presence in thecountry and our strong relationships withlocal civil society organizations, we hadprivileged access to devastatedcommunities. The fact that a truce in thelong-running civil war was in place at thetime not only gave agencies the hope thatthey would be able to deliver short-termemergency relief to all affectedcommunities, but also allowed them toplan longer-term reconstruction anddevelopment programs.

However, post-tsunami work in the eastand north has been severelycompromised by the resumption ofhostilities between the government andthe Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) in late 2005, since when manytsunami beneficiaries have beendisplaced again. The impact this has hadon livelihoods has undermined hopes ofeconomic recovery in many tsunami-affected areas.

Restrictions on access and thetransportation of building materials andequipment into LTTE-controlled areashave made it a challenge to carry out ourprograms. Nonetheless, the fact thatOxfam often works with community-basedpartners has meant we have experiencedless disruption than other agencies.

In late 2007, more than 200,000 civiliansin the east were forced to flee theirhomes, resulting in a major humanitarianemergency. While Oxfam was able torespond to their needs, in coordinationwith other agencies, efforts to completetsunami-related programs in the east andnorth - and to build the capacity of localpartners and resilience of communities -were severely hampered, and in somecases, halted completely.

Due to the constantly changing securitysituation, we and our partners have had

to be flexible and adapt our programs tothe reality on the ground: for example, re-assigning some project budgets toemergency relief for conflict-displacedpeople when reconstruction projects wereno longer feasible.

In contrast, our tsunami reconstructionprograms in the south of the country haveprogressed well and we have succeededin meeting all of our goals there. In manyareas, we have been able to assistpeople living in poverty in tsunami-affected areas who, while not directlyaffected by the tsunami, were at risk ofbeing made comparatively poorer by theaid going to others in their community.

Our overall aim has been to empowertsunami-affected communities, throughincreased awareness of their rights andthe establishment of sustainablelivelihoods which can offer economicindependence. This has beencomplemented by improved access tosocial services, especially healthcare andeducation, and by incorporatingcommunity-based disaster risk reductioninto our programs.

The goals of the emergency and recoveryphases were achieved: there were nomajor outbreaks of disease, beneficiaryinvolvement in the design andimplementation of projects was high andwe avoided duplicating the work of otheragencies, with which cooperation wasgenerally good.

Many of our partners have been praisedin evaluations on issues such astransparency, cooperation with localauthorities, adapting to changing contextsand cost-efficiency. Furthermore, a majorexternal evaluation of Oxfam's responsein Sri Lanka, conducted 11 months afterthe tsunami, was largely positive. It saidour "impressive" achievements stemmedfrom our understanding of the localcontext and extensive partner network.The evaluation concluded that our impactcould be improved by better cohesionbetween Oxfam affiliates, and a strongeremphasis on accountability. In the three

Staff from Oxfam andpartner Kinniya Visionconstruct an 11,000 cubicmeter water tank in 'CTBcamp', TrincomaleeDistrict in the weeks afterthe tsunami. (Photo: ToriRay/Oxfam)

Beneficiaries

Dec 04- Sept 08

Public Health 134,115Food Security 316,340Livelihoods 169,485Social Services 116,611Disaster Management 35,846Shelter 19,730Total 792,127


Public Health 10,478Food Security 2,840Livelihoods 23,551Social Services 4,937DisasterManagement 1,310Shelter 10,457ProgramManagement 13,361Total 66,933


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Sri Lankayears since this evaluation, we haveincorporated these recommendations intoour work.

One of our biggest concerns has beenaround sustainability. While we havesucceeded in exiting responsibly fromtsunami-related programs, many of ourpartners - which expanded rapidly on theback of unprecedented funding - havefound it increasingly difficult to findinternational donors to fund futureprograms.

The enormous funding generated by thetsunami risked creating a culture ofdependency in affected communities and,as our response wound down, we havedevoted more energy to ensuring thatcommunity-based organizations have theskills to tackle future problems on theirown.

Public healthWe have worked with local partners,communities and health authorities toensure that vulnerable tsunami-affectedfamilies have access to clean water andsanitation services not only in the difficultperiod following the emergency, but also inthe longer term. We've also striven toensure that people are well informed abouthealth risks - whether trauma, HIV ormalaria - and that community healthsupport systems are in place and effective.

Oxfam has continued to provideemergency water supplies and sanitationwell into the fourth year of its response:this has been necessitated by the fact thatthousands of tsunami-affected familiesliving in the north and east of the islandhave been uprooted again by renewedhostilities and have sought refuge incamps for the displaced. We have alsoprovided safe water supplies and sanitationfor resettled populations often incollaboration with local health authorities.

Given the generally poor sanitaryconditions in the camps, Oxfam and itspartners conducted training in healthawareness, nutrition and good hygiene

practices, and campaigns to maintaincleanliness in camps, raise awareness ofHIV and AIDS and reduce the risk ofdisease.

In many locations, we trained communitywater committees in how to maintain theirwater sources and sanitation facilities. Wealso promoted home gardening activities toimprove nutrition levels.

In the emergency phase of the response,Oxfam was one of the first agencies on theground, delivering some 700,000 liters ofclean water a day to more than 60,000people. In that first year, we built orrepaired more than 5,000 wells, built 4,500latrines and distributed 22,000 familyhygiene kits. To provide a safeenvironment for women, we set up watertanks close to the camps and providedwell-lit and covered bathing and toiletfacilities.

Before the resumption of the conflict,Oxfam had been in the process of phasingout its emergency provision of water fortsunami-affected communities andintegrating water and sanitation work withits livelihoods program. We worked withthe national water authorities to rehabilitatethe water supply system in Batticaloadistrict.

Since the tsunami response began, Oxfamand its partners have constructed orrehabilitated over 8,000 wells. We havealso installed latrines in houses built byother agencies.

Our partner IWTHI (International WarRelated Trauma and HumanitarianIntervention Trust) focused on improvingtrauma counseling provision, training 90people in Hambantota and 150 in Amparain basic counseling skills. After training,they work with NGOs, local government,schools and hospitals to identify and assistpeople experiencing mental health issues.In the same districts, IWTHI established anumber of children's clubs aimed athelping young people to overcome theshock of the tsunami, to build up theirconfidence and develop new skills.

N.Kairuniananaitheven,a fisherman who lost hisboat and nets in thetsunami, volunteered toclean the debris from thebottom of a well inKathirawell, north ofBatticaloa. Oxfamtechnicians had pumpedsaltwater from the welland it had refilled withgroundwater. (Photo:Howard Davies/Oxfam)


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Sri Lanka

Restoration of livelihoodsOxfam has worked with a variety of largenational partners and smaller grassrootsorganizations to restore the livelihoods of thepoorest members of tsunami-affectedcommunities, particularly women. Typically,members of self-help groups (SHGs) andcommunity-based organizations are giventraining in marketing, financial managementor technical skills, along with funding to starttheir businesses, often in the form of low-interest or no-interest loans. Our partnersalso improved linkages between theseproducer groups and government extensionservices and financial institutions. Throughthe SHGs, members contribute regularly togroup savings schemes, from which they canborrow as an emergency fund or to expandtheir businesses. The groups have allowedbeneficiaries to engage in collectivemarketing and to bypass the need formiddlemen, thus increasing income andensuring a fairer distribution of profits.

The beneficiaries are engaged in activitiesas diverse as tailoring, rearing livestock,market gardening, beekeeping and sellingdairy products.

By targeting women for loans, Oxfam aimsnot only to raise household incomes, butalso to give them stronger voices in thecommunity and in the family. Wherepossible, we have not only sought toreestablish livelihoods, but also renegotiatethem: assets such as fishing boats and netshave been registered jointly in the name ofboth husband and wife.

One of Oxfam's largest partners in Sri Lanka,BRAC, has assisted almost 60,000 womenin Ampara and Batticaloa to restore theirlivelihoods and set up small businessessince the start of the tsunami response. Itreported that not only had virtually all ofthese beneficiaries reestablished theirlivelihoods, but 88 per cent of them hadhigher incomes than before the tsunami.Many of these women said their contributionto household income was significantly higherafter joining the BRAC program.

One of our biggest disappointments hasbeen that, while most households regainedor exceeded their pre-tsunami income levels,those living in conflict-affected areas havestruggled to do so.

We have used research - particularly in thepaddy and coir sectors - to improve existingprograms and, in turn, beneficiaries' incomesand market access.

Oxfam and our partners have soughtinnovative ways for affected people toincrease their incomes. This has includedrenovating roads to facilitate access tomarkets. Partner Sewa Lanka built fishmarkets and provided refrigerated trucks, anice-plant and new fish-drying techniques toallow fishermen to deliver better quality fishfor which they got higher prices. Anotherpartner, Nafso, lobbied successfully for thegovernment to work towards banning harmfulfishing practices.

In Jaffna and Mullaitivu, Oxfam providedfinancial assistance to fishing communities to

After the tsunami, Oxfam supported awomen's self-help group in the villageof Gonnoruwa to create an irrigationsystem for their drought-strickenfarms. The women hired a mason butdid much of the heavy laborthemselves. Now, the farmers ofGonnoruwa harvest crops twice ayear. They are out of debt tomoneylenders, and their children arewell nourished and getting bettereducation. And the women who madeit possible have become highlyrespected leaders in their community.(Photo: Atul Loke/Panos for Oxfam)


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Sri Lanka

enable them to join government pension andinsurance plans and so make their longer-termincome more secure.

In the first year of our tsunami response, theemphasis was on cash-for-work projects, aimedat speeding the clean-up and pumping capitalinto local economies, and on the replacementof lost assets such as fishing boats and nets,farming equipment and livestock, to allowpeople to restart businesses destroyed in thetsunami. We desalinated contaminated landand improved irrigation channels, as well asproviding tools and grants to masons andcarpenters so that they could take part in thereconstruction process.

Restoration of social servicesOxfam's activities have focused on two keyareas: rebuilding schools damaged in thetsunami and empowering marginalizedpopulations, especially women, to understandtheir rights and demand a say in decisions thataffect them. We have worked with ourgrassroots partners to build their capacity tospeak out for and be accountable to thecommunities in which they work.

Our partner Education International (EI) hascompleted the reconstruction of eight tsunami-affected schools in Ampara, Batticaloa, Galle,Trincomalee, Matara and Kalutara, whichtogether serve around 6,000 students eachyear. An external evaluation praised EI for"building back better" and for involving

communities in the program. Various partnersprovided educational materials, school bagsand uniforms to almost 19,000 children, whilestipends were given to 1,250 poor children wholost one or both parents in the tsunami.

To ensure that poor tsunami-affected peoplewere able to contest decisions regarding thereconstruction process, Oxfam joined forceswith the Institute of Human Rights to set up fivefree legal aid clinics. These facilities alsodisseminated information to affectedcommunities about government policies.

An important thrust of our programming hasbeen to promote gender equality within Oxfam,partners and communities. Oxfam advocatedstrongly with the authorities to ensure that therights of vulnerable people, especially those ofwomen, were respected throughout therecovery and reconstruction process.

Throughout the response, hundreds of Oxfam-supported workshops and events have beenheld to raise awareness of women's rights,domestic violence, the dangers of girlsdropping out of school and marrying early andhow to lodge complaints with the police. Manysocial problems that existed before thetsunami, such as alcoholism and domesticviolence, were amplified in the camps for thedisplaced and we devoted a great deal of effortto ensure the safety of women living there, forexample by providing secure bathing facilitiesand including women in camp managementcommittees.

Vanni, 17, receives training incarpentry, as part of a program runby partner KPNDU in Vaharaidivision to give vocational skillsneeded in the reconstruction effortto internally displaced people."Before the tsunami there wouldnot have been work for women incarpentry but I see this as a long-term job, not just as a short-termventure because of the tsunami,"Vanni said. (Photo: HowardDavies/Oxfam)


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Through its Access for All program, ourpartner Motivation focused on ensuringthat disabled people were not overlookedand that they were integrated into post-tsunami community rehabilitationprojects. It provided training for 500disabled tsunami survivors to help themget into mainstream employment or setup their own businesses and provided352 with various mobility aids. It helpedestablish a national wheelchairdistribution service and lobbiedsuccessfully for disabled-friendly accessto be incorporated into building codes inall post-tsunami construction.

Disaster managementWe have tried to integrate community-based disaster risk reduction (DRR) intoall programs so that vulnerable peopleare better able to withstand futureemergencies. This includes building theskills and know-how of partnerorganizations and disaster-pronecommunities and advocating withgovernment agencies to improveinfrastructure and disaster responsemechanisms. We have helped toestablish, advise and train 14 village-based disaster management committeesin Vavuniya and Mannar districts, in linewith emergency preparedness plansdeveloped by the consortium of NGOs inSri Lanka and within government-rundisaster management structures.

We have also been working with thegovernment to enhance its disastermanagement capabilities and havereviewed the strength of emergencypreparedness volunteer committees in 35villages in Matara and Hambantotadistricts, giving them relief items todistribute in emergencies and facilitatingfirst aid training.

Oxfam has funded a wide range ofresearch in this area (see page 36)including how to build communitycapacity and empower women as part ofdisaster preparedness. One of ourresearch partners, the Sri Lanka

Foundation Institute, opened a nationalDRR resource center aimed at facilitatinglearning and promoting best practice. Thecenter includes a database listingprofessionals with key humanitarian skillswho can be deployed in an emergency.

Partner SLCDF has created a disasterfund, which is replenished by repaymentsfrom a livelihoods revolving fund,involving 800 families in eight districts.This fund will enable communities anddistrict-level organizations to respond tolocal emergencies.

See also page 30 for the Green Coastprogram.

ShelterImmediately after the tsunami, Oxfamprovided more than 3,700 durabletransitional shelters, as well as erectingmodel temporary shelters whose designswere reproduced or adapted by otheragencies. Oxfam continues to providetemporary shelter for displaced people inthe north.

Once we saw the large number ofhumanitarian agencies engaged inbuilding temporary shelters, we decidedto use some of the money intended fortransitional shelters for permanenthouses instead. So partner CHAfacilitated the construction of 20 housesand Clean Clothes Campaign/FTZ Unionbuilt 70 houses for tsunami survivors inAmpara district. These houses weregiven to vulnerable families, such asthose headed by women, disabled peopleor the very poor, who had not beenselected by other housing projects.

As expected, the process of movingpeople to permanent housing waslengthy for a variety of reasons: thedifficulty of finding suitable land; ashortage of labor and materials; risingprices and a lack of security in manyareas. The number of houses Oxfam iscommitted to build has fluctuated alongwith the constantly evolving situation onthe ground.

Sri Lanka

Children at the ShariputhraSchool in Ahangama, nearGalle, one of eight schoolsrebuilt by Oxfam partnerEducational International.(Photo: HowardDavies/Oxfam)


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Sri LankaNonetheless, by September 2008, Oxfamhad succeeded in building a total of 492houses in Hambantota, Ampara andBatticaloa out of a total commitment of890: 289 of these are to replace houseslost in the tsunami, of which 264 havebeen completed, while another 601 arefor the poorest and most vulnerablecommunity members - especially women-headed households - who were indirectlyaffected by the tsunami. Some 521 ofthese homes have been finished or areunder construction. The remaininghouses will be completed in early 2009.

Among the houses we built were 12 'pilot'houses for tsunami survivors in Amparaand Batticaloa districts which wereintended to promote the use of cheaper,more sustainable materials in theconstruction sector.

Community consultation was central toour shelter program, with beneficiariesbeing able to influence the design of thehouses; we promoted this approach withother agencies. Even well into 2008, wewere working with communities and thegovernment to resolve issues aroundland tenure and to secure land fordisplaced people.

An independent evaluation of Oxfam'spermanent shelter work, conducted inJune 2008, praised the "unique"empowerment processes that we and ourpartners employed, as well as the goodoverall quality of the houses.

Since the start of the tsunami responseOxfam has supplied more than 8,000cubic meters of sustainable plantationtimber from Australia to other agenciesfor the construction and repair of houses,transitional shelters and communitybuildings.

Giving tsunami-affectedcommunities a say in thedesign and implementationof programs has been acentral part of Oxfam'swork. Here, six monthsafter the disaster,displaced families inVaharai division, north ofBatticaloa, visitPannichenkerny school,where Oxfam has put ondisplay models showinghow transitional sheltersand other amenities willlook. (Photo: HowardDavies/Oxfam)

Mohanasundaram Shanthini, 23, secretary of anOxfam gender group, outside her transitionalshelter, built by Oxfam in Ralodai camp, north ofBatticaloa. She says her committee tries to settledisputes in families and to ensure that women aretreated equally: "We have an awareness programto stop men drinking, and a program to find workfor women-headed households. Whenever newcash-for-work projects come, we see how theycan be implemented so men and women canparticipate equally. There is a problem of violenceagainst women but because of our efforts, it'sbeing reduced. Oxfam has brought great changesin our lives." (Photo: Howard Davies/Oxfam)

More than 12,400 people were killed and650,000 forced from their homes when thetsunami smashed into the south-easterncoast of India. One third of those affectedbelonged to underprivileged andmarginalized social groups.

Oxfam had a long presence in India andstrong links with partner organizations -from big national NGOs able to reach largenumbers of people, to smaller grassrootsorganizations - and this allowed us toaccess affected communities and quicklyestablish a good relationship with them.

During the initial emergency phase, butalso during monsoon floods, we distributedfood rations and other relief items to233,000 people. Our local partners alsoadvocated with the government to ensurethat marginalized communities, such asAdivasi (tribal) families were included ingovernment food-relief programs.

Gradually, the restoration of livelihoodsbecame the main focus of our work. Likemany agencies, we assisted tsunami-affected fishing communities by distributingboats, nets and other equipment to allowthem to resume their activities, but alsoassisted them to diversify their income bytraining them in new skills like crabfarming.

With many agencies assisting fishingcommunities, Oxfam focused a lot of itsattention on the agricultural sector, where

fewer lives were lost but livelihoods werenonetheless devastated. Around 12,000hectares of farmland were contaminated bysaltwater; many of those affected weresmall-scale and marginal farmers from theDalit and tribal communities who hadmissed out on other tsunami-relatedassistance. This emphasis on reducingpoverty among underprivileged ruralgroups, especially women, has informedour response in India.

Throughout the tsunami response, Oxfamand our partners have enjoyed a goodrelationship with both state and federalgovernments. This has enabled us to lobbythem successfully on important issuessuch as improving living conditions intemporary shelters or increasing thegovernment's procurement price for paddy.

The scale and complexity of programs hasresulted in capacity and managementissues in a number of partners. Theseproblems have also exposed inadequateoversight of partner programs by Oxfam.

In one case, accountability andgovernance shortcomings were found inthe livelihoods program of a partnernetwork, resulting in delays in thedistribution of some loans. The programwas extensively redesigned followingreviews of partners' capacity and Oxfam'sown management systems, and anindependent audit of the partner network.

India

A farmer in the village of Palavakkam, in TamilNadu, at a meeting with researchers from theAdvanced Center for Enabling Disaster RiskReduction, an Oxfam partner. Climate changehas confounded farmers' traditional means ofpredicting rainfall; researchers are helpingthem come up with new plans for sowing andharvesting crops based on current weathertrends. (Photo: Atul Loke/Panos for Oxfam)

Beneficiaries

Dec 04- Sept 08

Public Health 207,439Food Security 232,980Livelihoods 660,645Social Services 99,320Disaster Management 129,238Shelter 23,175Total 776,025*


Public Health 2,158Food Security 1,191Livelihoods 20,228Social Services 1,411DisasterManagement 1,124Shelter 4,934ProgramManagement 3,873Total 34,921

*there is a considerable amountof overlap between the differentsectors. This cumulative total isarrived at by adding togetherthe programs of the differentOxfam affiliates active in theIndia tsunami response


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Similarly, an evaluation of our permanentshelter work uncovered quality problems insome partner-built houses and a lack ofcommunity participation in some locations.After serious disagreements about itsmanagement control systems, which Oxfamconsidered to be below our standards, wedecided in August 2007 to end ourrelationship with partner Prepare.

An evaluation of the whole Oxfam tsunamiprogram in South India, conducted in early2006, said that we and our partners hadachieved what we set out to do, and praisedthe way livelihoods interventions hadsucceeded in addressing the needs ofindividual beneficiaries. Another evaluationlooked at how well we ensured accountabilityto beneficiaries. The findings are largelypositive, with most respondents saying theyhad had the opportunity to contribute toprograms. The overarching evaluationsuggested that there needed to be greatercoordination among Oxfam affiliates.Thematic groups were set up to achieve thisand to ensure the sustainability of programs.

Sustainability has been a key focus of ourwork in the second half of the response. Thishas included building the capacity of partnersand developing linkages with the governmentand financial institutions, so that community-based groups continue to receive support.

Half of a major Oxfam research program(see page 36) was conducted in India and

this resulted not only in improved programsbut also a great deal of learning which hasbeen passed on to partners, governmentinstitutions and the newly-created OxfamIndia to inform their future humanitarianresponses.

Public healthIn the three months after the tsunami, weestablished water and sanitation facilities forsome 7,000 households, distributed hygienekits to more than 40,000 families anddeployed dozens of water engineers,sanitation specialists and health promoters.We also distributed 72,000 liters of water to2,500 affected people. This was vital inpreventing mass outbreaks of water-bornediseases.

Oxfam and our partners continued to provideclean water and sanitation to people living intemporary shelters for much longer thananticipated, given the slow pace ofreconstruction. We installed 1,026 latrines,1,088 washrooms and 590 water tanks andprovided 1,049 cleaning kits to families livingin temporary shelters.

In late 2006, we were still helping almost60,000 people living in temporaryaccommodation. These interventions did notend until late 2007. We have alsoestablished water and sanitation facilities inall the permanent houses our partners havebuilt.

IndiaBeebi and her husband Kaleshavalli, who are bothHIV-positive, sit outside their home in the village ofTangutur, Andhra Pradesh. Beebi is president of theAsha Mutually Aided Cooperative Society (MACS)in the village, which is supported by Oxfam partnerSARDS. The group's 200 members are all womenliving with HIV. Beebi received a livelihood grant of10,000 rupees (€155) to help set up a small shopwith Kaleshavalli near her home. Having enrolled asa community volunteer, she is now working forSARDS. SARDS, which had already extendedassistance to the village after the tsunami, formedthe Asha MACS in November 2007 to ensure thatpeople living with HIV, who suffer high levels ofdiscrimination, had access to livelihoods support.(Photo: Marie Banu Jawahar/Oxfam)


page 25

Throughout the tsunami response, partners haveconducted a huge number of public educationevents to raise awareness of health and hygieneissues. We have trained volunteers andmonitoring committees to oversee good healthand hygiene practice and maintain water andsanitation facilities in displaced people's camps.Partners have staged a series of mobile healthcamps, where members of poor andmarginalized communities could seek healthadvice and diagnosis. Furthermore, Oxfam healthspecialists trained staff from more than 30 NGOsin public health protection.

A community-led evaluation of the effectiveness,reach and accountability of Oxfam's public healthprojects in temporary settlements was carried outin 2007. It found that Oxfam's public healthpromotion had largely achieved its goals,principally to reduce the incidence of disease,particularly diarrhea and malaria.

Oxfam has integrated awareness of HIV andAIDS into all its programs in South India and hasalso coordinated awareness programs throughpartners, training their staff to organize culturalevents. An Oxfam research study of vulnerabilityto HIV in tsunami-affected communities providedrecommendations for integrating HIV riskreduction strategies into future disasterresponses.

Restoration of livelihoodsThe tsunami destroyed the assets, naturalresources and infrastructure on which hundredsof thousands of people depended for a living.Over the course of the tsunami response,restoring and improving livelihoods hasconstituted the biggest area of expenditure.

Along this stretch of coastline, there are manycommunities of people living in extreme poverty.Oxfam and our partners have focused on helpingmarginalized people, including women, tribal andDalit communities, to strengthen their existinglivelihoods or find alternative means of income.

The principal model used is to organize people -often women - into self-help groups (SHG) whichare then provided with training and funding,usually in the form of loans, which are used toset up small enterprises ranging from marketgardening to tailoring, from fish-drying to themanufacture of coir products. Group members,who have traditionally had limited access tocredit other than from high-interest money-lenders, can then borrow from the group savingsto expand their businesses. Their greatereconomic autonomy also reduces theirvulnerability to future disasters.

We have focused on ensuring the sustainabilityof these groups: members have been trained inkey skills such as bookkeeping, marketing,leadership and awareness of their rights, and theSHGs have been organized into federations,which have in turn been linked to banks andgovernment schemes. Many livelihoods supportstructures set up by our partners, such as servicecenters in coastal fishing villages or farmingcommunities, have been handed over to thesefederations. One of our largest partners, theDhan Foundation, has organized 69,000members into almost 4,000 livelihoods groups.

In the emergency phase, there was a strongemphasis on replacing lost assets, such as boatsand fishing equipment, farm tools or livestock,and on cash-for-work programs: to pump moneyinto the local economy, some 26,433 tsunami-

India

Chandra (centre) and Valli (right) take abreak from rebuilding damaged salt pans inVedaranyam, southern India, in May 2005.Oxfam and its partner, FACE, paid the saltproducers - usually members of poor,marginalized communities - to drain andrebuild the salt pans which had beendestroyed by the tsunami, so enabling themto start earning a living again. In a challengeto prevailing social norms, Oxfam and FACEpaid women equal wages for the work.(Photo: Rajendra Shaw/Oxfam)


page 26

Indiaaffected people were paid to clear away debris andrehabilitate canals, ponds and agricultural land.Before the end of the first year of the responseprogram, we provided 360 new boats and nets tofishermen, and repaired a further 900 boats and800 outboard motors that were damaged in thetsunami.

While Oxfam gave a lot of help to fishingcommunities, we quickly realized that othergroups, especially poor farmers, had been badlyaffected by the tsunami but overlooked by theoverall response: their fields had beencontaminated by saltwater, and their assetsdestroyed along with their markets. We have beenpromoting innovative ways to boost their incomes.This has included: 1,500 farmers in Karaikal andNagapattinam districts adopting organic methods,which have dramatically increased profits; buildingwarehouses to store produce, allowing almost 400farmers in Nagapattinam to sell when demandincreases; and developing a seed bank and asystem for producing certified seeds in Karaikaland Perunthottam.

Rural development NGO Myrada evaluated manyof Oxfam's livelihoods programs and found them tobe appropriate and to have succeeded in focusingon the poorest of the poor. Its recommendationson improving sustainability were incorporated intoour exit strategies.

The sheer scale of the tsunami has presentedsignificant challenges for partners, which often didnot have the experience and capacity to handlesuch sums of money or such large numbers ofbeneficiaries. The umbrella network, the EastCoast Development Forum (ECDF), failed to

disburse money to its member organizations in atimely way, and consequently livelihoods SHGs didnot receive their funding. Oxfam was obliged toredesign the program. One partner, Shanthi Dan,initially refused to submit itself to an independentreview. But after lengthy negotiations, it signed anagreement with Oxfam allowing for the distributionof livelihood grants to women beneficiaries.Despite the fact that Oxfam has fully met all itsresponsibilities, one group of beneficiaries hascontinued to protest in pursuit of further funds.

See also Green Coast program on page 30

Restoration of social servicesActivities in this sector mainly focused onimproving access to education for children andimproving the learning environment. The DhanFoundation, for example, established 270 tuitioncenters offering supplementary education to 8,000pupils who missed schooling because of thetsunami disaster. Another partner, Center for WorldSolidarity, provided vocational education to 53 girlsto boost their employment chances.

Dhan has also created 106 Village InformationCenters, aimed at empowering marginalizedpeople in coastal villages. The centers, which havebenefited over 34,000 people, offer a wide rangeof services, including a disaster early warningsystem, market information and computer training.

Oxfam has built gender equality into all of itsprograms and promoted this in other NGOs,notably a gender mainstreaming 'toolkit'highlighting best practice in disaster response,which arose out of an Oxfam research studypublished in February 2007.

The Advanced Center for EnablingDisaster Risk Reduction, which is run byOxfam partner the Dhan Foundation, haslaunched a pilot community radio projectto serve around 100,000 people in ruralsettlements of Madurai district.Community members create their ownprograms on a range of issues, includingdisaster response and risk reduction.(Photo: Atul Loke/Panos for Oxfam)


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Disaster management One long-term legacy of Oxfam's tsunamiwork is the Advanced Center for DisasterRisk Reduction (ACEDRR), run by theDhan Foundation. This center, whichemphasizes the development approach toDRR, carries out research and developspolicy relating to disaster mitigation, andbuilds the capacity of communities and civilsociety to better withstand disasters.Already it has launched a website, initiated14 pilot research projects to integrate DRRinto development activities and begun sixprojects to provide analysis to underpinprogram and policies. One pilot project hasprovided insurance cover to over 750fishing families in Vizag district of AndhraPradesh.

Dhan, which formed local disastermanagement groups in 150 villages, alsohelped to create a community radio stationto disseminate early warning information to20 coastal villages in NagapattinamDistrict. More than 350,000 people haveaccessed disaster risk reductioninformation from Dhan's network of VillageInformation Centers. Partner CEE hasdeveloped community-level contingencyplans with 19 disaster-prone villages andgiven people information on what to do inthe event of an emergency. It hasdeveloped a radio network linkingfishermen to coastal villages to act as arapid disaster alert system. CEE alsoplanted more than eight hectares of treesto act as protective shelterbelts in sevenvillages.

Oxfam has worked with partners todevelop contingency plans for futureemergencies, as well as collaborating withRedR India to help 24 NGOs develop rapidresponse plans and build up theiremergency capacity. These fed into statelevel contingency plans in Andhra Pradesh,Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and theAndaman and Nicobar Islands.

ShelterIn our initial response, we provided 1,624temporary shelters for tsunami-affected

households. Later in 2005, westrengthened hundreds of existing sheltersto prepare for the monsoon season, and in2006, partners repaired or rebuilt almost1,000 mud-walled houses destroyed byflooding. Oxfam did not rush to start itspermanent housing projects, as it wasnecessary for suitable land to becomeavailable and for communities to be in aposition to be full participants in theprocess.

Oxfam took an early decision not tocompete with the many organizationsinvolved in building permanent housing.Instead, it focused on promoting bestpractice and encouraging communityinvolvement in decisions about housedesign and relocation sites. Ultimately, fivepartner organizations (BUILD, CEE,Prepare, QSSS and SEVAI) built a total of455 permanent houses for tsunami-affected people. As well as building 101houses for tsunami survivors, partnerPrepare has supported 432 Dalit familiesto renovate their houses. Beneficiaries areencouraged to supervise and even takepart in the construction work.

An evaluation of partner permanent shelterprograms was conducted in 2008. Whilelargely positive, it noted that improvementscould have been made in a number ofareas, including the targeting ofbeneficiaries, involving communities in theprogram and sharing good practice. Basedon the recommendations, Oxfam carriedout a number of improvements to thehouses in late 2008.

The overall reconstruction process wasbeset by a series of delays, caused by ashortage of land, a lack of skilled labor andmaterials, and coordination issues. For thisreason, Oxfam focused a great deal of itsadvocacy efforts on improving the direliving conditions in temporary shelters,where, even two years after the disaster,hundreds of thousands of people wereliving. Following Oxfam's lobbying, theTamil Nadu state government decided tocoordinate repairs worth 54.6 millionrupees (€1.1 million).

India

Madhavi worked as aagricultural wagelabourer at the SCColony in Pedhaganjamvillage, Andhra Pradesh,after dropping out ofschool. She is one of 15girls now being trainedby Oxfam partner HELPin fabric painting to givethem skills that couldboost their incomes. "Onaverage, it takes aroundfour days to design onesari and I charge 350rupees (€5) for this.HELP provided us withpaint, brushes, designbooks and material. Afterthis I will be trained intailoring," Madhavi said.(Photo: Marie BanuJawahar/Oxfam)


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The remoteness of the islands and the lack ofreliable pre-tsunami data make it difficult toassess accurately the scale of the impact.The official estimate of the dead and missingwas 3,513. Around 10,000 houses, 85schools, 34 health centers and almost 1,000fishing boats were damaged or destroyed;150,000 head of livestock and more than8,000 hectares of farmland and plantationswere lost. Six southern islands had to becompletely evacuated and 200 temporaryrelief camps were set up to accommodate46,000 people. Some 14,000 people were air-lifted to the capital, Port Blair, and another5,700 were taken to mainland India.

Oxfam arrived in the islands within two daysof the tsunami and began providingemergency relief materials, such as foodsupplies, temporary shelter, hygiene kits andclean water, to the camps. Due to travelrestrictions imposed by the government, wewere unable to reach the badly affectedsouthern group of islands, but we establishedlinks with community-based groups there andthey were able to deliver Oxfam reliefservices.

An external evaluation of our response saidwe had had positive impact especiallythrough the delivery of materials and assets;we were one of the leading agencies insetting up an NGO coordination mechanism,which resulted in greater impact. The

evaluation said beneficiaries were unhappywith a lull in activities while community-basedcommittees were formed, but that this movehad made interventions more sustainable.

A significant constraint in the shelter sectorwas the fact that Oxfam had to operateaccording to the government's design andbeneficiary selection criteria. Nonetheless, wesuccessfully provided intermediate shelter for220 families in two locations in SouthAndaman. After lobbying the government toamend its basic design, we were able to addwindows for ventilation, flooring andverandas. We also distributed nearly 200shelter kits which included stoves,saucepans, water filters and mosquito nets.

In collaboration with the education authorities,we constructed three pre-fabricated schoolsin Little Andaman, benefiting about 1,750pupils. We also built four pre-fabricatedoffices for partners in the southern group ofislands, although these projects suffered fromconsiderable delays.

Oxfam successfully trained a network ofcommunity health workers to disseminatepublic health and hygiene messages, and wewere praised by the evaluation for the use ofmass media such as All India Radio to reachlarge numbers with essential healthinformation in six local languages. Efforts touse local television were less effective.

India: Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Lakshmi tends her betel plants, an importantcash crop in the islands, in her garden inBamboo Flat in October 2005. She was paidby Oxfam to restore the garden as part of acash-for-work program. Other beneficiarieswere paid to restore coastal embankments,build dams, repair roads or fit flooring tohouses. (Photo: Rajendra Shaw/Oxfam)


page 29

One of our innovative programs was tosupport the extraction of citronella oil - anaturally-occurring mosquito repellent - asa livelihoods activity and then provide it toall beneficiaries.

Oxfam built hundreds of toilets andwashrooms across the islands. In SouthAndaman, these were situated in the samesites where we constructed intermediateshelters. Thanks to good coordination withthe authorities, good infrastructure andpublic mobilization, these were well usedby the community. However, facilities builtin Great Nicobar were less well used.

As well as installing 20 large water storagetanks and desalinating over 300 wells, wepromoted a rainwater harvesting systemwhich was very successful in providing analternative source of water for domesticuse during the monsoon season. Thissystem was adopted on a large scale evenin shelters constructed by the governmentand other NGOs.

In the livelihoods sector, Oxfam's cash-for-work interventions provided immediateincome to poor households, throughactivities such as work on Oxfam's ownshelters or the digging of wells. Theevaluation praised small-scaleinterventions with partners like thedesalination of paddy fields whichbenefited 50 marginal farming families, ora kitchen gardening project which assisted53 women. Both activities not onlyimproved livelihoods but also food security.

Oxfam provided 76 boats and nets totsunami-affected fishermen in CentralNicobar Islands, and trained young peoplein how to repair and maintain the vessels.We provided deep freezers to TribalDevelopment Cooperative Societies in 14villages to enhance market linkage for thefish. The evaluation found that the boatswere not always used for their intended

purpose. This was partly due to poorbeneficiary selection by the government,as well as inadequate infrastructure and notradition of commercial fishing among tribalgroups.

Oxfam offered vocational training in, andtool kits for, carpentry, masonry, plumbingand car repair. While the training itself waspraised, some participants were unable toapply their skills because of a lack ofmarket linkages.

Given the difficulties Oxfam and otheragencies experienced in their livelihoodinterventions, there was clearly a need tobetter understand what livelihoodopportunities were appropriate to the localcontext. With partner CEFI, we establisheda livelihood resource center to build up aknowledge base on local resources andskills.

India: Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Johanna listens to theradio in her temporaryshelter in Govindnagar inOctober 2005. Oxfamsponsored publiceducation messages onAll India Radio in Hindiand the Nicobarilanguages to ensure thatawareness of health andhygiene issues was aswidely disseminated aspossible. (Photo: RajendraShaw/Oxfam)


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Regional program: Green CoastOne of the biggest and most innovativeprograms undertaken as part of the Oxfam-funded tsunami response was Green Coast,implemented by partners WetlandsInternational, the Worldwide Fund forNature (WWF), Both Ends and theInternational Union for Conservation ofNature (IUCN). Unique in a post-disastercontext, it focused on restoring coastalecosystems and the management of naturalresources as a sustainable foundation forpeople's livelihoods. Green Coast wassuccessfully implemented in tsunami-affected areas of Indonesia, Sri Lanka andSouth India.

Recognizing that poor communities stood tobenefit most from this "greenreconstruction", Green Coast supported awide range of livelihoods activities,including fishing, small-scale aquaculture,eco-tourism, home gardening and livestock-rearing. As well as bolstering the income ofthese populations, the coastal forests thatwere replanted as part of the program alsoserve as a natural protective buffer againstcyclones, coastal erosion and the intrusionof salt water in fresh water systems.

Fundamental to the success of GreenCoast has been the involvement at allstages of community groups, who receivedfinancial capital to rebuild their livelihoodsand restore coastal ecosystems. Partnerswere also supported as they lobbied toinfluence coastal resource managementpolicies of district and nationalgovernments.

Another core principle was that policy workand the small grant projects should lead toimprovements in the rights and economicposition of women and that they should becentral to the decision-making process.

The 175 separate projects benefited a total

of 106,800 people with income-generatingactivities developed with small grants andtraining. Many more who do not participatedirectly in Green Coast will benefit throughrestored ecosystems, increased fish stocksand protection from disaster.

In total, more than 1,100 hectares ofmangrove and coastal forests, 2.5 km ofsand dunes and 100 hectares of damagedcoral reef and sea grass beds have beenrehabilitated. Community-based groupshave also restored drinking water wells anddesalinated agricultural land.

In two successful phases in Aceh, a total of75 separate projects have rehabilitatedalmost 1,000 hectares of coastal eco-system, directly assisting more than 19,000people to improve their livelihoods. Inaddition, an advocacy network of localorganizations involved in Green Coastprojects was created with a view to lobbyingthe authorities on coastal resourcemanagement issues.

An impact assessment of the program in SriLanka found that communities were betterprotected against future disasters, thatfishing opportunities had been enhanced,drinking water quality had improved and theecosystem had been enriched. In 29projects in Sri Lanka, IUCN established 44hectares of coastal greenbelt, rehabilitated40 hectares of mangroves and 750 metersof sand dunes, re-stocked 53 abandonedcoral-mine pits with freshwater fish speciesand supported 200 families to grow fruit andvegetables in their gardens and so improveincomes and nutrition. Some 61,500 peoplebenefited from these interventions.

In India, more than 4,600 people receiveddirect help in rebuilding their livelihoods,while another 11,440 received training incoastal resource management.

Azhar, head of a group supported bythe Green Coast program, stands bythe mangroves his community hasplanted in Lam Ujong. The moneygroup members received forlivelihoods was dependent on 80 percent of the mangroves surviving.(Photo: Roy Probert/Oxfam)

Anoma Sudarshanichecks the guava fruit inher garden in the newcommunity ofUhapitagode, nearHambantota, insouthern Sri Lanka, inOctober 2007. Itsinhabitants wererelocated here fromcoastal communitiesdestroyed in thetsunami. Green Coasthas supported Anoma toplant fruit andvegetables in hergarden to improve thenutrition of her familyand her income. (Photo:Howard Davies/Oxfam)

Myanmar (Burma)Oxfam's partner in Myanmar, the MettaFoundation, implemented two programsfor tsunami-affected communities in fourtownships in the Ayeyarwady Deltaregion: post-tsunami rehabilitation andcommunity forestry, which together havebenefited roughly 60,000 people.

As part of the former, Metta built orrenovated 40 schools in four townships,providing them with furniture, toilets,rainwater collection tanks, solar panelsand wind turbines. Fifty-six teachers from25 villages also received training.Fourteen new pre-school centers, able toaccommodate 2,000 children under theage of five, were also built, using locally-procured materials.

Metta adopted a participatory approachwhereby the beneficiaries were involvedin the design and implementation ofprojects. It conducted a range ofrehabilitation work, repairing the watersupply of 10,000 people in 20 tsunami-affected villages, sinking wells, diggingnew ponds and constructing bridges toenable villagers to reach markets.

Early in the response, it distributed fishingnets and boats to more than 50households. More recently, it set up fiveself-help groups for fisher folk, odd-jobworkers and women. These groups havereceived vocational and accountingtraining, as well as instruction in how tomanage a revolving fund.

One of the underlying aims of the Mettaproject was to improve the capacity ofcommunities to undertake and manageprojects themselves, as well as to givethem the confidence to negotiate withlocal officials. To this end, more than 200villagers acquired leadership andmanagement skills. Metta also noted agrowing assertiveness and willingness onthe part of women to get involved indevelopment activities where previouslythey had been reluctant to attendmeetings.

The community forestry project aimed toestablish a 51-hectare forest in Ngaputawand Labutta Townships to protect coastal

communities against natural disasters.Almost one million saplings of freshwaterand mangrove species were raised to beplanted there, and representatives from12 villages were trained to care for theseedlings.

The vulnerability of people living in theAyeyarwady Delta was illustrated todevastating effect in May 2008, whenCyclone Nargis battered the region,leaving around 138,000 people dead ormissing and 2.4 million displaced.

Virtually none of the facilities built byMetta during its tsunami rehabilitationprogram remained unscathed. Eighteenof the schools, 12 of the pre-schoolfacilities and six of the school toilet unitswere completely destroyed, as weremany of the solar panels, windmills andmangrove nursery centers. Five ofMetta's own staff died in the cyclone andanother lost his entire family.

Metta, with four field offices and over 70staff in the area, was well placed torespond to the cyclone, and is stillinvolved in relief activities. As part of itsrehabilitation activities, it will rebuild thedamaged schools to ensure that childrencan resume their education, as well asproviding better protection forcommunities against cyclones and floods.

The schools erected during the tsunamiresponse were built at low cost usinglocal materials and methods traditional tothe region. The new schools, with solidfoundations and made from reinforcedconcrete, are intended to serve both asschools and disaster shelters, following adesign used successfully in Bangladeshand India.

One positive aspect to emerge from thedevastation of Nargis was the fact thatbeneficiaries put into practice the disastermanagement training they received fromMetta. Inhabitants of Pyinkhayaing Islandconducted damage and needsassessments immediately after thecyclone struck and communicated theirfindings to the Metta field office.

Beneficiaries

Dec 04- Sept 08

Public Health 22,163Food Security 14,432Livelihoods 6,446Social Services 27,023Disaster Management 973Shelter 1,290Total 60,171*


Public Health 107Food Security 3Livelihoods 100Social Services 387DisasterManagement 106Shelter 8ProgramManagement 29Total 740

*Some beneficiaries receivedassistance in more than onesector

ThailandOxfam's post-tsunami work in Thailand hasfocused on three main areas: assistingBurmese migrants to access health careand understand their rights, strengtheningthe livelihoods and disaster preparednessof coastal fishing communities, and givingassistance to people involved in landdisputes.

One partner has worked with Burmesecommunities in Phang Nga and Phuketprovinces to improve their access to healthservices and to raise awareness of theirlabor rights.

Malaria and respiratory illnesses are acommon problem for workers in the palmtree plantations, while tuberculosis and HIVare common in the migrant community, sothe partner has trained 2,000 healthvolunteers in five districts to provide healthinformation to migrants, collect informationon the health situation and help to referpeople to the correct health services. Atotal of 50 health workshops have beenheld, 30 of them aimed specifically atwomen so that they can accessinformation about reproductive health, childcare and domestic violence. The partneralso collaborated with local hospitals toensure that migrants were being givenaccess to services to which they areentitled.

During the course of the tsunami response,about 25,000 migrants were reached byOxfam-funded health awareness activities.

Many of the Burmese community andemployers are unaware of the rights ofmigrant workers, and the partner heldtraining workshops, created Burmese-language brochures and set up atelephone hotline to disseminateinformation on migrant and labor rights. Itput in place a workplace outreach schemeand organized at least 70 'laborexchanges' where a total of 7,500 migrantworkers came to discuss issues they werefacing. Fifteen training sessions for migrantleaders on labor laws and creatingassociations and trade unions wereattended by 300 people. One thousandmigrants received legal aid. Some 15,700men and women benefited from these

livelihoods services.

The work of this partner was at timescomplicated by crackdowns on migrants,including curfews and bans on gatheringsof more than five people or the use ofmobile phones. A vital tool in reaching aswide an audience as possible was a twice-weekly radio show in Burmese whichbroadcast information to five districts abouthealth issues and migrant rights, as well asadvertising local events.

Oxfam also helped marginalized fishingcommunities in Phang Nga, Krabi andPhuket provinces. Our partner, theRehabilitation of Andaman Coastal FishingCommunities: Phang Nga Bay Project(PNB), works directly with 24 coastalvillages to restore their livelihoods, createand strengthen community organizationsand establish a community-based disasterwarning system.

Originally run by the Save AndamanNetwork (SAN), the PNB project usedcommunity-based revolving fund groups asthe mechanism for restoring members'livelihoods. These groups were given seedmoney and then specific training. At thesame time, the partner established anetwork of local organizations in 57villages in the bay area. This was seen ascrucial for the long-term development oflivelihoods, disaster preparednessmeasures and advocacy to addresspoverty.

A member of the BangPat fishing communitychecks on the oysters hehas been cultivating. Thisis one of 24 coastalvillages being assisted aspart of the Phang NgaBay Project (PNB).Community membershave been helped toreestablish theirbusinesses with revolvingloans. (Photo: Oxfam)

Beneficiaries

Dec 04- Sept 08

Public Health 25,017Food Security 7,241Livelihoods 25,743Social Services 5,070Disaster Management 0*Shelter 16,102Total 75,022*


Public Health 103Food Security 51Livelihoods 474Social Services 7DisasterManagement 9Shelter 7ProgramManagement 11Total 662

Some beneficiaries receivedassistance in more than onearea. The people who benefitedfrom disaster managementspending also receivedlivelihoods assistance and areincluded in this sector.


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ThailandThe PNB project set up a VHF radio network whichserves as a disaster warning mechanism and away of monitoring illegal fishing activities. Thisnetwork now has 151 trained members in the threeprovinces, and connects to a wider network in othernearby provinces.

We continue to support the SAN as it assiststsunami-affected communities that haveencountered difficulties in accessing land, bystrengthening local organizations and ensuring thatcommunities are aware of their rights. SAN is alsopresenting alternatives for sustainable land use.

SAN supports a number of networks of community-based organizations, which encourage villages to

develop charters on how they want their communityorganized and how land should be managed.

The Andaman Community Rights and Legal AidCenter supported people from 31 villages whofaced eviction from their land. Of the 367 casescovered by this center, 250 have been completed,usually with positive results for the villagers: 226cases ended in an agreement, of which 170concluded with the defendants being provided witha land title document for part of the disputed area.In other cases, complainants have withdrawn theiraccusations or the court has dismissed thecharges. Six cases are at appeal and 117 casesare still in process.

MaldivesOne-third of the Maldives' population ofnearly 300,000 was affected by thetsunami, seeing their homes, livelihoods,and social infrastructure damaged ordestroyed.

Oxfam was one of the first internationalorganizations to respond to the disaster,dispatching an assessment team to theMaldives on 3 January 2005. The program,which ran until May 2005, consisted ofproviding emergency water supplies andfinancial support to restore purchasingpower to 22,000 people on 14 islands.

In close collaboration with the NationalDisaster Management Centre andauthorities at national and local level, weinstalled three permanent desalinationplants, capable of producing 10,000 liters offresh water a day. These plants, with a lifeexpectancy of 10 years, were handed overto communities on Muli, Viligili and Goidhooislands along with spare parts, training forplant operators, and operating expenses forthree months.

We also provided water storage tankscapable of holding a total of 190,000 literson Gan and Thinadhoo Islands to supportdesalination plants.

Working with partners Care Society andFoundation for the Advancement of Self-Help in Attaining Needs (FASHAN), Oxfam'scash-for-work projects provided crucialincome for 683 men and 758 women.Among other things, the work producedsome 900,000 cement blocks which wereused in the reconstruction effort.

Another partner, Society for HealthEducation (SHE), distributed equipment for20 boats on Vilifushi island, Thaa Atoll.

An evaluation found that the Oxfamprogram had a significant impact on thelives of tsunami-affected people. Itsucceeded in pumping €280,000 into thelocal economy and targeted the worst-affected families. The program also had afavorable impact on the development of theNGO sector in the Maldives along withdecision-making capacities in communities.

Beneficiaries

Dec 04- Sept 08

Public Health 22,000Livelihoods 3,000Total 25,000


Public Health 650ProgramManagement 25Total 675

SomaliaSomalia was more than 5,000 km from theearthquake's epicenter, but 289 peoplewere killed when the tsunami crashedashore. Around 44,000 people along a650km stretch of coast in Puntland wereleft in need of emergency assistance. Thehistoric town of Hafun was flattened, andthe main industry, fishing, was devastated.

Oxfam helped 20,000 people in Hafun andMudug districts with food, shelter andother relief items in the emergency phase.However, in a country already affected bychronic drought and conflict, many peoplewere in need of longer-term assistance.These included pastoralist communitieswho had been forced by drought tomigrate to the coast in search of work andwho had been left destitute.

As well as the 59,000 people who havereceived direct assistance from Oxfamand our partners, almost 200,000 havebenefited indirectly.

The tsunami programs have been carriedout against a backdrop of renewed fightingin other parts of the country. While thisunrest has not had a direct impact on ourtsunami-related projects, insecurity inMogadishu has held up the delivery ofconstruction materials. Oxfam and itspartners have also had to prioritize thedire humanitarian situation in and aroundthe capital.

One of our biggest challenges wasaccessibility: affected villages werescattered across several hundredkilometers and many roads were in poorrepair, making delivery of materials andmonitoring of activities extremely difficult.Nonetheless, our projects met their statedobjectives to a significant extent: thepurchasing power of beneficiariesincreased, water sources wererehabilitated and the capacity of localpartners was improved.

A significant problem was trying to getwomen fully integrated into projectactivities, such was their limited role invillage decision-making structures. Whilewe insisted that each village committeehad at least one woman member, in

practice this did not result in them havinga greater say in decisions.

One of the positive outcomes of ourtsunami response has been theopportunity to build new relationships withSomali organizations. We have trainedthese new partners in disaster responseand involved them in our contingencyplanning for future disasters.

Public healthOne of our main aims was to improvewater and sanitation facilities for peopledirectly and indirectly affected by thetsunami, accompanying this work withhealth and hygiene awareness activities.In total some 55 wells have been built orrehabilitated and three water systemsconstructed.

The tsunami destroyed most watersources in the Hafun area, andcommunities had to rely on expensivewater trucking. An assessment in mid-2005 by Oxfam and local partner Shilconto identify gaps in the overall responsefound that one of the most critical needswas for water facilities to be built orrehabilitated. Adopting a cash-for-workapproach, we installed two water systems,including a 12km pipeline, rehabilitated sixwells and constructed 25 latrines toensure safe water and sanitation for 8,000people in the area.

Later in the response, an importantelement of partner Horn Relief'salternative livelihoods program was therehabilitation of water sources. To thisend, 17 wells and 2km of canal were builtand 17 water pumps installed. Theseinterventions have had a positive impactwith the price of water in the project areafalling from €3 per 200-liter drum to €0.75.This has increased the area of useablefarmland by 80 per cent, allowing forgreater diversification of crop production.

Restoration of livelihoodsA great deal of Oxfam's livelihoods work inSomalia was on a cash-for-work basis, asthis delivered a lot of immediate benefits:it meant that infrastructure projects were

Beneficiaries

Dec 04- Sept 08

Public Health 20,000Food Security 7,000Livelihoods 21,260Social Services 3,000Disaster Management 0Shelter 8,000Total 59,260


Public Health 434Food Security 121Livelihoods 4,765Social Services 298DisasterManagement 34Shelter 353ProgramManagement 503Total 6,508

The €34,000 spent on disastermanagement was for buildingcapacity of partners.


page 35

Somaliaimplemented more quickly and people hada sense of ownership of them; there wasincreased purchasing power amongtargeted beneficiaries and consequentlyless strain on local support networks andfewer health and nutrition problems; it alsohelped to reactivate traditional creditmechanisms that had collapsed after thetsunami.

Our cash-for-work activities helped to buildmore than 300 small dams and 200 earthterraces: around 1,100 trees were plantedand two mangrove nurseries wereestablished through partner RMCO.

In 11 villages where partner Shilcon wasworking, 58 village relief committees wereestablished and they selected 1,000beneficiaries according to criteria thevillagers themselves agreed. Priority wasgiven to households with no source ofincome or support from other agencies,and those headed by women. The cash-for-work activities became the mainsource of income for these communitiesduring the fishing off-season and allowedsome families to set up small businesses.

In addition to building and repairing watersources, one of the main cash-for-workactivities was the rehabilitation of roads toimprove access to markets, somethingthat communities identified as one of theirhighest priorities. In total, 120km of roadswere rebuilt by Oxfam.

As well as this short-term assistance, wealso had a longer-term focus, for examplethrough the replacement of assets lost inthe tsunami, such as the distribution of214 fishing boats and other equipment.Fisher folk received vocational training - innet repairing or engine maintenance, forexample - as well as tuition in basicliteracy and mathematics.

We sought to improve the infrastructure ofthe fishing industry by supporting partnerCED to build a fish market in Merca.Another partner, NEDSOM is constructinga shipyard in Bosasso, a project that willbe completed in 2009 and which shouldhave a significant long-term impact on thesector.

In 2008, following a series of delays,Oxfam decided to withdraw from anothermajor infrastructure project - theconstruction of a jetty in Laas Qoray. Ourpartner Horn Relief intends to continuewith this project and Oxfam is fundingsome of the current costs, such assalaries and other contractual obligations.

We also worked with Horn Relief on analternative livelihoods program, which isbenefiting 7,200 people. The program hastrained villagers in activities such aspoultry rearing, beekeeping andagriculture and provided them with a totalof 420 chickens, 100 poultry sheds, 100beehives, 430 seed kits, 2,365 farm toolsand 1,624 seedlings, as well asestablishing two fruit nurseries. HornRelief has reported an increase inincomes, especially those of women, withmany earning a monthly profit of €30 fromthe small businesses they started with therevolving funds they received from theproject.

Restoration of social servicesWe have worked with partners CED andTadamun Social Society to repair andrebuild 14 schools, and to increase accessto education for both girls and boys. Thisinvolved advocacy to encourage the localauthorities and community leaders tosupport the education program, andcommunity mobilization to increase thenumber of girls enrolling in school. Forty-eight community education committeeshave been formed and trained to deliverthe advocacy work.

ShelterOxfam received funding from the UK'sDisasters Emergency Committee tosupport Muslim Aid in constructing 60houses in Hafun and Garacad. Thesehouses, built in consultation with thecommunities, were completed at the endof 2005.


page 36

Listening to disaster-affectedcommunitiesOxfam's effort to put affected communitiesat the heart of its tsunami response wasnowhere more evident than in theparticipatory action research program weconducted in India and Sri Lanka. Its aimwas to improve the policies and practicesof Oxfam and other aid agencies duringthe tsunami response, as well as tocontribute to the effectiveness of thehumanitarian community in futureemergencies. The studies were designed and carriedout by local academic institutes andNGOs, and the topics related to disasterrisk reduction, gender equity, physical andmental health, livelihoods, social conflictand building on local capacity.

The researchers engaged directly withcommunities; and most incorporated anaction component aimed at ensuring thatparticipants derived direct benefit from thestudies. Research found, among otherthings, that when aid delivery was nottransparent and inclusive, it was morelikely to inflame existing tensions and thatdisaster risk reduction programs achievegreater community ownership when theyincorporate local knowledge. Some of thefindings and impacts of the researchstudies were:

- Vulnerability to HIV infection rose in 29out of 30 villages studied in India;researchers identified a key moment in theresponse when aid providers need to besure confidential medical assistance,condoms and information about HIV areavailable to affected communities.

- International guidelines for promotingwomen's development and preventingdiscrimination are not specific enough tobe applied to local contexts. A "toolkit" thatcan be adapted to local contexts wasproduced in India for future emergencies.

- In Sri Lanka, Oxfam research helped coirworkers to double - and in some casestriple - their incomes.

- Analysis of recent rainfall trends hashelped local farmers adapt to climatechange.

Despite these disparate topics, oneunmistakable theme emerged: the needfor a more participatory model of aid

delivery in which community membershave the chance to guide the recoveryeffort, rather than being passive recipientsof aid. Programs are more likely to beeffective and sustainable if they arefounded on the knowledge, capacities andpriorities of the communities themselves.

The idea of community-led, community-owned programming has been embracedby humanitarian agencies for years, butthe tsunami experience illustrates thatpractices are lagging behind aid providers'best intentions. In 2008 and 2009, Oxfamwill convene meetings with members ofthe global humanitarian community todiscuss how to make communityownership of disaster response efforts areality.

The 17 studies carried out in India and SriLanka have been disseminated anddiscussed at more than 40 workshopsinvolving local NGOs, communityrepresentatives and government agencies.A report gathering together the keyfindings and lessons will be published inFebruary 2009.

Policy successes in IndonesiaOur research work in Aceh and Nias had adifferent emphasis: principallyunderpinning our advocacy work tosupport or influence the policies of thenational and provincial authorities andhumanitarian agencies in addressingissues such as promoting sustainablelivelihoods, land rights, women's economicempowerment, access to essentialservices, and climate change.

Having advocated successfully for theIndonesian government’s reconstructionagency (BRR) to change its policy towardspeople who rented and squatted beforethe tsunami - from offering only a cashhandout to promising them land and ahouse - Oxfam conducted researchrecommending how this could be achievedwith regard to the supply of suitable landand the infrastructure and services thatwere required. Furthermore, an Oxfampolicy coordinator was seconded to theBRR to help draft the new policy.

Oxfam research into women's right to landwas also instrumental in influencing theBRR's policy of introducing joint land titlingfor new houses.

Learning

In Tamil Nadu, India,where folk traditions arevibrant, an Oxfamresearch partner isdeveloping programsaimed at reducing disasterrisks that conveymessages through dance,puppetry, drama andmusic. (Photo: AtulLoke/Panos for Oxfam)


page 37

Much of the work done in Aceh has inevitably had apost-tsunami and post-conflict slant: Oxfam hasconducted research aimed at addressing longer-termpoverty reduction. Working with a local researchinstitute, we have undertaken poverty assessmentswhich are intended to help the local government toprioritize development needs and target funding moreeffectively. Our research has also looked at howclimate change and deforestation might affect povertylevels and economic development in Aceh and Nias.

Monitoring and evaluation It is important in any humanitarian response to havethe opportunity to take a step back and assess ifprograms are on track to deliver the assistanceneeded by communities. This was certainly the casefor tsunami activities, when ongoing assessmentsallowed us to reflect on the strategies and approacheswe and our partners were using and how these mightneed to be adapted to meet the changing needs ofcommunities and the evolving social, political andsecurity environment.

Furthermore, monitoring and evaluation providesopportunities to learn important lessons for improvingthe quality of future humanitarian emergencies.

Oxfam's tsunami response comprises a large numberof individual projects across seven countries, eachwith its own monitoring and evaluation needs. A largeamount of assessment work has been carried out aspart of our response. This has taken in assessing theneeds of communities soon after the disaster, theongoing monitoring of projects as they areimplemented, and the evaluation of programs as theycome to an end.

Program monitoring and evaluation might includeassessing the effectiveness and appropriateness ofwater purification kits or emergency shelter materialsdistributed to displaced communities; the construction

quality and appropriateness of design of temporary orpermanent shelters; whether agricultural capacity-building programs are improving the skills of poorfarmers; or if the organizational skills of community-based organizations are being strengthened.

Monitoring and evaluation is carried out in a range ofways depending on the needs. Typically, Oxfamprogram staff or Oxfam's local partner organizationswill carry out ongoing monitoring of projects, such asthe development of community self-help groups, orprogress in developing village water systems. Externalexperts will also be brought into the programs to carryout a more substantial assessment, particularly toconduct program evaluations.

In addition to the monitoring and evaluation ofindividual projects and programs, wider assessmentsof our humanitarian response have been conducted,including:

- Overarching country-wide evaluations of the tsunamiresponse in the three largest response countries:Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India.

- Thematic evaluations, such as assessments ofOxfam's accountability to beneficiaries in India and SriLanka, permanent shelter programs in India, and ofthe transition from emergency programming to longer-term development work in Aceh.

- A final evaluation reflecting on four years of Oxfam'swork in different sectors across the various tsunami-affected countries, covering the impact in affectedcommunities and the internal strategies andapproaches we used. Lessons from this assessmentwill be used to improve Oxfam's response to futureemergencies.

At an organizational level, Oxfam's Tsunami FundManagement Team and Board have providedimportant mechanisms to monitor major risks toprograms, assess progress in relation to strategicpriorities and control funding and expenditure.

Learning

Raji stands in front of her new house, oneof 101 built by an Oxfam partner in thevillage of Chettinagaram in the Indianstate of Tamil Nadu. An Oxfam shelterevaluation revealed problems with thequality of the construction, as well asproblems between the partner and thecommunity. As there had been a delay inthe construction, Raji invested her ownsavings to build the staircase. Oxfamreimbursed the costs and carried out therepairs outlined in the evaluation. (Photo:Marie Banu Jawahar/Oxfam)


Financial Overview The setting up of the Oxfam International Tsunami Fund enabled Oxfam to provide aconsolidated global financial picture of the tsunami response. Affiliates have reported regularlyon program spend by sector and by partner, as well as the progress of external audits ofprograms. The Fund has facilitated the transfer of money between affiliates, and our centralizedinvestment policy has maximized income and minimized risk. All Fund statutory accounts for2005-07 have been filed with the UK regulatory bodies and are available on the OxfamInternational website.

IncomeThe latest projected figure for total income of theFund is €227m, of which €226m was receivedby the end of September 2008. This makes thetsunami response by far the largest ever Oxfamrelief program.

Two-thirds of the Tsunami Fund's income wasreceived in the first 12 months. There is around€1.0m still to be received from the CanadianInternational Development Agency for a programin Sri Lanka, and this will be received by June2009. Bank interest of €6.1m has been receivedto the end of September 2008 and this was allspent on tsunami programming.

Excluding interest, around 90 per cent of totalincome (€199m) has come from members of thepublic - whether directly to Oxfam or to jointagency appeals. This is very different fromtypical emergency responses when funds fromgovernments and international institutions, suchas the United Nations or European Union, makeup a much larger percentage. This has allowedus greater flexibility in planning our response.

less cash intensive. Typically, beneficiaries aregiven loans to start enterprises, so funds'revolve' and can be used again.

The Fund will close on 31 December 2008, inorder to minimize administrative expenditure.Remaining funds held centrally will be handedover to Oxfam International to be spent inaccordance with the aims and purposes of theFund. To ensure the Fund closes in aresponsible and sustainable way, some programexpenditure, estimated at between €3.9m and€5m, will be carried into 2009 and spent by theend of June 2009.

Monitoring and reporting will continue until allfunds are spent. It should be noted that partner-run revolving loan funds will continue to operateafter the Tsunami Fund has closed. In addition,long-term impact evaluation work is planned for2009-12 and funds are being set aside for this.

Analysis of funds received Jan 2005 - Sept 2008

Public appeals (34%)

Joint agency appeals (56%)

Governments (4%)

Corporate income (6%)

ExpenditureAs of the end of September 2008, we had spent €263m* onprogram expenditure, or 93 per cent of the total budget. It isplanned that all remaining funds will be spent or transferred toimplementing affiliates by December 2008, when the Fund willformally close.

The rate of spend fell throughout 2006 and 2007 as programsmoved from an emergency relief focus to longer-termdevelopment work, and as individual projects were completed.The move to more livelihoods work in 2006 and 2007 has been

Budget versus actual pend per country Dec 04 to Sept 08

0 20 40 60 80 100

India

Sri Lanka

Indonesia

Somalia

Others

€ Millions

BudgetActual

*This includes other program costs such as research and central monitoring and evaluation.


page 39

Financial OverviewFinancial overview: by countryThe allocation of funds by country has understandably differed,albeit only slightly, from original plans made in early 2005. Ninety-four per cent of funds have been spent in the three worst affectedcountries - Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India. There has also beensizeable expenditure in Burma, Somalia, the Maldives andThailand.

More money has been spent in Indonesia than initiallyanticipated: 44 per cent of total spend, compared to the 40 percent originally budgeted to meet the large-scale need. In India,actual spend is 17 per cent of the total, against a budget of 22per cent, reflecting the fast and efficient response of strong localNGOs and government departments, and the return of somefunds by partner organizations. Expenditure in Sri Lanka, 33 percent of the total, is in line with the original strategy.

Financial overview: by sectorThe restoration of livelihoods has consistently been the highest area of expenditure, accounting for just under onethird of overall spending. The proportion spent on public health has fallen from 22 per cent in the first year toapproximately 14 per cent in 2007, reflecting the transition from emergency response to longer-term development.Around 15 per cent of the Tsunami Fund has been spent on shelter, seven per cent on the restoration of socialservices, which includes building schools, while expenditure on disaster management stands at five per cent.

Around 15 per cent of the fundhas been spent on programmanagement, which includescosts of staff not working directlyon specific projects. It alsoincludes related costs such asaccommodation, travel,equipment rental andmaintenance of office space.

When the Fund was set up, acap of 10 per cent was put onadministration and fundraisingcosts. In fact, less than five percent has been required, leaving95 per cent of the total fund tobe spent on programs.

Accountability to donors and beneficiariesOxfam insists on a high level of accountability and transparency for its work and required that a target of 90per cent of all tsunami expenditure be externally audited. Currently we are on track to meet this target bythe end of the audit compliance work in 2009.

To date, Oxfam and partner organizations have assisted more than two million tsunami-affected people inseven countries. The amount of money spent per beneficiary varies from country to country because thenature of the programs and the local contexts are very different.

All figures in this report are to the end of September 2008.

Spend by country Jan 05 - Sept 08

India (17%)

Sri Lanka (33%)

Indonesia (44%)

Somalia (3%)

Others (3%)

Total program spend by sector and by yearJan 05 - Sept 08

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

2005

2006

2007

2008

Yea

r

€m

Public health (18%)

Food Security (3%)

Livelihoods (32%)

Social services (7%)

Disaster Management (5%)

Shelter (15%)

Program management (15%)

Other expenditure (5%)

Oxfam International Tsunami Fund is a limited company number 5401107 registered in England and Wales and a registered charitynumber 1108700. The registered office is Suite 20, 266 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7DL, United Kingdom.

Oxfam International is a confederation of 13 organizations working together in more than 100 countries to find lastingsolutions to poverty and injustice. Please call or write to any of the agencies for further information, or visit www.oxfam.org

Oxfam America226 Causeway Street, 5th FloorBoston, MA 02114-2206, USAToll free: +1 800-77-OXFAM | +1 617-482-1211E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam Hong Kong17/fl., China United Centre, 28 Marble Road, North Point, Hong KongTel: +852 2520 2525E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam Australia132 Leicester St, Carlton,Victoria 3053, AustraliaTel: +61 3 9289 9444E-mail: [email protected]

Intermón Oxfam (Spain)Roger de Llúria 15, 08010, Barcelona, SpainTel: +34 902 330 331E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam-in-BelgiumRue des Quatre Vents 60, 1080 Brussels, BelgiumTel: +32 2 501 6700E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam IrelandDublin Office, 9 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, IrelandTel: +353 1 635 0422Belfast Office, 115 North St, Belfast BT1 1ND, UKTel: +44 28 9023 0220E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam Canada250 City Centre Ave, Suite 400, Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 6K7, CanadaTel: +1 613 237 5236E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam New ZealandPO Box 68357, Auckland 1145, New ZealandTel: +64 9 355 6500 (Toll-free 0800 400 666)E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam France - Agir ici104 rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris, FranceTel: + 33 1 56 98 24 40 E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam Novib (Netherlands)Mauritskade 9, Postbus 30919, 2500 GX, The Hague, The NetherlandsTel: +31 70 342 1621E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam GermanyGreifswalder Str. 33a, 10405 Berlin, GermanyTel: +49 30 428 50621E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam Québec2330 rue Notre Dame Ouest, bureau 200, Montréal, Quebec, H3J 2Y2, CanadaTel: +1 514 937 1614E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam GBOxfam House, John Smith Drive, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 2JY, UKTel: +44 1865 473727E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam International Secretariat: Suite 20, 266 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DL, UKTel: +44.(0)1865.339100. Email: [email protected]. Web site: www.oxfam.org

Oxfam International advocacy offices:E-mail: [email protected]: 1100 15th St., NW, Ste. 600, Washington, DC 20005-1759, USATel: +1 202 496 1170 Brussels: Rue Philippe le Bon 15, 1000 Brussels, BelgiumTel: +322 502 1941 Geneva: 15 rue des Savoises, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandTel: +41 22 321 2371 New York: 355 Lexington Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10017, USATel: +1 212 687 2091

Linked Oxfam organizations:Oxfam Japan Maruko bldg. 2F, 1-20-6, Higashi-Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0015, JapanTel: +81 3 3834 1556. E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.oxfam.jpOxfam India Second Floor, Plot No.1, Community Center, (Sujan Mohinder Hospital), New Delhi, India Tel: +91 11 4653 8000. E-mail: [email protected]; website: www.oxfamindia.orgOxfam International and Ucodep campaign office (Italy): Via Fogliano 10, 00199 Rome, Italy Tel: +39 0645 432939, E-mail: [email protected]

Oxfam observer member:Fundación Rostros y Voces (México) Alabama 105, Colonia Nápoles, Delegacion Benito Juarez, C.P. 03810 México, D.F. Tel: + 52 55 5687 3002/3003. E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.rostrosyvoces.org

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