| |
|
|
 |
Breakthroughs
The following case studies feature two communities selected for the Community-based Flood Mitigation and Preparedness (CBFMP) project of ADPC's Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program in Cambodia, with the goal of learning from their experiences in resource mobilization and project implementation.
Strong community support: Prek Cham is a village of 387 families situated approximately 1.5 to 2 kilometers from the Mekong River and immediately adjacent to a smaller tributary river. Three RCVs comprised the village DMC, assisted by an elder monk, who served as the honorary head of the committee, and an elder villager acting as a fundraiser.
Portion of the 900-meter road project in Prek Cham, Prey Veng
The project proposed was the reconstruction of 900 meters of the main access road to the village, with the community contributing to rebuild 400 meters of the road, and AusAid funding the remaining portion (USD 3,442). An expatriate Khmer from the community privately contributed a large culvert added during the reconstruction process. There was broad-based support from the villagers to complete the project. Laborers from each family worked on a rotating basis in groups of 15 to 20 people, and 400 local students helped on their weekend day until the project was completed. Financial contributions from villagers ranged from 2,000 Riel (about 52 US cents) to 10,000 Riel, with some families pooling resources to buy a truckload of soil for 18,000 Riel. Villagers were able to contribute some USD 300, or 9% of total costs, excluding the labor and materials that they also contributed. Together with the overall effort of the villagers, these funds enabled them to complete the rebuilding of the road over a period of three months.
Students helping in the road construction
Villagers were very satisfied with the results of the project, and were proud of what had been accomplished. The only major problem encountered was in getting enough soil for the road, the cost of which the DMC had initially included in their project proposal, but which had not been approved by the CBFMP management committee. The villagers were asked to provide the soil as part of their overall community contribution. The problem was resolved when a local landowner was persuaded to donate the soil from his land in exchange for the villagers digging him a fishpond. In this respect, community initiative in problem solving was encouraged and developed.
This flood mitigation project can undoubtedly be considered a success, both in terms of the resulting infrastructure enhancement and with respect to the process experienced by the people themselves. Members of the community noted that this endeavor helped to develop community solidarity. People relied on their traditional forms of community organization to mobilize local resources.
When project implementation is in the hands of an 'outsider': Prek Ta Keo village, situated less than two kilometers from the Mekong River in the Kien Svay District of Kandal Province, consists of 667 families. Three Red Cross volunteers (RCVs) from the village completed the CBFMP training program, and along with four members of the local temple committee, two village leaders and three other villagers formed the village disaster management committee (DMC).
The flood mitigation project that the village undertook involved raising a 425-meter length of road. This is the main access road for the village, and hence a critical route for the transport of produce and in emergency evacuation. The total project cost was USD 2,672, of which USD 116 was contributed by the community. Oxfam GB provided outside funding, and appointed the Church World Service (CWS) to implement and monitor the project. The usual funding arrangement for CBFMP projects is to give the funds to the village committee for them to manage. The village committee is given half a day training to equip them with necessary financial management skills.
Raised road of Prek Ta Keo Village
CWS hired a subcontractor to do the work, with local villagers providing labor to assist the completion of the road elevation. CWS managed the funds and instructed the village DMC to hand over all donated funds to the subcontractor. The village DMC had no control over the implementation process - when the work was to take place, how it was done and what materials were used - while the village laborers were subordinate to the CWS sub-contractor.
As a result, problems arose. The subcontractor used soil from nearby rice fields for the road elevation, which apparently caused considerable damage to the rice fields, upsetting landowners. Large trucks were used to transport materials, blocking the route for long periods, causing traffic congestion for communities in villages along this route. In the end, the subcontractor completed only 400 meters of the 425 meters of road proposed.
Soil from paddy fields used to raise the road
Since most villagers regarded this project as their top priority, resources were mobilized to complete the road elevation and, following the floods in 2000 and 2001, community members willingly contributed to the repair of this road. However, this experience with the NGOs and subcontractor reduced the community's level of trust in outsiders. Above all, DMC members did not get the practical organizational and management experience that might have been achieved through the project.
This case demonstrated what happens when projects fail to involve people in the decision-making process. In community-based disaster management, the community is not only the beneficiary but, more importantly, the main actor in the risk reduction and development process. While the roles of NGOs, private sector and government are important, the primary requirement for grassroots development is local leadership and responsibility.
|
| PDR-SEA Home | Disaster Links | ADPC Home |
Partnerships for Disaster Reduction Southeast Asia
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center
P.O.Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand.
Tel: (66-2) 524-5354; Fax: (66-2) 524-5360; Email:pdrsea@ait.ac.th
