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Community is prepared… An experience of community based disaster risk reduction measures

by effective facilitation - a success story

Doshkhada village is situated on the bank of

mighty Yamuna River in Sirajganj district.

Almost every year it suffers the rage of Yamuna

with 249 households-mostly belongs to poor or

extreme poor group. In last devastating flood of

2007, almost all households were effected

while 115 houses were inundated fully, their

livestock suffered seriously (10 cows, 15 goat

and many poultry were killed) and crops of 35

acres land were totally destroyed. Outbreak of

waterborne disease had further aggravated the

misery killing five villagers. The misery of floods

have scarred peoples’ mind deeply which thrust

their interest to have some coping and survival

plan against the rage of flood.

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In 2011, Doshkhada village has been selected

under 6th DIPECHO action plan being

implemented by Concern Worldwide under

NARRI. Concern Worldwide and its partner GKS

facilitated formation of Village Disaster

Management Committees (VDMC), which is

linked to Union and Upaziall DMCs, as the key

to mobilize and unite the community at the

village level. To have a comprehensive

inventory of risks and capacities of vulnerable

households, Concern Worldwide and its partner

GKS have supported VDMC to conduct their

community risk assessment (CRA) under

DIPECHO VI action plan. The findings of the

assessment have been further analyzed to

develop a Risk Reduction Action Plan (RRAP) for

Doshkhada village. For successful

implementation of RRAP, inclusion and

harmonized participation of all relevant

stakeholders were ensured throughout the

process. The village level RRAPs were compiled

at Union DMC followed by a validation process

by Upazilla DMC. Thus, it brought ownership

and legal support of the process and the

document. RRAP is guiding the VDMC to

implement different risk mitigation plan with

their own initiative while works as a tool to

advocate and mobilize resources from different

stakeholders including Union and Upazila DMCs.

Demonstration works, self-initiated plinth

rising: ‘’ninety seven household in low laying

area of Doshkhada are at risk of inundation

during flood season having no other option but

to be displaced to roadside or embankment’’ -

stated in village CRA. During action planning for

risk

reduction, VDMC of Doshkhada villagers have

realized that DIPECHO VI project is meant for

Raised plinth saved household from flood effect in June, 2012

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demonstrating the process and will provide

limited support which is not adequate for

implementation of all DRR initiatives at wider

scale in the community. During the RRAP

process, it was agreed that DIPECHO project will

provide support constructing a flood center

while community will provide land. Villagers

and VDMC agreed to address all other priorities

identified in RRAP either by their own or by

securing support from Union and Upazilla

DMCs. VDMC motivated individual household to

raise their plinth above last highest flood level.

DIPECHO VI facilitated good practice

demonstration thorough VDMC to VDMC

sharing, visit etc. DIPECHO supported small

scale mitigation schemes in neighboring,

Berakharua village, influenced people to take

self-initiative. As a result, a total of 18

households in the village have raised their

homestead and plinths with own initiative and

investment. Now these households have

become the inspiration and demonstration

centers for VDMC to influence others to take

self-initiative to protect own household from

flood.

A shelter- example of humanity and

selflessness: When DIPECHO was planning its

small scale mitigation budget allocation among

different villages Doshkhada VDMC proposed a

unique scheme which evidences highest level of

commitment to humanity and selflessness of

Doshkhada villagers. They have proposed to

donate 2 acres of personal land for flood shelter

which can accommodate people of 5

neighboring villages including Doshkhada. They

knew

if DIPECHO supports this flood shelter it would

not be able to fund any other individual scheme

Relief distribution by Honorable Minister from Doshkhada Flood shelter (June,2012)

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in their village and yet they have sacrificed their

own interest to benefit larger population who

suffer great during flood.

During 2007 flood, thousands of people from

Doshkhada and its neighboring villages had to

abandon their houses and live under open sky

over the embankment and road side; 10-15 KM

away from their villages. They went through the

same miserable life when flood struck with it

full rage. Similar misery has created empathy to

consider wider community risk reduction.

Nine generous villagers of Doshkada have

donated 2 acres of land, worth approximately

BDT. 1.5 million, to build the proposed flood

shelter of 89000 sft and can provide shelter to

500 households of 05 (five) neighboring villages

including Doshkhada. It will also protect around

1100 cattle of these villages. The land has been

donated legally to Union Parishad/government

to make this a common property for all. Such a

big initiative could never been possible without

ownership and cordial support of VDMC,

UDMC, UzDMC and wider community people.

In July 2012, Honorable Minister, Ministry of

Fisheries and Livestock has visited the flood

shelter and distributed relief among flood

affected people using this raised land. During

his visit he said, ‘’ I am very impressed to

observe this initiative and collaboration

between villagers, NGO and Government. I

thank the villagers and DIPECHO for this good

effort’’.

Only source of safe water during disaster:

Almost all of the tubewell in Doshkhada are

without platform and in low laying area. Recent

flood had submerged those tubewells and

people seriously suffered by scarcity of drinking

water. Influenced by WASH task force, two (2)

new tubewell are installed by the households

on their own initiative. The tubewells are

installed in high ground with concrete platform

influenced by the demonstrated resilient design

of DIPECHO in neighbors and nearby flood

shelter. On other hand, VDMC has presented

their need to UDMC and DPHE with analysis of

their community risk assessment. As a result of

local advocacy of VDMC, DPHE has supported

for 5 tubewell reinstallation on higher ground

and constructed concrete platform.

These 7 safe tubewell will be the only and major

safe water source for whole village if flood like

2007 strikes again in the village.

Turning homestead into vegetable gardens:

Doshkhada village always had scope of

vegetable gardening in the homesteads though

never practiced it widely. During Village Disaster

Management Committee (VDMC) meeting, the

possibility and benefits were discussed with the

households for vegetable gardening. Since this

initiative can contribute in reducing risk of

community in many ways an orientation and

practical demonstration of vegetable gardening

were organized by VDMC. Now 180 households

have homestead vegetable garden and produce

bottle gourd, sweet gourd, ladies finger ,

different spinach, cucumber, papaya etc. Beside

family consumption, incomes from homestead

garden were also used in plinth raising, tube

well installation, house repair, goat and poultry

purchases etc. Moreover, bamboo platform

covered with vegetable plant reduces erosion of

topsoil of homestead during heavy rainfall.

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Green slope against erosion: community

assessment identified that though 152 house

plinths are in higher ground but still are at risk

of erosion by wave action and rain water.

During discussion in VDMC meeting community

decided that it can be protected by turfing grass

on the slope, the technique they have learnt

from DIPECHO supported scheme in

neighboring village name Berakhrua. Hence,

villagers have started turfing their plinth slope

with grass. A total of 125 houses have finished

turfing their slopes and protected their houses

from erosion risk from strong current and heavy

rain fall.

Green village; safe village: Tree plantation is

another widely participated initiative led by

VDMC in Doshkhada. This initiative could not be

stopped even though the absence of Upazila

forestry and nursery department. VDMC have

motivated community people to plant trees in

their homestead. Total 1600 trees are planted

in homestead of Doshkhada villagers. some

parts of village roads were fully sandy and at

risk of erosion. In VDMC meeting, community

people have agreed to invest in tree plantation

on the road slopes attached to their own land.

One hundred trees are planted by the

households living closer to the vulnerable part

of roads in response. Earlier, VDMC has ensured

Union Porishad consent to this initiative since

road belongs to Union Porishad.

Reducing risk of new development: A culvert is

constructed in a newly constructed village road.

The culvert is 3 feet in span, 6 feet in height and

14 feet in length. Now It maintains the natural

water flow and prevents water logging caused

by that new road. It was funded, Tk. 60,000

approximate, by Relief and Rehabilitation

department of Belkuchi Upazila Project

Implementation office. Identified in CRA, VDMC

chairman and ward members through UDMC

“ …I have learnt about vegetable gardening from VDMC orientation, now it helps my family income. I have also repaired my house with income from vegetable selling…’’ – Rojina, Doshkhada village.

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have raised the culvert requirement in Upazila

Disaster Management Committee meeting and

influenced the Upazila Relief and Rehabilitation

department. Invited by the UDMC chairman,

Upazila Project Implementation officer has

visited the Doshkhada village to practically

understand the problem and vulnerability of

people caused by the new road and

subsequently allocated the fund.

Access to govt. resources : unhygienic latrine

and its consequent result of different

waterborne diseases are major risk identified by

the VDMC during problem analysis. Lack of

awareness, remoteness, poverty etc. tends

people to continue this unhygienic practice.

VDMC through it’s WASH task force regularly

aware people for good hygiene practice. But

only awareness was not enough for the people

who are unable to install hygienic latrine by

their own. VDMC, having the UP ward member

himself in the committee, is well-aware of the

allocation of sanitary latrine set from

Department of Public Health Engineering

(DPHE). VDMC chairman, through ward

member, has submitted their request with

vulnerable household list to Union Porishad.

Through Union Porishad the requirement was

placed to DPHE and secured allocation of total

14 sanitary latrine sets in July 2012.

Social cohesion for risk reduction: During flood,

daily workers in handloom factory lose their

works and daily income as communication gets

disrupted. For effective DRR planning it is very

critical that the plan is supported by all parts of

society regardless of rich or poor. VDMC

represents diverse part of their community

including people who are well off and involved

in handloom business. Some of them were

planning to set up their new factory at the

upaziall sadar. However, due to their

involvement in VDMC and awareness of the

problem of villagers during the flooding and

DRR measures to reduce risk of factory in the

villages, they decided to set up the factory in

their own village. Accordingly, 3 handloom

factories are established in Doshkhada where

42 labor works. These workers are from 32 poor

families of Doshkhada. Now these factory

workers can work in their own village with

security of their income during flood. As

suggested by VDMC, 3 factories are constructed

on higher ground considering highest flood

level.

Culvert construction to prevent water logging

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Considering multi hazard: Every year,

nor’westers damages or destroy houses which

are of poorly structured. The issue is well

addressed during community risk assessment

and planning. VDMC and villagers have

identified the weak houses in the village and

motivated the house owners to repair or

strengthen their house structure by replacing

vertical post, tie their house with rope or wire

etc. Accordingly 90 households have repaired

their house to protect themselves from

nor’westers.

Protecting livestock: In Doshkhada village,

almost every household has one or more cattle-

a valuable household asset for char area.

Inundation causes damage and shortage of

cattle feed. Furthermore waterborne diseases

attacks cattle and spread out during flood.

Therefore, motivated by PDMC discussion, total

36 household have raised ground for protecting

their livestock.

“ I heard about raising grounds in Village

Disaster Management Commitee meeting and

watched my neighbors doing it, it has really

motivated me for the first time though I knew

the technique before” – Sohrab Shekh,

Doshkhada villager.

Handloom factory in village which help secure income during flood season

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Own fund for Survival during emergency:

During very first phase of disaster, major or

minor, community has to survive by themselves

until external support arrives. A disaster

management fund is created by community

saving with primary objective to survive 2-3

days by themselves depending on their

available fund. VDMC has planned to identify

the most vulnerable families in need when a

disaster hits and distribute dry food (flatten rice

and molasses) to those families until the relief

arrives from government or NGOs. Till July 2012

BDT. 13100 is saved in Doshkhada VDMC

account in Shonali Bank, Shohagpur Branch.

It is important that community owns and

participates in the process which intends to

assist their risk reduction initiatives. Since

DIPECHO has initiated the process of

community based risk reduction, Doshkhada

community has actively participated in the

study of their disaster risks, action planning and

decision making on mitigation and

preparedness solutions and implementation.

Community has participated in different

capacity building initiative and established

linkage and coordination with local institution

which were facilitated by DIPECHO. Doshkhada

is linked to early warning dissemination system

through their UDMC. They have equipped task

force for first aid, search & rescue and early

warning with support from DIPECHO who are

expected to play a vital role during an

emergency.

Replication follows from immediate

results/benefits and success stories which show

and tell that “it works!” Concern Worldwide

Implemented DIPECHO VI project has ensured

that the achievement of a community initiative

are spread out to other villages and increases

community confidence and trust in concerted

action to address bigger problems.

Raised ground to protect livestock

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There are more similar examples like Doshkhada in other areas where DIPECHO VI operates in Sirajgonj

District. For example, Moddhodelua village DMC has constructed a 260 feet long bamboo bridge with

support from community, UDMC and District office. The village is disconnected by a channel of Yamuna

River and people used to cross the channel with a tiny country boat. During monsoon water flow with

high current makes it formidable and risky, especially for women and school students. Incidents of boat

accident had been experienced in past years while crossing the channel. Now this bridge has safely

connected the village with mainland for 24 hours; ease the communication for all including four

neighboring villagers.

“ for years villagers have struggled to cross this risky canal with only one tiny boat. This bamboo bridge

has now made it easy and safe. For VDMC we are united and confident to solve our problems” says

Nazrul Islam - President, Moddodelua VDMC.

6TH DIPECHO Action Plan

Concern Worldwide

NARRI Consortium

House 15 SW(D), Road 7, Gulshan 1, Dhaka

Tel +88 02 881 6923, 881 8009, 881 1469,

fax +88 02 8817517