Family Shelter Assistance to the Returnee IDP’s Families of Orakzai Agency

1st October, 2012 To 15th June, 2013

Orakzai agency in the federally administered Tribal area of Pakistan has been the victim of volatile security situation and active conflict for the last many years. The counter militancy measures in the form of military operation, caused wide spread displacement throughout the Agency. The displaced families resorted to take refuge in the IDP camps or in the host community in the surrounding areas of the agency. After 7 months long military operation the government declared some areas safe for returns. In order to mobilize the community and to encourage them for returns, UNHCR being the shelter cluster lead in Pakistan, stepped in and started initiation of shelter interventions in the agency by provision of shelter repair material along with cash for work to 1000 returning IDP families.

The project initially started in August 2011, the project could not be completed due to various reasons and only 414 families could get the assistance .The remaining 586 families were still in need who were assessed in the project but could not get the assistance . In order to complete the project and to assist the remaining families UNHCR handed over the responsibility to FRD to complete the project with possible minimum resources. 

The project is focusing on the mobilization of the beneficiaries who received the assistance but did not utilize it, so that they complete the construction of their shelters. The remaining families who could not get the material for construction are being provided the material so that they could start construction. Mobilization has been the main component of the project along with the provision of expert services in the construction through the FRD technical staff in guiding the beneficiaries and incorporation of the DRR measures in the construction. The total beneficiaries of the project are 3796 individuals with 48% male and 52% female members. 

The project is a challenging one as the past experience of the community resulted in distrust and sense of detachment amongst the community towards the humanitarian community. FRD’s mobilization staff capitalizing on their previous experience and strong commitment and has been successful in re building the confidence of the community over the humanitarian organizations and the community is taking active part in the implementation process. 

The project has achieved 75% of its targets so far in spite of heavy snow and difficult terrain along with volatile security situation. The remaining work will be completed soon which will enable the community to have dignified living as well as will facilitate the efforts of restoration of peace and harmony within the locality.

Shelter Repaired

Distribution of Shelter Repair Material

Community Meeting

Distribution of Cash for Work

View of completed Shelter

Site maintenance activities in IDP’s camps speeded up

FRD site maintenance activities in two camps i.e. Togh Serai Hangu and Jalozai, Nowshehra is in progress. Labor for the maintenance work is hired from within the camp on daily wages, in consultation with the shura members. So far FRD has completed construction of 450 and 128 access bridges along with 204 and 61 culverts in jalozai and Togh serai camps respectively. Dressing and shingling of roads and rehabilitation of drains is underway in Jalozai camp but most of the main drains and sub- drains are de-silted and maintained and will not cause any damage in case of rain, while in Togh serai camp rehabilitation of drains has been completed.

3 security check points is installed as well as ditches around the camp is excavated for security measures in Jalozai camp. Additionally FRD has filled 6 dry wells identified by Shura members as it was very dangerous for community and children as well. Assessments of parda wall have been completed at all the phases of both camps and the repair work will be done on need basis. One electric pole in Jalozai camp was eroded and was near to fall, to mitigate the risk of damage FRD supported its base by sand bags. FRD also completed flood protection wall of jalozai camp.

Plotting has been started to install 1159 shelters in Togh Serai while Feeder Roads (in meter) from main road to camp is in process. FRD team has also rehabilitated 6 km shingle road with shingle material inside the camp of Togh Serai. In addition to maintenance work FRD social mobilizers is also conducting shura meetings on daily basis along with awareness sessions with school children for sustainability of the maintenance work.

Despite of distress security situation and heavy rains FRD team is working with same dedication and enthusiasm for timely and successful execution of project to provide a better life to IDP’s inside the camp.

Security Checkpoint Jalozai Camp

Installation of Shelters Togh Serai Camp

Culvert Togh Serai Camp

Electric Pole Jalozai Camp

Shingle Road Togh Serai Camp

Filling of Dry Well Jalozai Camp

Drain Rehabilitation Togh Serai Camp

Excavation of ditches around Jalozai Camp

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Site Maintenance activities in two Big IDPs camps

1st January 2013 To 30th June 2013

The Province of Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa has hosted and continue to host hundreds of thousands of Internally Displaced people from various parts of FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) and some parts of Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa. IDPs also adopt various coping strategies with their displacement, the comparatively well off/ resilient families live in hosting areas either with their relatives/friends or getting a house on rent, while the more vulnerable families take refuge in various IDPs camps.

Currently Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa is hosting two big camps i.e. Jalozai in district Nowshehra and Togh Sarai in district Hangu. These IDPs camps require regular site maintenance to let the IDPs have an acceptable environment in the camp. The site maintenance activities include  but not limited to taking care of the Shingle roads, Sanitation drains, improved access, protection of critical infrastructure (like culverts etc) and improving the overall environment inside the Camp.

FRD in partnership with UNHCR has accepted the responsibility since 1st January 2013 in Jalozai and Togh Sarai IDPs camps. FRD and UNHCR are not only providing the site maintenance services, rather we are also supporting the livelihoods of the poorest IDPs by involving them in the cash for work activities on daily wages basis for at least 2 weeks. The induction of the labor in the activities is also a participatory process, where the Camp Shura and sectoral committees help FRD in identification of the Poor IDPs who can work in site maintenance and who are in search of Daily wager Jobs in the locality.

The project is an ongoing activity and the crux of it is to facilitate the IDPs in living a decent life inside the IDPs camps

Emergency Shelter Assessment and Distribution for Returning IDPs of Kuram Agency

1st July, 2012 To 31st December, 2012

FRD in partnership with UNHCR provided emergency shelter by distribution of 2,685 tents to returning IDP’s of kurram, along with 2,585 winterized NFI’s to the verified beneficiaries. Follow up visits were also carried out to make sure that no deserving families are left out of the assistance. Project activities are closed now, as more returns will take place, process of distribution will start again. 

It is to be noted that assisted refugees were the most vulnerable families who were in dire need of shelter as their houses were destructed due to sectarian violence as well as conflict between military and militants in kurram Agency. To settle down again in native village and restore normal life, emergency shelter was main concern of these IDP’s. Provision of tents fulfilled their immediate shelter need and will assist them throughout their journey toward recovery.

Hygiene Promotion and Hygiene Kit Distribution project in affected villages of district Peshawar, Swabi and Mardan in KPK
Supported by: Danish Refugee Council

The aim of this project  was a positive behavior change through health and hygiene, among 100% school going children of affected villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa. The duration of this project was 40 days i.e. November 21^st, to December 31^st 2012.

In Peshawar district at village Khazana,  (PS/PSH/MSB-167)/MSG-048 school was facilitated, this school consist of 650 boys and 300 girls, a total of 950 students. In Mardan hygiene promotion sessions were carried out at Baghicha PS/MRD/HS-380 , contain a total of 240 boys and Jalala PS/MRD/MSB-131, which had a strength of 436 boys and 445 girls, Jalala Ps 130, which consist of 288 boys,  while in Swabi, Barakai PS/MRD/MSB-121 that had 375 boys and Gandaf FE/MRD/PSG-093, which consist of  306 girls.

A total of 3040 school going children were facilitated during this project through hygiene promotion and hygiene kit distribution sessions in different villages of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa.

S.No	District	Village & School Name	Number of classes		Number Student			Target School Children for HP SESSION
			BOys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Total
1	Peshawar	Khazana (PS/PSH/MSB-167)/MSG-048	10	10	650	300	950	950
2	Mardan	Baghicha PS/MRD/HS-38	9		240	0	240	240
3		Jalala PS/MRD/MSB-131	10	10	436	445	881	881
4		Jalala Ps; 130	6		288		288	288
5	Swabi	Barakai PS/MRD/MSB-121	8		375	0	375	375
6		Gandaf FE/MRD/PSG-093		7	0	306	306	306
TOTAL			43	27	1989	1051	3040	3040

                                                 

Transitional Shelter Project for the returning IDPs Kurram Agency

1^st November 2012 to 31^st December 2012

Kurram agency has been victimized by series of military operations and outbreak of sectarian violence for the past many years, which resulted in displacement of thousands of families along with heavy losses in terms of infrastructure and livelihoods. Returning IDP’s was not in a position to reconstruct their damage houses due to their vulnerability and lack of financial resources. FRD had already been facilitating them by provision of Tents and NFI’s to cater their immediate needs but the extreme weather in the area especially in the winter season was proving to be a great problem for the families living in tents. These families included the most vulnerable families which were finding it very hard to cope with the severe cold conditions with women and children and the elderly population. Keeping in view the situation UNHCR assigned FRD with the task of provision of transitional shelter to 500 of the most vulnerable families of central kurram Agency mainly consisting of the Mando khel and Ashkehl tribes which were the worst affected tribes of the area.

Project was carried out in 3 stages i.e. assessments, distribution of shelter material and installation of shelter. Assessment was carried out by FRD mobilization team with the involvement of community to verify vulnerable families. After verification of deserving families the shelter material was provided to each family and in final step the shelter was installed in accordance with the design of the shelter, while FRDs technical team facilitated the process of installation by monitoring the installation process and ensuring the quality and the quantity of the material used. FRD mobilization staff also conducted capacity building sessions with community to build the capacity of the community for the sustainability of the intervention and to develop their linkages with other line departments for future development. The project benefited 500 families with total number of 3350 individuals (48% male and 52% female).

The provision of transitional shelter not only catered the shelter need of these extremely vulnerable families to live secure and dignified life but also enabled these families to tolerate the extreme cold conditions and provided comfort in the snow bound area.