Taipei: Earthquake Appeal No. 25/99 Operations Update No. 8

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Launched on 24 September 1999 for CHF 3.3 million for 4 months. Budget increased to CHF 48.4 million and the rehabilitation programme will be extended to the end of December 2002 in this Operations Update.
Beneficiaries: 100,000

Period covered: July 2001 - May 2002 (last Ops. Update issued: 10 July 2001, report no: 7); 19 June, 2002

"At a Glance"

Appeal coverage: 100%

Outstanding needs: None

Update: With life having returned to normal for the majority of those people living in the earthquake affected areas, the Taiwan Red Cross Organization (TRCO) with support from the Federation is embarking on a four year disaster preparedness programme to further improve the organization’s capacity to respond to future disasters in Taiwan. In addition, some of the Operation’s remaining funds will be allocated towards a new cash disbursement programme for members of the affected population who are of tribal origin, and have little or no source of income.

Operational Developments:

It has been nearly three years since the "921 Earthquake" struck. Daily life in the earthquake affected areas has, in general, returned to normal. The infrastructure has been restored and many of the earthquake victims, who lost their jobs during the disaster, were employed by authorities in reconstruction work. The average unemployment rate, however, in the areas hit by the earthquake remains higher than the average unemployment rate for Taiwan.

The temporary houses constructed as part of the recovery programme are all still occupied. This is because whenever a family moved out of one of the houses, another homeless family without means moved in. In most instances, the local authorities have extended the length of time that families can stay in the temporary housing up to four years, though the period varies from area to area.

During the months of July and August 2001, two heavy typhoons struck in the same area as the earthquake. The typhoons have had a damaging impact on agriculture and tourism which are the two major sources of employment.

Following the successful completion of many of the Taiwan: Earthquake Operation’s activities, the Federation is currently reassessing the operation’s financial status to get an overview of the level of use of programme funding. Due to the cancellation of some of the Federation’s commitments to reconstruct certain schools (explained within this report), and remaining funds from activities which cost less to execute then originally anticipated, a significant amount of unused funds remains available.

After extensive discussions with the Taiwan Red Cross Organization (TRCO) regarding the organization’s needs, the TRCO in cooperation with the Federation launched a new disaster preparedness (DP) programme (approximately CHF 6.6 million). The DP programme is intended to strengthen the organization’s capacity for disaster preparedness, building upon the existing Emergency Rehabilitation Programme. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the TRCO and the International Federation regarding the DP programme was signed.

In early April 2002, a programme manager was sent by the Federation to assist the TRCO to implement the DP programme. The programme manager assisted the TRCO with the development of a new DP programme plan of action and budget. The programme manager was also given responsibility for monitoring all the other on going programmes.

Red Cross Red Crescent action

The three main areas of the TRCO /Federation Taiwan Earthquake: recovery and rehabilitation programme are:

• provide support to communities where houses were destroyed during the earthquake;
  
  
• provide support to local authority health and education projects; and,
  
  
• strengthen the capacity of TRCO in disaster preparedness and response.

The most recent MoU between the Federation and the TRCO was revised in May 2001, bringing the Federation’s current financial commitment to USD 29.2 million. The projects covered by the MoU are as follows:

Red Cross and Red Crescent Society

The TRCO is monitoring the ongoing construction and renovation of schools, three health facilities, and a DP Centre in Taipei in consultation with the relevant authorities.

The TRCO Psychosocial Support Programme, supports the elderly, low income families, single parent families and those with long term illnesses living in the earthquake affected area through a range of social and basic health care activities. The Federation has approved the detailed project description and budget submitted by the TRCO. The duration of this programme was extended by the end of December 2002 in discussion with the TRCO and the Federation

Objective 1: To renovate or reconstruct ten schools which suffered severe structural damage during the earthquake.

In the May 2000 MoU, the Federation pledged to support the reconstruction of ten elementary schools (see table below.) The Ministry of Education in Taiwan (MoET) has been charged with carrying out the actual construction, and the TRCO provides them with funds.

The Federation’s commitments to TRCO to reconstruct three of these ten schools was cancelled due to a decision from MoET last December. The construction of these three schools was finished, however, following lengthy communications regarding the subject, MoET decided to ask a local charitable organization to settle the invoices related to the construction of these schools.

The local authorities searched for a new site to construct the Chun Lun Shool, due to the fact that the original site was determined to be precarious at the time of earthquake. Despite the great efforts made by the local authorities, they were unable to identify an appropriate new site and decided to cancel the construction.

The TRCO is supporting the construction of another five schools (their commitments for reconstructing two out of seven schools were cancelled).

During the reporting period, Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PWC) visited and reported on the school constructions in Fu Ming, Da Lin, Kun Shan, Chang Ho, Lu Ku, Tu Cheng and Feng Shan.

Objective 2: To renovate four disaster preparedness (DP) centres and equip them with basic DP supplies, communication equipment and rescue equipment, as well as to carry out general DP training for 500 Red Cross volunteers.

As of August 2001, renovation to three of the DP centres were completed, and all the basic DP supplies had been purchased in Kaohsiung city, Keelung and Hualien. In June 2002, renovations on the fourth DP centre in Taipei city were also completed. Training originally envisioned for this project, has been incorporated into the new DP project.

During this reporting period, PWC made two visits to each of the Hualien and Kaosiung DP centres, one to the Taipei DP Centre and one to the DP centre in Keelung DP to check on the items in stock.

Health

The Federation pledged to support the renovation or reconstruction of three health care stations. The health care stations were selected based on the amount of damage sustained,location, accessibility and their situation in the most densely populated areas of the district.

Construction has commenced on the Huchu clinic. The bidding process regarding the Jinyin and Chin Ai clinics commenced after having resolved questions regarding land use.

Objective 1: To renovate or reconstruct three health care stations in Ren Ai district and to provide basic medical equipment for the three clinics. In addition, the Ren Ai central hospital will be provided with one medical car and one mobile dental care car.

Construction work on the three health care stations in Chin Ai, Huchu and Jinyin tsuns (settlements) was scheduled to start in December 2000 and expected to be completed by June 2001, but was delayed.

The administrative procedure to change the land utilization purpose of Jinyin, Huchu and Chin Ai clinics has been completed. The Huchu clinic is under construction on the original site, Jinyin and Chin Ai clinics will be constructed on new sites, all issues about the use of land have been settled.

The bidding process for the Huchu health facility was completed during the first quarter of 2002 and construction has begun. The blueprints for Jinyin and Chin Ai clinics are nearly completed and the bidding process in scheduled to begin soon.

Shelter

Many of the families originally staying in the temporary houses units have moved, either to a house purchased or rented or they simply moved because of better job opportunities elsewhere. The temporary houses, however, were immediately occupied by unemployed or low income dwellers, many of them from tribal communities. Most of these tribal families fall within the low income or no income range. The population is closely monitored by the Department of Social Welfare. Part of the population, who are of tribal origin, will be beneficiaries in the TRCO/Federation’s new "Cash Distribution Programme." Funding for the programme will be allocated from existing remaining funds. Many of these tribal communities based in the earthquake affected area are greatly in need of psychosocial support.

Objective 1: To provide 1,886 temporary housing units in Nantou and Taichung counties for those whose houses were destroyed or damaged by the "921 earthquake".

Following the earthquake, the authorities undertook to construct some 5,000 temporary housing units for those families whose houses had been damaged or destroyed, and who were not able to participate in any of the government’s loan or subsidy schemes. The local authorities allocated housing units to familles who fit this criteria at the end of 1999 and in the first two months of 2000.

The TRCO with support from the Federation undertook to construct some temporary housing units and identified families living in the government units as the primary target group for assistance.

The Federation and the TRCO provided funding to support the building and furnishing of a total of 1,886 temporary housing units in Nantou and Taichung counties. Out of this, 1,341 units were funded by the Federation. The project was completed in February 2000.

It is currently unknown how long the authorities will accept the occupation of the temporary houses. However, according to the government extension of the occupancy of the houses, the families will be moved out latest in 2003.

Objective 2: To provide a total of 2,285 sets of household items comprising a quilt, a blanket, a water boiler and radio/clock to families living in the temporary housing units.

This project was completed in February 2000.

A total of 5,000 sets of household items, of which 2,285 were funded by the Federation, were procured and distributed by the Red Cross to families in temporary housing units. These household items were very well received as the families had almost nothing. The items are still in use by the part of the families still residing in the temporary housing project.

Objective 3: To provide families living in the temporary housing units with financial support in the form of a cash donation worth approximately USD 1,350, the equivalent of about 10 weeks income.

This project was completed in 2000.

A total of 4,755 families benefited from this project; of these some 2,341 were supported by funds from the Federation. Feedback received during the monitoring visits showed that beneficiaries were appreciative of this form of financial support which they used to cover daily living costs such as the payment of water or electricity bills. For many of the families, the cash distribution was the boost they needed and they are now back to normal employment and have left the temporary houses. Unfortunately the houses are still occupied by families mainly from the lowest socio-economic level. Most are casual daily labourers working in agriculture. Due to the earthquake and the two typhoons in 2001 they have had almost no income since the earthquake. Abuse of alcohol and menthol problems are frequent among these families.

Objective 4: To provide newly formed communities in the temporary housing units with funds to maintain or repair public facilities, improve public security, provide nursing or study facilities and to support cultural activities.

A total of 81 communities, representing 4,684 households, received approximately USD 16,000 per household to cover a 12-month period. Funds were disbursed in July 2000 and communities were due to report back on the utilisation of these funds in January 2001. However, because many local authorities extended the time that families can remain in the temporary housing units, the TRCO, in discussion with the Federation, moved back the date by which communities must report on the utilisation of the funds to the end of December 2001.

To date, 69 out of the 81 communities have provided feedback on the use to which the funds have been put, the remaining 12 communities will provide feed back latest by the end of June 2002. This includes:

• social activities, including the purchase of food, community outings, entertainment;
  
  
• community electricity, water, telephone, cleaning and general stationery costs;
  
  
• installation of windows and doors, streetlights and mail boxes in the temporary houses.

Although the Federation allocated CHF 3.2 million for this project, only half of these funds were disbursed. During this reporting period, Pricewaterhouse Coopers visited 12 communities.

National Society Capacity Building

TRCO HQs/Chapters assisted by the DP consultant drew up a draft of new DP programme last December. The total budget of this three year (June 2002 - June 2005) programme will be approximately CHF 6.6 million.

Main objectives for the DP programme are:

• upgrade training facilities in TRCO Head Office/Chapters;
  
  
• renovate 11 DP centres;
  
  
• provide relief stock materials, equipment, communication tools, etc. to these 11 DP centres;
  
  
• implementation of Disaster Management Training for TRCO HQ/Chapter/Branch staff;
  
  
• provision of translated DR/DP Manuals, handbooks, and policies to the staff concerned;
  
  
• temporary employment of Head Office staff;
  
  
• governance and Management Training;
  
  
• installation of an Intranet System.

The TRCO Secretary General will have the primary responsibility for supervising the programme. The TRCO Director of Social Services will be the programme coordinator and all heads of services will cooperate with programme implementation

Federation Delegation

The overall management of the Federation’s assistance to the Taipei operation is the responsibility of the Federation's Secretariat in Geneva and through a Federation programme manager based in Taiwan.

The Federation contracted Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC), Taipei to monitor and report on all the rehabilitation projects and finance on a bimonthly basis, and work in close cooperation with the Federation’s Regional Finance Unit (RFU) in Kuala Lumpur.

The regional finance analyst from the Federation’s RFU in Kuala Lumpur visited Taipei twice in March and May 2002 to reconcile the expenses with original invoices, and then put the data into the Federation’s finance system.

Coordination

The TRCO continues to work closely with the relevant local authorities on the implementation of the rehabilitation projects in Taiwan and to make regular visits to the earthquake affected areas.

The Federation’s DP programme manager will continue to liaise with the TRCO, RFU-KL, PWC, and the Federation Secretariat concerning programme issues.

Outstanding needs

This operation is fully funded and there are no outstanding needs.

For further details please contact: Satoshi Sugai, Phone : 41 22 730 4273; Fax: 41 22 733 03 95; email: sugai@ifrc.org

All International Federation Operations seek to adhere to the Code of Conduct and are committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (SPHERE Project) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.

This operation seeks to administer to the immediate requirements of the victims of this disaster. Subsequent operations to promote sustainable development or longer-term capacity building will require additional support, and these programmes are outlined on the Federation’s web site.

For further information concerning Federation operations, please access the Federation website at http://www.ifrc.org.

John Horekens
Head
Relationship Management Department

Simon Missiri
Head, a.i.
Asia and Pacific Department

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