Period covered by this Ops Update: 14 December 2007 to 31 May 2008; Appeal target (current): CHF 2,927,000 (USD 3,073,350 or EUR 1,445,584).

Appeal coverage: 99.5%;

Appeal history:

-A Preliminary Appeal was launched on 22 August 2007 for CHF 1,591,000 (USD 1,321,429 or EUR 964,942) for 6 months to assist 35,000 beneficiaries (7,000 families).

-Appeal revised on 30 August 2007 to CHF 2,399,670 (USD 2,049,249 or EUR 1,445,584) for 9 months to assist 108,550 beneficiaries (21,710 families)

-Revised Appeal with revised budget for CHF 2, 927,000 was launched on 21 April;

-The Operation extended until 30 June, 2008; a final report is therefore due on 30 September, 2008.

-Disaster Relief Emergency Funds (DREF) allocated: CHF 150,000 (USD 124,585 or EUR 90,909)

Summary: This Operations Update consolidates information gathered from 21 December 2007 to 31 May 2008. With the completion of the relief phase of the Dean response, the main focus of this reporting period was working with the five Dean affected NS to develop a recovery work plan aligned with the four objectives of the appeal (1) Relief, (2) Early Recovery, (3) Health and (4) Capacity Building; and to commence implementation of the planned activities. A consultant was hired from the American Red Cross, to do a review of the remaining needs in close collaboration with the Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU), the Regional Logistics Unit (RLU), the Americas health team and the regional representations in Haiti and Panama.

Needed relief supplies, telecommunication equipment and Tropical Mobile Storage Units (TMSU) were requisitioned and emergency container retrofitting and the construction and retrofitting of houses in the most impacted communities planned and mechanisms put in place for completion by the end of the operational period. A calendar of training activities was developed and training commenced for psychosocial support, using the 'Helping to Heal' methodology, volunteer management, water and sanitation, emergency relief supply management and Telecommunication Regional Intervention Team members (RITS). Health education messages on safe water practises and environmental hygiene have been printed and have been distributed with complementary community based activities.

A regional workshop for all NS, the Federation and external partners, was held in Trinidad and Tobago. The workshop had two objectives, to raise awareness on 'what is recovery' and its place within the Federations overall disaster response and to share experiences, lessons learnt and best practices to establish a collective understanding for hurricane season 2008. This was aided by the production of case studies, accompanied by film footage focussing on examples of recovery from the Bahamas, Grenada and Jamaica. An Evaluation Exercise will be held at the end of the Operation to assess the planning, management and coordination of the Federation's response with a key focus on coordination internally between International Federation and the affected NS, the PNS and other Federation partners and to make recommendations on improvements so as to be better placed to assist the most vulnerable in a timely and effective manner.