Ivor Morgan (Country Director)
Medair's current activities in Bam are
as follows, as of 28th April 2004:
Agriculture:
Medair is clearing irrigation channels and carrying out essential remedial work to culverts and sluices, in order to facilitate the irrigation of date palm groves. This work is being carried out in Sectors 1, 2, 8 and 9, and may be extended to other sectors if needed. Over 12km of channels have been cleared so far.
Medair is distributing agricultural tools to date farmers in sectors 2 and 9, and plans to extend this to sector 8. This is in co-operation with the French Red Cross and other agencies, which are covering other sectors.
Medair is planning the rehabilitation and upgrading of surface irrigation channels, and is discussing further agricultural needs with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Education:
Following discussions with Unicef/Ministry of Education, Medair is providing Connex classrooms for Ebna Sina school in Sector 9, Edalat School in Sector 11, Jahad School in Sector 2, Sheik Mofid Ranjbar School in Sector 1, Nejatolahi School in Sector 10, Omol Banin School in Sector 5 and Shahrivar School in Sector 4.
Formal handovers of Connexes to Edalat and Ebna Sina Schools were held at the beginning of April.
Reconstruction:
Medair has signed an agreement with the Housing Foundation, covering the reconstruction of 35 houses in Sar Jungle village, in Sector 12 of Bam.
Medair hopes to reconstruct houses in other villages in Sector 12, if funding allows.
Medair's completed activities in Bam are as follows:
Health:
Medair has supplied 35 electrical fans for a Spinal Injuries Unit in Baravat, for cooling purposes.
Relief Distributions:
Medair has distributed underwear in Sectors 2, 9 and 11, through the relevant Iranian Red Crescent branches.
Medair has distributed baby-clothes through the Ministry of Health in Sector 11, in response to needs identified in the evaluation of the underwear distribution.
Medair has distributed shoes for school-children in schools in Sector 1, and for one school in Sector 2.
Medair has distributed underwear for school-girls at Sheik Mofid school in Sector 2.
Temporary Showers:
Medair has constructed approximately 190 temporary showers/washrooms in Sectors 1 and 8.
Medair has constructed "privacy screens" around 3 Connex shower units in Sector 8, to provide sufficient privacy for women to use the facility.
Latrines:
Medair participated in the NGO Consortium, which issued a tender for Iranian companies to construct latrines in Bam. Unfortunately, no suitable bids were received.
Medair has constructed approximately 80 screens for latrines (where there is an existing cess-pit, but walls have been damaged or destroyed) in Sectors 1 and 8.