Attachments
This report covers the period of 1 May to 31 October 2007, but reports cumulative totals from December 2004 onwards.
In a world of global challenges, continued poverty, inequity, and increasing vulnerability to disasters and disease, the International Federation with its global network, works to accomplish its Global Agenda, partnering with local community and civil society to prevent and alleviate human suffering from disasters, diseases and public health emergencies.
In brief
Executive Summary: It has been almost three years after the devastating tsunami ripped through the peaceful islands of the Maldives causing widespread destruction and leaving thousands of people homeless. An extensive recovery effort has followed, covering all main sectors of recovery programming and reaching across all 20 atolls.
The last six months of effort have seen significant progress: the Australian and Canadian Red Cross waste management programme has been completed, the German Red Cross has completed work to rehabilitate health facilities damaged in the tsunami and both the Australian and German Red Cross have now closed their offices in the Maldives. An additional 157 houses have been completed, with the majority of remaining houses now under construction. Supplementary water supply systems have been built and handed over to the communities. Livelihood grants have been provided to a total of 1,272 households. Training for island disaster management committees and disaster management task forces has been held. As one of the few countries in the world without a national society, a particular focus has been on the formation of the Maldivian Red Crescent.
In order to ensure programme quality, the International Federation has set strategic cross-cutting priorities across the different programme sectors. These priorities are outlined in the Tsunami Regional Strategy and Operational Framework 2 as well as in the Red Cross and Red Crescent Maldives country strategy. Examples of these priorities include community consultation and participation as well as sustainability. In addition, equity issues are addressed in order to avoid community tensions created by unequal recovery assistance. This means giving consideration to people not directly affected by the tsunami, such as host communities.
A particular focus of the Red Cross Red Crescent has been on risk reduction by enhancing the resilience of communities against future disasters. Different forms of risk reduction have been integrated into Red Cross Red Crescent programmes. In practice, this translates into more hazard-resistant housing, water supply systems that provide safe drinking water during dry seasons, as well as awareness raising in community-based risk identification and health.
Sustainability, community participation and integration continue to be a priority across programmes. Strong collaboration and capacity building with government, community and other international agencies are essential to support the successful completion and handover of Red Cross Red Crescent programmes.
For further information specifically related to the tsunami operation, please contact:
Maldives:
Federation delegation in the Maldives:
Per Jensnaes, head of delegation, email: per.jensnaes@ifrc.org; phone +960.332.1987;
fax +960.332.1951;
Regional delegation in India: Al Panico, head of regional delegation, email:
al.panico@ifrc.org; phone: +91 11 2411 1125; fax: +91 11 2411 1128
Federation secretariat in Geneva:
Jerry Talbot, special representative
for the tsunami operation; email: jerry.talbot@ifrc.org; phone: +41.22.730.4231,
Lesley Schaffer, tsunami grants officer; email: Lesley.schaffer@ifrc.org,
phone: +41 22 730 4854
Matthew Cochrane, media and public relations officer; email: matthew.cochrane@ifrc.org;
phone: +41 22 730 4426; mobile: +41 79 308 9804
Oscar Vispo, tsunami operations web communications officer; email: oscar.vispo@ifrc.org;
phone: +41 22 730 4570
Asia Pacific Zone in Kuala Lumpur - phone +60 3 21 61 0892; fax: +60 3 2161 1210
Chee Keong Chew, acting head of zone
PMER unit, ext 300; email: cheekeong.chew@ifrc.org
Umadevi Selvarajah, head of zone finance unit, ext 140; email: umadevi.selvarajah@ifrc.org
Karl O'Flaherty, tsunami finance coordinator, ext 613; email: karl.oflaherty@ifrc.org
Igor Dmitryuk, head of regional logistics unit, ext 600; email: igor.dmitryuk@ifrc.org