Tsunami-response programme

Oxfam's tsunami response programme focuses on water and sanitation, shelter, livelihoods and gender issues.

Water and sanitation

As one of the first agencies on the ground, Oxfam GB, in partnership with local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), immediately trucked water, mobilised water storage tanks, water treatment equipment and provided sanitation solutions to affected populations. Oxfam provided approximately 700,000 litres of clean water per day, built 750 appropriate latrines, 250 bathing cubicles for women, distributed 20,000 family hygiene kits and 8,000 water filters with hygiene education to enable people to use the provided facilities appropriately.

The initial strategy was to reduce public health risks and suffering amongst the affected communities living in welfare centres and temporary accommodation in camps and villages. In the emergency phase, Oxfam supported 25,000 families directly and a further 40,000 families indirectly through co-ordination with, and providing support to, the National Water Board, NGOs and local partner organisations. Even as Oxfam phases out its emergency water supply and moves into the development phase of its programming, it has been finding ways of creating access to improved water supplies, sanitation and improved hygiene practices.

Shelter

Community consultation and participation has been a core factor in Oxfam GB's transitional shelter programme. Working through local partners, Oxfam constructed temporary shelters on government land and on own/host family land respecting people's choice for relocation options. Advocacy and public information was promoted as transparent mechanisms of land allocation.

Encouraging families to transform their shelters into a home, Oxfam provided them with 'Do it yourself' kits. These kits were used for making their own rough furniture, paving of outside space, kitchen gardening, installing a smokeless hearth in the kitchen and solar lanterns for lighting.

On-the-job training in carpentry and masonry to build transitional shelters was also carried out. This involved unemployed women and men and helped create new livelihood options while indirectly hastening Oxfam's transitional shelter programme.

Oxfam, along with other NGOs and INGOs, lobbied for the buffer zone to be revised, recommending that the affected communities be given the liberty of making informed decisions on going back to their land or being relocated in an appropriate place. Oxfam continues to lobby for pro-poor policies, which would provide enough choices for the poor and also protect their rights while resettling.

On the permanent housing front, Oxfam is building houses, which would be models for other organisations involved in permanent housing to draw from.

Livelihoods

Oxfam's livelihood intervention consisted of two strands. A cash-based intervention and support for the repair or replacement of assets such as boats for fishing communities. The cash-based interventions included cash-for-work in welfare centres, camps and temporary and permanent relocation sites, as well as cash grants for the restoration of livelihoods for affected households. Those supported have been engaged in activities ranging from petty trade to animal husbandry, small-scale fishing, lace making, coir production and agriculture.

Cash-based interventions provided cash to meet people's basic needs, and where possible, to help enable them to recover their livelihood assets, such as farms and fishing boats.  Cash transfers strengthened the local economy giving dignity to the people to make personal choices. By engaging them actively in their own recovery, it has empowered the people and restored their self-confidence.

Moving on to long-term development, Oxfam has focussed on creating market linkages and improved production techniques in order to bring in better prices for the producers.

Gender

Gender mainstreaming has been a vital and cross cutting theme in Oxfam GB's tsunami response programme be it water and sanitation, shelter, livelihood or public health promotion.

In its water and sanitation programmes, toilets were provided with locks and outer coverings for privacy and security of women and girls. Locating the toilets and bathing facilities within a safe distance helped reduce vulnerability.

The two roomed shelter models adapted in Ampara and Batticaloa has given people more privacy. In addition, both men and women were provided with ‘On the Job Training’ in carpentry and masonry to build shelters under Oxfam's shelter programme.

Violence against women at the camp sites were addressed and monitored through mobilising women groups and enabling women to play an active role in the camp management. Local enforcement authorities like police were sensitised to provide adequate safeguard and protection to women.

Strengthening access to new and profitable markets for women involved in dry fish making and providing them with easier and cheaper access to necessary materials for their work enabled many women to return to their livelihoods.

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Last updated: September 06