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Project Completion Report Flood Proof Housing Project In Takeo Province
KAM-044
April 2002
For Submission to The US Based Khmer Connection and the Khmer Institute
Prepared by Touch ThearatHumanitarian Programme Monitor (HPM) The Joint Oxfams Disaster Management Programme in Cambodia
Table of Contents
ANNEXES Annex 1: Financial Statements Page 10-11 Annex 2: Sample Oxfam agreement with CCK Page 12-13 Annex 3: Budget Page 14 Annex 4: Case History of family 1 Page 15 Annex 5: Case History of Family 2 Page 16 Annex 6: Cambodia Map Page 17 Annex 7: List of Acronyms Page 18 Acknowledgement
It is with great pleasure that
the Joint Oxfam Disaster Management Programme in Cambodia presents this report
on the flood proof housing project in the rehabilitation phase based on the
public health assessment conducted by Oxfam.
The flood proof housing project was one of the flood rehabilitation
project components including the provision of rice seeds, vegetable seeds, basic
agriculture tools, cash for work activities, and water and sanitation.
Through 8 project partners,
the flood rehabilitation project was implemented in 7 provinces of
Battambang, Takeo, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, Svay Reing, Stung Streng and
Kratie of Cambodia. With exception from other provinces, Chamroeun Chiet Khmer (CCK)
implemented the flood proof housing project in Takeo province. The report highlights the two
families of Chan Soa and Tep Soeurn who have been the victim of flood and storm
for almost five years in their lives in Takeo province. Each family of Chan Sao and Tep Soeurn received a flood proof
house funded by the US based Khmer Connection and The Khmer Institute, as part
of other 70 houses given to the most vulnerable of flood affected people in
Takoe under the Oxfam Funds. Some
parts of this report has been adapted from the Cambodia Flood Rehabilitation
Project report KAM 042, April 2002 in the Section of Flood Proof Housing
Construction prepared by Dave Hockaday. As a staff member of the Joint
Oxfam Disaster Management Programme in Cambodia, I would personally like to
express my sincere thanks to the Khmer Connection and the Institute for its
significant contribution to provide secure, flood proof houses to these two
families. I would also like to
congratulate Mr. Dave Hockaday, Oxfam Project Manager, Mr Phoeuk Sok,
Humanitarian Programme Coordinator, the Disaster Management (DM) team, and CCK
staff for successfully implementing the flood proof housing project in Takeo. I hope that that you will find
this report useful. Touch Thearat Humanitarian Programme Monitor The Joint Oxfam Disaster Management Programme in Cambodia Flood Proof House Construction
1. Introduction
Severe flooding affected many
provinces in Cambodia during the 2001 flood season.
The previous years flood had been the worst flood in 70 years.
Two successive years flood created huge impact on the lives of the rural
poor. Following on from an immediate
relief response, an Oxfam Public Health Assessment was conducted in the four of
the worst flood affected provinces (Takeo, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, and Kampong
Cham). The finding of this assessment
recommended a four month project, the overall goal of which was to ensure that
the suffering and vulnerability of flood affected people in seven provinces of
Cambodia was reduce. While funds made available
from the regional Oxfam money to implement Flood Rehabilitation Project in the
seven flood affected provinces of Battambang, Takeo, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng,
Svay Reing, Stung Streng and Kratie of Cambodia, particularly the flood proof
house construction project in Takeo province, it was coincide that the US based
Khmer Connection and the Khmer Institute had also made its fund available to the
Joint Oxfam Disaster Management Programme in Cambodia.
Originally, there have been
addressing 70 flood proof houses needs to the flood affected people among 128
houses destroyed during the 2001 flood in the overall housing project
implementation plan of Oxfam as limited of funds. However, it was possible to
construct two more flood proof houses with funding support by the US based Khmer
Connection and the Khmer Institute. The project started in January
and finished in 30 April 2002. The
flood proof house construction project operated in the province of Takeo,
through one of Oxfam’s project partners (PPs) namely Chamroeurn Chiet Khmer (CCK)
who has many years of experience in emergency and other development work. 2. BackgroundTo response to the flood this
year, Oxfam conducted a flood assessment in four worst affected provinces
namely, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and Takeo.
During the first phase of its operation, Oxfam provided relief assistance
in the form of food and non-food item to 2000 families through 8 Oxfam partners
in 7 provinces. The second phase
was the rehabilitation project. In
the rehabilitation project Oxfam’s aims to support to 3250 families through 8
partners in 7 provinces of Battambang, Stung Treng, Kratie, Kampong Cham, Prey
Veng, Svay Rieng and Takeo. This
time Oxfam was providing rice seeds, vegetable seeds, hoe heads, to 3250
families in the 7 provinces. On top
of that Oxfam also provided cash for work for 600 families, housing construction
materials for 60 families in Takeo and working on water and sanitation in Svay
Reing and Prey Veng. CCK after the flood and storm
submitted a proposal to Oxfam requesting for seeds and housing materials to
support the flood victims in Takeo. The
total number of housing requesting was 128 but Oxfam was only able to support 70
families (with 70 houses) leaving 58 families with no support 3. Project Goal and Objective The overall goal of this
project is:
Specific Objective:
The objective has been set in
the light of detailed need assessment and it is designed to reduce the suffering
of the poorest and most vulnerable people. 4.
Brief Summary Direct Project Cost (incl.
Cash for work for the Carpenters): $1,537.5 Direct Project Beneficiaries:
2 families, a total of 15 people
(Six female and nine male) Cost Per house:
$743 With additional funding
support from the US based Khmer Connection and the Khmer Institute, the
implementation of the flood proof house construction project has been
coincidently carried out with another 70 houses in 25 villages of Takeo province
funded by the regional Oxfam money. The
two families and other 70 families were involved in constructing their own flood
proof housing. Community laborers
were guided by skilled carpenter in the construction of the house and
beneficiaries contributed by raising foundation, treating wood and weaving side
panels from the palm leaves. The
project was facilitated by one project partner, CCK. 5. Result Achieved
6. Beneficiaries Selection
Each unit represents an
investment of over $700 in each beneficiary family, so it was clear at the
outset that the selection process had to be agreed and carried out by the
community with support from CCK and Oxfam in order to eradicate inter
neighborhood tensions and jealousies. Meetings
were convent in liaison with Village chief, Village Development Committees (VDC’s)
and the selection criteria and process explained.
Beneficiaries were then chosen by the community.
There has been approximately 80% of women participation observed in the
decision-making. 7. Purchasing Procedures
Through out the project cycle,
all purchases made were agreed using a tried and tested purchasing committee
system. One committee exists at the
provincial level, generally for purchases made locally by the partners.
This committee consists of representatives from the partner organization,
local authority, the village development committee and an Oxfam representative.
8. Distribution Activities
An officials and legally
approved timber suppliers was sourced and contract signed for the provision of
wood and materials. An extra clause
was also written in to the contract stipulating that the timber supplier should
provide seedling for each beneficiary to provide protection from strong
floodwater to the house.
9. Project Implementation and Monitoring
The construction project took
just over a month to finish the two houses and other 70 houses, but whole
process lasted nearly three. Once the house had been
constructed, follow up monitoring was not nearly as exhaustive as the team would
have liked it to be. Given the high
cost of the unit, the team would have liked the survey half, if not all the
recipients. However, time was a
major factor here and day-to-day discussion and interviews were conducted. Beneficiaries were very happy
to receive the houses. Those who
had received housing under previous Oxfam project were found to have carried out
with high personalization and investment in their houses and were visibly proud
to show monitoring team around. This
was a positive finding and proves that beneficiaries were still willing to
contribute hard earned money in the long term.
Discussion with beneficiaries from this years project revealed that similar plans to commit short term and long term resources to their house. As well as the most obvious visible reasons for the success of this project component, there are also some interesting social successes. Most people (including these two families) interviewed stated that they were more than willing to let people from the community affected by future flood seasons stay in their new houses. This feeling of the community responsibility may well stem from the selection process and might represent a form of payback. When asked, all of the
non-beneficiaries in the community state, without exception, that they were not
jealous or angry at not having been chosen.
They were more than happy to feel that they had helped the poorer members
of the community. Although it was
not explicitly mentioned, the non-beneficiaries may well view the new house as a
sort of temporary insurance should something terrible happen to them and their
house. The process that Oxfam has used is a very strong process and build on
community relationships. It is
further testimony to this there have not been any report of selling their house,
which suggest we are also getting the targeting right.
Other agencies involved in housing project report a problem with
beneficiaries selling their houses. Action
Against Hunger visited Oxfam to learn more about this process as they are
considering implementing a similar project. Many people also reported
increased confidence within their families now that they had new houses.
This was especially true of the children who reported that before when
they lived in their old house, they were very nervous and scared of the strong
winds, noisy storms and deep floodwater usually associated with the monsoon.
Now they feel happier and confident and do not cry at night when the
storms come. 10. Project Impacts: Over the short period of project implementation for three months,
a numbers of project impacts have been identified in the followings:
11. Budget Performance: The total cost of USD1500
contributed by the US based Khmer Connection and the Khmer Institute was spent
in two budget categories in which USD1486 for the construction materials and
USD14 for administrative expenditures. Still,
to complete the construction of the two houses, Oxfam has made its funds
available from the KAM 042 in the total amount of USD37.50 for cash for work
expenditure and other USD15 to cover the cost of transportation, which has been
charged to Oxfam KAM 042 as well. The
amount of USD15 has not been reported in the attached financial statement of
these houses expenses. (Please
see annex 1 for the financial report by the Finance Section) To increase transparency,
committees were formed for the purchase of the construction materials including
timber, tin sheet, nail, concrete support and other materials. These committees
consisted of one representative from Oxfam, one member of the community (VDC or
beneficiary), one representative from local authority and two representatives
from the partner. These committees
secured three quotations from local suppliers and then agreed on the quotation
that offered the best value for money. This also contributes a great deal
towards capacity building for partners as well as community’s leaders. 12. Suggested Short Term Follow Up and
Recommendations
ANNEX
1: FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANNEX
2: OXFAM AGREEMENT WITH CCK
Ms Hem Sakhan Director of Chamreurn Cheat
Khmer (CCK) Koh Andeth District Takoe Provinvince Date:
14 February 2002 Dear
Ms Hem Sakhan, With
reference to your proposal submitted to Oxfam and subsequent discussions held
between you and Oxfam GB, I am pleased to inform you that Oxfam has approved
your application to undertake rehabilitation activities in response to the
flooding in Battambang Province, Cambodia. AMOUNT
APPROVED:
US $ 1500.00 GRANT
NO:
KAM
- 044 DURATION:
From 14 February – 30 April 2002 ACTIVITIES:
To supply materials for the reconstruction of 2 houses destroyed during
the 2001 flooding in Koh Andeth District of Takeo, by using criteria developed
and agreed between partners and Oxfam (see attached). FINANCIAL
DETAILS AND ITEMS:
See
attached sheet. Timber, tin roofing
sheets, nails, concrete based pads as per attached sheet will be purchased by
project partner prior to distribution. AREAS OF
OPERATION:
The
District of Koh Andeht, Takeo Province CONDITIONS: As
your organisation is based in the flood-affected area, we request that you take
the responsibility for the implementation of this rehabilitation work.
We sincerely appreciate your co-operation and expect that you will adhere
to the following conditions at all times during the implementation of the
project: §
Work closely with the
flood-affected people, Local Authorities, Red Cross Volunteers (RCV) and Village
Development Committees in the villages and communes mentioned in your proposal §
Ensure the quality and
price of the construction materials §
Ensure safe passage and
storage of the items prior to distribution §
Co-ordinate procurement
and delivery with suppliers and plan a distribution schedule to ensure that all
items are distributed at the same time §
Ensure that the
beneficiaries receive timely and correct information about the distributions. §
Inform Oxfam GB of the
dates, times and locations of distribution so that Oxfam GB staff may attend (please
notify Oxfam GB at least 72 hours before each distribution) §
Ensure that each beneficiary family knows exactly what they
are receiving by displaying all details clearly at the distribution site.
Each beneficiary must place a signature or mark on the distribution form
to show receipt of the items (copies of these forms must accompany the final
progress report). §
Monitor the distribution
activities and follow up on the construction process (it is expected that all
beneficiary families will be visited, post-distribution, by the two temporary
volunteers over the duration of this contract, and dates and reports of visits
must be supplied with the final narrative report) §
Manage Oxfam funds in an
efficient manner and keep clear records §
Co-operate with Oxfam GB
staff who will visit the project areas on a regular basis in order to give
support to the project, and to monitor activities REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS: Oxfam
will require concise and clear reports for both the project implementation and
financial accounts. These should be presented on the standard formats (see
attached). The narrative report
will be due by (30 April 2002). These reports
should be sent to Mr Phoeuk Sok (Humanitarian
Programme Coordinator) and must reach the Oxfam office in Phnom Penh by the
required date. USE OF
FUNDS: This
grant is made for the purpose outlined in the attachments which form an integral
part of this agreement letter. Any
changes in the use of the money will need to be discussed in advance with either
Mr Phoeuk Sok (Humanitarian Programme Coordinator) or Mr Touch Thearat
(Humanitarian Programme Monitor), who, if necessary, will refer to the Programme
Representative of Oxfam GB in Cambodia office.
Any funds from under-spent budget lines must be returned with final
accounts If
the above paragraphs, in your understanding, clearly set forth the terms and
conditions applicable to this grant, would you kindly sign/seal duplicate copy
of this letter and send it back to us. With
warm regards, Mike
Bird
Signed:……………………………. Programme
Representative OXFAM
in Cambodia
Date: …………………………….. Ms Hem Sakhan
Signed:……………………………. Director
of CCK
Date:…………………… ANNEX
3: BUDGET
ANNEX
4: CASE HISTORY OF FAMILY 1 The
Family Case for Flood Proof Housing Project Funded by the US based Khmer
Institute and the Khmer Connection Case
History of Chan Sao Family
Mr
Ses Vong Sambath, staff of Chamreon Chiet Khmer (CCK) has been given the
opportunity to have an hour and haft interview with Sao, 34 of age and his 35
years old wife, Sim Sorn. With
sadly face, Soa said that his house with weaker rotten bamboo pillars has
collapse due the 2000 flood, and another collapse by 2001 flood, as the flood
water level went up the roof of the house.
The
impact of these successive flooding has forces the family members of Soa, the
children and his wife to seek shelter with neighboring villager house for period
of three months when the flood water level reached half way in the interior of
the house, each year of the flood season. When
the flood water has receding, Sao family was given by their neighbour in the
village with palm leaf, bamboo, and one kind of tree to re-construct that small
cottage as possible as they can. Psychologically,
they have been so much in the worries and concerns to think about their shelter.
Of the four children, Sao family has a deaf child and only an elder
daughter, age of 12, is able to attend school at class 1 in the Primary School
of Krapum Chhouk. The elderly
mother and his sister-in-law are also Soa’s dependent.
Sao and the sister-in-law is the main person with full energy to sell
their labor out in such activities as rice transplant and harvesting, stand by
to control the water pump at the paddy field.
The most income they made was 2000 riel per day to support and feed this
poorest family for their living, as they do not have or own lands for rice
production, except the family land given by the Village Chief while his family
has resettlement in this village in 1992. Both
during the dry and rainy seasons, this poorest family consist of 8 family
members could only afford to be fed with 2 meals a day of 2 kg of rice.
The children and their mother have been observed to be so pale and skinny
due to the lack of food supplementary and nutrition. During
the pre-flood disaster, Sao had lot of opportunities to do many jobs to earn
money, but failed to making the saving or to properly repair their house, with
the exception to pay back the debt and to survive the family with food even less
from hand to mouth and if any family member should have been in sickness that is
their biggest concerns. While the rainy season arrives, their work is to fishing
by using fishing net or hooks; the loan was taken to buy this important fishing
equipment with the interest rate of 10% per month.
Till today, Soa is still indebt in the amount of approximately USD100.00. Before
the interview comes to an end, Sao has sorrowfully expressed that he is so
hopeless in their everyday livings, particularly when there is rain my children,
wife and sister-in-law are sitting in the rain under tarpaulin and went to sleep
with fully wet cloth until the rain has gone.
This kind of such a very bad situation has been in experience by this
poorest family during past five years and Sao will have never, ever expect to
recover from this bad situation. ANNEX 5: CASE HISTORY OF
FAMILY 2 The
Family Case for Flood Proof Housing Project Funded by the US based Khmer
Institute and the Khmer Connection Case
History of Tep Soeurn Family
In
the shade of tamarind tree opposite the died down cottage of Soeurn, Mr Ses Vong
Sambath, staff of Chamreon Chiet Khmer (CCK) conducted the interview with this
family on 21 January 2002. The
followings are the detail information of the family: Soeurn
has been lonely in the bed with very sick condition from high fever and flue
sneezing in his cottage for the period of two days. No money, no medicine has been bought for the treatment of
his sickness, even a tablet of medicine, but the husband still believes that he
will be better at evening when he is having the food supplement. His
wife cited that as the result of the successive flood impact in 2000 and 2001,
the whole family has been considerably experiencing difficulty about seeking
shelter for their living. She said:
“ My house was flooded with full of flood water level reached half way in the
interior of the house, my husband and I took away all the five children to stay
on the high hill in the shelter made of cloth for over three months and returned
to the old until the flood receded.” For
the moment of our stay on the hill, we were living with nothing, and more than
nothing we could any job activities, my wife delivered the win children (all
boys). This has put heavy shoulder
to our family and this led my husband to take loan of Riels50, 000.00 with the
interest rate of 20% per month from the villagers to milk to feed the babies, as
breath feeding cannot produce milk. During
the wet season, I am eating potato every day rather then rice, as it cost less
price and due to our family had no boat and the fishing equipment.
By the way, our income can be made about Riels 1500.00 from the fishing
(not-well equipped with fishing set) and this was not enough to buy the rice the
day. In any such conditions, my
family could only afford to have two meals a day, but generally my children were
having porridge for a few days when we could not earn any incomes. I do not have
or own lands for rice production, except the family land (10m x 15 m) given by
my parents while his family has resettlement in this village in 1992.
In that time, the village chief already completed the land allocation to
the villagers. During
the dry season, my husband job was finding eels, and to support the family
income, all children are not able to go to school when their ages are eligible
to school; instead they were selling their labor in rice harvesting and
transplanting etc. Each day, my
husband and I work very hard with compulsory tasks to get rice to feed the
family and I find less time and capacity to repair my house to be a proper
house. Should any member of our
family get sick is our main concern, as my elder son has passed away from
measles. Before
the interview comes to an end she concluded with tears drop that the family is
able cope with lots of issues such as storm, food shortage, no shelter and feel
very bleak in life and would not get rid of this poverty in the whole life. ANNEX
6: CAMBODIA MAP
ANNEX 7: LIST OF ACROMYNS AAH
Action Against Hunger CCK
Chamreourn Chiet Khmer CFW
Cash For Work DM
Disaster Management HPC
Humanitarian Programme Coordinator HPM
Humanitarian Programme Monitor NCDM
National Committee for Disaster Management OGB
Oxfam Great Britain PR
Programme Representative RCV
Red Cross Volunteers VDC
Village Development Committee PPs
Project Partners
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Oxfam
has successfully implemented similar project in other provinces of Cambodia and
the Flood Proof Housing Project in Takeo has achieved its aim and objective.
