Rapid Response Payment Request No. 20/2008
Funds Sent To: Russian Orthodox Church (RoC)
Amount Sent: US$ 59,994
Date: 21 August 2008
Details of Response
Emergency: Conflict in Caucasus, Assistance to displaced persons in N. Ossetia
Date of Emergency: August 5, 2008
Implementing Member: Russian Orthodox Church (ROC)
DETAILS OF THE EMERGENCY: Bombing and hostilities since late evening of August 7th in the disputed Caucasus region of South Ossetia, Georgia has led to tens of thousands of people fleeing South Ossetia into North Ossetia, Russian Federation. (as per current United Nations definition of borders).
At present, the number of displaced from Tshinvali (also from suburbs and neighboring villages) in South Ossetia and its outskirts who have managed to get to North Ossetia is estimated by the North Ossetian authorities to be some 35,000. According to the Russian EMERCOM, there are 22 000 displaced persons officially registered. Some displaced people are also entering other southern regions of the Russian Federation including Rostov (Rostovskaya Oblast) and Kabardino-Balkhariya Republic, as well as Stavropolskiy and Krasnodarskiy Krays. Patriarch Alexy of the Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow, has appealed for the conflicting sides to cease fire and to resume dialogue.
Many displaced people fled during the bombings in South Ossetia without being able to take any belongings or even documents with them. Local relatives and communities are providing some assistance to displaced people coming into North Ossetia. The orthodox parishes and institutions are also doing what they can to provide shelter, food and clothing. Local authorities have been providing temporary shelter in schools, hostels, sanatoriums and tent camps. Food aid is being received from relatives and local communities, as well as from local authorities and Emercom, but is not sufficient nor regular. People most urgently need clothes, household utensils and sanitary items.
Russian and North Ossetian authorities are installing field hospitals in North Ossetia and sending medicines and medical equipment to the region. Hundreds of wounded people from South Ossetia have been taken out to Vladikavkaz to be sent from there to the neighboring regions in the North Caucasus and Russia. The exact number of the wounded is still unknown.
ACTIONS TO DATE, AND EMERGENCY NEEDS:
The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), an ACT International member, has begun delivery of relief assistance to people displaced from South Ossetia and taking refuge in North Ossetia, Russian Federation. Church parishes and organizations in the region have started providing shelter to displaced people in Church owned premises and supplying foodstuffs, clothes and medicines to those in need.
The North Caucasus area is covered by the ROC diocese of Stavropol and Vladikavkas. ROC parishes and monasteries in North Ossetia received and accommodated South Ossetia displaced people from the beginning of this recent conflict. This includes 70 displaced persons given refuge at the women's convent in the city of Alagir, and the collection of money, clothes and food that are immediately distributed to those people in need. These actions are not part of a planned operation but rather spontaneous daily acts. ROC doesn't have special warehouses or stocks in North Ossetia. All that is collected by the parishioners and local population or is donated by other ROC parishes and dioceses is being immediately distributed. This assistance is given by all ROC parishes in North Ossetia in different cities (Vladikavkas, Beslan, Alagir, Ardon, Mosdok, Arkhon etc.). The data received by the ROC/RRT from these parishes was one of the sources of information for the development of the relief proposal below. ROC parishes will support ROC/RRT' implementation of this project, including sending volunteers. support ROC/RRT' implementation of this project, including sending volunteers.
PROPOSED EMERGENCY RESPONSE
OBJECTIVE(S) OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE:
Project Goal: To meet urgent basic needs of people displaced to North Ossetia, Russia by the conflict in South Ossetia, Georgia and offer some hope by providing basic life sustaining assistance
Project Objectives:
- Provide children's relief packages for 335 children (under 5 years old)
- Provide food ration kits to 510 of the most needy displaced men and women
- Provide personal hygiene kits to at least 510 of the most needy displaced men and women Provide household kits (bedding and clothing) to 240 displaced men and women
- Provide female sanitary items to 295 women/girls
TARGET POPULATIONS: The people targeted for assistance will be those who have been displaced by the conflict in South Ossetia and currently seeking refuge in North Ossetia and are the most vulnerable and needy categories of displaced people (children under 5 years old, pregnant women, wounded, disabled, elderly, single parent families and families with many children).
Currently the lists of displaced people in each temporary accommodation center (TACs), such as schools, kindergartens, sanatoriums, hostels, and tent camps, have not yet been finalized, as many new people arriving have not been able to bring their documents. New TACs emerge daily, most of them are situated in Vladikavkaz and surrounding neighborhoods. At present over 12,000 displaced people are taking shelter in TACs.
Based on the preliminary information received from the parishes, local authorities and Emercom, RoC estimates that out of 22,000 officially registered displaced people about 65% are women. This is due to the fact that those who were the first to leave Tshinvali and neighboring villages were women and children, while the men mostly stayed to look after the houses and property, as they did not expect a worsening of the situation.
Statistics below are estimates based on sources as mentioned above:
Age/Gender / Male, % / Female, %
Under 5 / 48 / 52
6-17 / 45 / 55
18-65 / 30 / 70
Over 65 / 40 / 60
In TACs displaced people are safe, and welcomed by the local population and authorities receiving them. Security guards would be required only for warehousing and transportation of aid items, which will be organized in agreement with the local authorities. The local authorities will be invited to observe distributions to ensure transparency of the project work.
Practically all displaced people are Christians with traditions and practices that are typical for the Caucasus region (respect towards the elderly, taboos on sexual issues, emphasis on sports for boys). This will be paid attention to during the project implementation, for example, through sensitive distribution of female hygiene items, that will take place separately from general (unisex) distribution of hygiene kits and not in the presence of men.
PROPOSED ASSISTANCE:
The assistance will meet urgent basic needs and preserve the dignity of displaced men, women and children from the South Ossetia and offer some hope by providing emergency basic life sustaining food and non-food items over a one month period.
Children Under 5 years old (Food and Non-Food Items)
Items to be purchased and distributed: approximately 335 non-food and infant food packages for children/infants (boys and girls) under 5 years old. These packages will include toys, clothes, infant food (canned purees etc) for children under 5 years and hygiene items such as nappies/diapers. These packages will provide the necessary food, hygiene and clothing needs for one month. The toys will contribute to psychological rehabilitation after the crisis.
Food rations for 1 month - for 510 women and men
Each food kit comprises: 2 kg flour, 1 kg sugar, 1 kg buckwheat, 1 kg rice, 2 kg macaroni, 1 ltr vegetable oil, 2 tins of condensed milk and 1 pack of tea.
The condensed milk with sugar, after hot processing, can be preserved for a long time even in a warm climate. This can be used for cooking porridge, pasta, and mixed with water, added to tea and coffee. This is a traditional food for this region. Standard cans contain 400 gr.
The composition of the food kit takes into account that displaced people receive some food assistance from the local population and authorities (vegetables, fruit, cheese, dried or fresh meat and fish). As a rule these are food products produced/grown in North Ossetia, which is an agricultural land.
The food kits will provide 510 persons with basic nutrition needs for one month.
Non-Food Items: Hygiene
510 unisex hygiene kits- generic items to be distributed in kit form, while special sanitary items for women (295 kits) will be distributed as separate items in an appropriate and sensitive way. The hygiene kits comprise: 1 bottle shampoo, 2 rolls of tilet paper, 3 bars of soap, 2 packs washing powder, 1 tooth brush and 1 tube tooth paste.
The 295 special sanitary sets for women/girls will contain 2 packs of sanitary towels and 2 pieces of women's underwear. These sets will provide sufficient hygiene items for 1 month.
ROC/RRT also plans distribution of special vitamins for pregnant women, the expenses for which will be covered from ROC's own contribution.
Household kits (bedding and towels)
240 household kits (one per person) comprising: 1 blanket, 2 towels, 1 mattress, 1 pillow, 2 sets bed linen.
These kits will provide 240 people with bedding and towels which can be used by the displaced people even when they return home.
IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS:
The proposed project will be implemented and monitored by Russian Orthodox Church/Russia Round Table. An expert from ROC/RRT will be present in the project area and direct the project. The ROC/RRT accountant will be responsible for accounting and reporting documentation.
During the last ten years the RRT, on its own and with the help of ACT Alliance, has carried out in North Ossetia several projects for emergency aid to asylum seekers from Chechnya, victims of floods and children who suffered in the hostage taking in the school in Beslan. The RRT has as its disposal the necessary working contacts, infrastructure and experienced staff in the region. These contacts will be used to allow ROC/RRT direct access to the places of mass concentration of the displaced people, to ensure independent organization of aid distribution and logistical and transport facilities for warehousing and shipping of the relief items.
The lists of items for distribution have been prepared in co-operation with the local authorities, Emercom and ROC parishes in the region, and using ROC/RRT experiences in implementation emergency projects.
The distributions will be targeted to the TACs that have not received such assistance, or that have specific needs in a certain aid item (food, hygiene, household items, female hygiene kits) This information will be checked and verified by project staff, also in the TACs.
Different kits will be distributed simultaneously. Children's kits distribution is planned for the first project days. At the same time, information will be collected on the perspectives of the displaced people with regard to returning home and on whether they would receive significant help (by Russian and local authorities, Emercom, international organizations, UN etc.) in future. Based on this information ROC/RRT will prepare its proposals for continuation/modification of relief to displaced people.
During project implementation ROC will consider the information on the newly arrived displaced people from other sources including local authorities, Emercom, international NGOs, and the UN.
The project does not plan to distribute medicines, as this is already done by Emercom, as well as field hospitals during medical treatment of the wounded.
Church volunteers will help in their free time, but project staff will work full time due to an intensive schedule and the large amount of work. All this is reflected in the personnel costs budgeted.
During the project period, situation reports will be provided and work also done on preparing for a full appeal, including further needs assessment.
As the project will be coordinated with all humanitarian players to avoid duplication, some flexibility will be reserved to ensure appropriate assistance is provided according to need.
Reporting: The final report according to АСТ RRF requirements will be prepared and submitted by ROC/RRT to АСТ within 1 month of the completion of activities. An audit will also be provided for this response as per ACT policy for all payments over 50,000 USD.
Procurement: Purchases will be made locally depending on availability - either in the distribution areas or in the neighboring regions. The purchases will be made after a detailed market assessment and collection of information from several potential suppliers. Quantity and quality of products will be controlled by ROC/RRT.
Distribution and Accounting: ROC/RRT will distribute aid items in TACs. Project staff in co-operation with the local authorities will carry out the distributions. Beneficiaries will sign special relief reception forms developed by ROC/RRT. To enhance transparency and open character of distributions, local authorities will verify distribution documentation.
COORDINATION:
While preparing this project proposal ROC/RRT used verified information provided by local authorities, the Russian government's Emercom, church parishes and organizations in the region.
ROC/RRT HQ is coordinating with the UN response, authorities of North Ossetia, ROC parishes, faith based organizations, and with Russian NGOs in this region. ROC will also coordinate with international NGOs, and will participate in regular coordination meetings with the organizations, providing assistance to the displaced from South Ossetia.
ROC is also communicating with fellow ACT members planning to respond to this emergency in North Ossetia, as well as in South Ossetia and other parts of Georgia where people are in need of assistance.
ROC is interested in providing assistance not only in the territory of Russia, but also in South Ossetia and Georgia. This includes working with Hungarian Interchurch Aid and other ACT members participating in a further joint needs assessment in North and possibly South Ossetia, including ACT member staff from Norwegian Church Aid, FinnChurchAid and Lutheran World Federation.
Visibility: Communities, local authorities, the press and public will be informed in advance about the time and place of the distributions. ROC/RRT will hold meetings with beneficiaries to inform them about the plans and projects. In addition, special information sheets with the ACT logo will be posted at distribution places to keep the public informed about the work of ACT/ROC/RRT, aims of the distributions and components of the aid distributed.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Within this emergency response, ROC/RRT does not have a special communicator for producing communications materials. Pictures will be taken by project staff. Reports, articles, stories and communication with mass media and society will be done by ROC/RRT representatives (in addition to their other responsibilities).
PLANNED IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD: 1 month for direct implementation - from receipt of funds (estimated start from August 18th).
TOTAL EXPENDITURE: US$ 59,994
(For the detailed budget, kindly visit the ACT site. Thank you.)
(ends)
ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide.
The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
A woman walks in front of Russian armoured vehicles leaving the Georgian town of Gori August 22, 2008. Russian military checkpoints being built in the area adjacent to Georgia's breakaway region ...
