Action by Churches Together (ACT)
Appeal - Hungary
Emergency Flood Relief - EUHU-11
Appeal Target: US$ 365,225
Balance Requested from ACT Network:  US$ 225,225
Geneva,  21 March 2001


Three countries in Europe have been affected by the overflowing of the
river Tisza. Hungarian, Romanian and Ukrainian populations living close to
the Tisza were forced to leave their homes and seek shelter either within
their own regions or in neighboring countries.

Compared to the magnitude of the disaster, the initial response by the
Hungarian Government appears unable to meet the immediate needs of the
affected and displaced population who are left without minimum living
conditions.

ACT member Hungarian Interchurch Aid/HIA is already assisting the most
vulnerable families affected by the floods in Ukraine. They also seek to
continue supporting the population of Eastern Hungary that fled the flood
sites to seek shelter in other parts of the country.

In the first phase of their proposed program, HIA is proposing to provide
the humanitarian aid in the following manner:
 
   Distribution of drinking water and food
   Distribution of clothes and blankets
   Distribution of hygiene items
   Psycho-social assistance


At a later stage, HIA will assist the most affected with
shelter/rehabilitation activities.  ACT member Hungarian Baptist Aid
(HBAid) is currently preparing a project proposal, therefore this appeal
will be revised shortly to include their proposal.

Project Completion Date:  20 September 2001

Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance
Requested

                                             US$
Total Appeal Target(s)                   365,225
Less: Pledges/Contr. Recd.               140,000
Balance Requested from ACT Network       225,225


Ms. Genevieve Jacques        Thor-Arne Prois      Rev. Rudolf Hinz
Director                     ACT Coordinator      Director
WCC/Cluster on Relations                          LWF/World Service



REQUESTING ACT MEMBER

Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA)


IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER INFROMATION

Hungarian Interchurch Aid, a charitable organisation of high public
utility and of ecumenical spirituality, was founded in 1991 with the
intention of providing assistance to those in need regardless of gender,
race, nationality and religion. The General Assembly is HIA's most
important decision-making body, representing all the Hungarian Protestant
and Orthodox Churches and also various organisations, foreign and national
individuals.  Hungarian Interchurch Aid concentrates its activity in three
operational areas:

  domestic social activities in HIA's regional centres around Hungary
  emergency assistance
  refugee affairs


As an ACT-member HIA has been implementing emergency programs in the
Balkan, the Russian Federation and the Ukraine since its establishment in
1991.  In 1999 * for the very first time * and also in 2000 HIA
implemented two significant emergency programs within Hungary. Experiences
gained during HIA's ten years of international activity have been utilised
in implementing its relief programs. During these activities HIA rendered
immediate help to the victims of the flooding caused by heavy rainfalls *
the program activities had three phases:

  immediate humanitarian assistance (provision of food, hygiene items
    for the evacuated population in 27 villages)
  dehumidifying and disinfecting private houses
  reconstructing 250 private houses 


For the program implementation HIA opened field offices in two locations
(Olaszliszka/Northern-Hungary and Szolnok/Central-Hungary) in order to
facilitate program activities.

The total amount allocated for the two HIA emergency programs in 1999 and
2000 was about USD 360,000 .




DESCRIPTION OF THE EMERGENCY SITUATION

Background

The River Tisza - 966 km, 157,220 km2 - is the largest Danube tributary.  
>From its total length about 160 km lies in the Ukraine and Romania and
about 800 km in the Great Hungarian Plain (650 km in Hungary, 150km in
Yugoslavia).  Flooding throughout the Tisza catchment area is a major
problem - the floods of winter (1998/99) caused millions of dollars of
damage in Slovakia, Romania, the Ukraine and Hungary. The frequency and
severity of flooding would appear to be worsening in terms of human health
and economic losses.

The extent of river control projects undertaken during the last century
have clearly had an adverse effect on parts of the Tisza catchment areas.
A large number of dams, dikes and other hydraulic structures have
inevitably caused changes in flow patterns and damage to the functions of
the river system.

Flooding within the Tisza catchment areas is a major problem and
consequently there is a need for a holistic approach to flood management.
Such a holistic approach must be based on multilateral and international
co-operation and planning for the whole catchment areas.

The Hungarian Prime Minister who toured the flooded area, reported that it
had been the cutting down of trees in the Ukraine and Romania that was to
blame for the record floods hitting Hungary for the fourth year in a row.  
Officials say worse troubles have been avoided by setting up a joint water
monitoring system with Ukraine and Romania in December, mainly with
Hungarian financing.

In Hungary, efforts were well under way to build a second line of defence,
as 36 km of dikes were built after last years floods, however a distance
of 15 km has not yet been finished.

The current catastrophe will have a long-term influence on the development
of the poorest region of Hungary with a significant part of the population
belonging to the Roma minority.



Current situation

In the first days of March 2001 a fatal combination of heavy rains,
melting snow and burst dikes has left areas of Eastern Hungary prone to
severe flooding, especially in those areas where dikes have not been
finished.

Rising waters on the three rivers Tisza, Tur and Szamos, forced emergency
services to use boats to reach homes ringed by muddy water as high as one
metre (three feet).

>From the beginning of the week 35,000 people have been evacuated from 20
villages by the River Tisza. 20,000 houses are still, or were under water
for several days, as 180 million mł of water has inundated 130 km˛.

According to the official data of 11 March 2001, 3,440 houses are still
under water and 178 houses have collapsed, but the number is growing as
most buildings are adobe houses.

The main road between the villages of Takos and Csaroda, near the
Ukrainian border, was also demolished in two places, allowing floodwaters
to flow into to low-lying areas.

Agricultural lands are inundated with autumn seedlings rotting.  Newly
planted forests will also rot in the coming weeks.  Game and small
livestock have suffered significant losses due to the high water level.

90 % of the population lives on agriculture - household farming, keeping
domestic animals (hens, chicken, pig, sheep, cow).  There are villages
(e.g. Gulács, total population 1,132) where 90 % of these animals have
died due to flooding.

Veterinary officials also fear many farm animals that have been left
behind in villages may die of starvation and rotting carcasses could pose
a health problem.

On 6 and 7 March a major evacuation of 20 villages took place with people
being transported to appointed, receptive settlements.  However, a number
of the population ignored the evacuation order and refused to leave their
homes preferring to remain to protect their homes and livestock.

The majority of the evacuated population have been accommodated in
community buildings, schools, kindergartens, church premises, etc., others
have found shelter with private families. Local municipalities are
providing basic assistance * food and shelter - for those accommodated in
community buildings.

The population have been vaccinated against diseases, and vaccination of
livestock has been started in an attempt to avoid epidemics.

Currently, many of the evacuated population are not waiting for the
official decision from the authorities, but are leaving the evacuation
centres and trying to return home. This is very dangerous, as public
utilities and houses have been so damaged, that they are a hazard to human
life.

According to authorities people can start returning home within 2 weeks,
presuming that there is no further flooding.  However, a further danger
has been identified * there are two, or three places, between the River
Tisza and the Ukrainian border (Tiszaadony, Tiszakerecseny) in the same
district where dikes are likely to burst in the coming days causing
incalculable damages to nearby villages.

So far resettlements have started for 5 villages: Tiszadob, Tarpa,
Beregdaróc, Beregsurány, Márokpapi.



Recipient village
Evacuated village
Current situation  in evacuated villages
No of persons evacuated 
Place of accommodation
Provided provisions
Needs

Baktalo-ranthaza
Tiszavid, Tiszaszalka, Tiszaadony
Surrounded by water
350 
Youth hostel
Food
Hygiene items, clothing

Lov@petri
Gelénes
Partly inundated
210 
School, kindergarden, church premises
Food
Hygiene items

Ilk
Marokpapi
surrounded by water
420 
36 persons in community places, others in private homes
Food (not enough), hygiene for one week
Food, clothing (underwear)

Nyirmada
Lonya, Tarpa
Lonya endangered,
Tarpa inundated
880 
School
Food
Hygiene items, clothing, napkins for babies

Vasarosnameny
Gergelyiugornya
Inundated
500 
Community buildings
Food
Hygiene items, clothing

Szabolcs
Baka
Hetefejercse
isolated by the water
200 
Community buildings
Food
Hygiene items, clothing

Gemzse
Takos and other villages
Takos inundated
40 people stayed in the village
230 
60 persons in community buildings, 170 in private homes
Food (only for community places)
Food and hygiene items, clothing

Nyirlov@
Csaroda, Gergelyiugornya, Lonya
Csaroda, Gergelyiugornya inundated, Lonya endangered
180 
75 % in community buildings, 25 % in private houses
Food
Food, hygiene items, clothing

Pap
Beregdaroc
endangered
210 persons
Community buildings
Food
Hygiene items, clothing

Kisvarda
Beregsurany, Barabas
Both villages inundated
250 
Community building
Food, hygiene items items
Food and hygiene items

Rohod
Gulacs
Inundated
232 
Community building
Food (not enough
Food and hygiene items

Pusztadobos
Tivadar
Inundated
50 
Community building
Food (not enough)
Food 

Gyulahaza
Jand
Inundated
260 
Community building
Food (not enough)




GOAL & OBJECTIVES

Hungarian Interchurch Aid wishes to provide humanitarian assistance for
the victims of the floods in the following forms:

Immediate humanitarian assistance * water, food, hygiene items - for
evacuated population, currently staying in community buildings, not longer
than 4 - 5 days - food, hygiene items, clothing

people who have stayed in their homes, or have returned unofficially to
those villages that are still, or were isolated by the water and to
population returning home * non-perishable food parcels and hygiene kits


Psycho Social Assistance - carried out by social workers and theological
students - for evacuated population accommodated in community buildings, ,

Rehabilitation of private houses in villages that were inundated by water,
and retrieving personal properties and livestock.



TARGETED BENEFICIARIES

At the current stage of the emergency * while some of the villages are
still inundated, many have been closed by authorities in order to start
disinfection to help prevent epidemics * statistical data is insufficient
for elaborating precisely all details of the proposal. Some of the
evacuated population is moving from one place to the other without
informing the local municipalities about their departures and arrivals.
Another part of the affected population has left the region in order to
find shelter with relatives in other areas of Hungary. However, basic
lines of project activities can be determined, also beneficiary selection
can be done as follows:


Evacuated population in the following villages:

Lov@petri, Ilk, Nyirmada, Szabolcsbaka, Nyirlov@, Rohod, Pusztadobos,
Gyulahaza, - 2,500 persons

People who stayed in their homes and spent the critical days in attics,
hillsides, etc., or have returned home unofficially to those villages that
are still, or were isolated by the water, population returning home in an
organized way.


 
Name of village
Number of returning population

Gergelyiugornya
500 persons

Jánd
228 persons

Gulács
220 persons

Hetefejércse
68 persons

Tákos
217 persons

Csaroda
131 persons

Vamosatya
153 persons

Gelenes
173 persons

Tiszaszalka
160 persons

Tiszavid
64 persons

Barabas
78 persons

Tiszaadony
111 persons

Tiszakerecseny
186 persons

Matyus
48 persons

Lonya
200 persons


Total:  2,543 persons

Population whose houses were inundated in the following villages:

Name of villages
Number of population
Number of families
Number of houses
Houses collapsed
Number of houses inundated

Tarpa
2.480
900
900
27
220

Tákos
476
159
168
22
160

Jand
1.200
385
420
32
410

Hetefejercse
360
229
200
10
70

Gelenes
650
240
220
-
70

Csaroda
670
250
250
17
180

Tivadar
235
90
90
1
10

Total




1.120



Beneficiary selection will be made in close co-operation with local
municipalities and local churches, taking into consideration the social
situation of the families.



PROPOSED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION

Hungarian Interchurch Aid plans to implement the current program in two
phases

Immediate humanitarian assistance and psycho social care (described in
this appeal)


Rehabilitation of private houses

During the first phase of the program implementation the most urgent needs
of the flood affected population are: food, hygiene items, clothing,
mainly underwear.  This will be carried out by supporting community
kitchens and private families providing for the evacuated population with
non-perishable food items (edible oil, rice, sugar, flour, canned meat)
and distributing hygiene items to the families (washing detergent, toilet
paper, tissue paper, shampoo, soap, disinfectant kit and washing powder)

All above mentioned recipient villages will be covered by HIA, two
transport monitors will be responsible for transporting relief items to
different project locations. Distribution will be registered with
"Acknowledgements of receipt" forms, showing all necessary data about
donations and beneficiaries.

HIA emergency team in co-operation with church parishes has established a
group of volunteers (young social workers and theological students) in
order to render psycho social assistance for the population accommodated
in the community buildings.  People are suffering shock, depressed by the
events and afraid for the future.  Children do not really understand what
has happened to their homes and family. Social workers and theologians are
trying to ease the tensions with different occupational therapies for both
adults and children.

There are some villages surrounded by water that have been isolated for
days.  People who did not want to leave their homes have been left there
without any assistance. In the first phase of the program HIA will
transport food and hygiene items to these places both for those who
remained there and for those who have already returned home.

Assisting the officially returning population when arriving home * the
families will be provided food parcels and hygiene kits to help them
restart their lives. The hygiene kits will contain items such as washing
powder, disinfectants, soap and shampoo.  The food parcels will contain
flour, edible oil, pasta, rice and canned meat. The contents of the food
parcels will be enough for a family for 2-3 weeks, the hygiene items for
longer period. (6 weeks)

During the second phase, on the basis of surveys made by HIA local staff,
private houses will be rehabilitated. The surveys have already been
started, however data are not available from all settlements. The private
house rehabilitation program will be implemented on the basis of
multilateral contracts (HIA/family/reconstruction firm) and will be
continuously monitored by the HIA Project Director.  Another way of
implementing the rehabilitation is to support families with reconstruction
kits.

Furthermore, many families have lost their private properties and
livestock therefore, HIA plans to provide families with furniture and
small animals, such as, chicken, sheep and pigs, etc.

According to experiences gained during the last two HIA flood-programs
implemented within Hungary there will be a significant amount of in kind
donations coming from protestant church congregations, companies and
private donors in Hungary, churches, church organisations abroad and the
ACT network.  HIA will collect, register, forward and distribute all these
in kind donations to the flood victims.  The majority of the donations are
expected to be clothing, hygiene items and non-perishable food.

As the majority of the population in the flood affected area belong to the
protestant churches - mostly to the Reformed Church - an enormous
co-operation and solidarity of church members is expected.

All relief items distributed during the project period will be duly
registered according to Hungarian book-keeping regulations and according
to the ACT Guidelines.



ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, MONITORING & REPORTING

In order to reach the above goals and objectives Hungarian Interchurch Aid
has established a field office in Nyíregyháza a town in Eastern-Hungary,
very close the flood affected areas. The Governmental headquarters for
co-ordinating rescue work is also located in Nyíregyháza.

This office is under the direction of the Field Officer who is responsible
for co-ordinating all project activities. Office equipment and supplies
are provided by HIA (computer, telephone, fax, office furniture, etc.)
Besides the office there are two warehouses available, one in Nyíregyháza,
the other in Budapest, with all necessary equipment (wheel-barrow, scales,
etc.) to receive and forward domestic and international in-kind donations.
 
There is a Programme Assistant, a store man and two transport monitors to
assist the Project Director employed for the whole project period.
Transport monitors will transport relief items to different project
locations.  The administrative assistant will assist program
implementation and reporting to HIA head office.  Program monitoring will
be carried out from HIA head office/Budapest according to the ACT
guidelines and the head office will provide ACT Co-ordinating Office with
regular updates.

All financial activities are carried out in the HIA head office in
Budapest (collection of quotations, placing orders, transferring funds,
etc.). Financial control for ACT Appeal funds is also the responsibility
of HIA head office. Final financial report is to be audited by
KPMG/International Audit Company.

Project monitoring is carried out by HIA head office through weekly
monitoring trips made by the Project Co-ordinator from Budapest to
Nyiregyhaza and other project locations.



IMPLEMENTATION TIMETABLE

Project activities in the framework of current ACT Appeal are planned for
6 months, in two phases:

First phase: March - April, 2001 (about one month)
Second phase: May - September, 2001 (about 5 months)



COORDINATION

While implementing the above program Hungarian Interchurch Aid will
co-ordinate its activities with the following organizations:

  local municipalities 
  local church congregations
  church districts and church leaders of HIA's member churches
  the Governmental Rehabilitation Committee
  The National Rescue Organisation
  Authorities involved in relief operations in local and national level
  Civil Protection Guard
  Member-NGOs of  the "Charitable Council" (established by the Hungarian
    Government in 2000: with the four largest NGOs in Hungary: Hungarian
    Caritas, Hungarian Red Cross, Hungarian Maltese Aid and HIA)



Relief Items Distributed by HIA Between 07.03.2001 And 12.03.2001 in The
Flood Affected Areas

Village
Evacuated people
Relief items
HUF

Gyulahaza
260
food, hygiene items
     707, 830,00    

Nyirmada
1200
Food
     880, 720,00    

Pusztadobos
50
Food
     502, 400,00    

Rohod
250
food, hygiene items
     707, 830,00    

Csaroda
200
Food
     167, 500,00    

Jand
300
Food
     252, 400,00    

Gulacs
500
Food
     424, 500,00    

Gemzse
240
Hygiene items
     168, 477,00    

Nyirlov@
153
Hygiene items
     283, 086,00    

Nyirmada
435
Hygiene items
     305, 023,00    

Rohod
232
Hygiene items
     174, 428,00    

Gemzse
240
Food
     178, 156,00    

Baktaloranthaza
350
food, hygiene items
     323, 850,00    




Total:
4,410

  5, 076, 200,00    









USD 18,129

	

BUDGET

INCOME	US$	
				
INCOME - through ACT Alliance				
	Hungarian Interchurch Aid	80,000
					
INCOME- Cash and In kind Donations				
	Hungarian Interchurch Aid 	60,000
TOTAL INCOME	140,000
					
ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE					
	
Description	Type	No.	Cost of	Budget
		Unit	Units	Unit	USD
DIRECT ASSISTANCE					
	Crisis Phase Assistance				
	Nutritional Feeding	person	5,000	3	15,000
	Health and Medical Inputs	person	5,000	3	15,000
	Psycho Social Inputs	month	2	1,000	2,000
					
	Post Crisis Assistance				
	Food distribution	parcel	1,500	35	52,500
	Hygiene Parcels	parcel	1,500	18	27,000
	Agricultural support	kits	1,500	3	4,605
	Livestock		500	250	125,000
	In kind Assistance				
	clothing	lump sum			50,000
	food	lump sum			10,000
					
	Total Direct assistance				301,105
Description	Type	No.	Cost of	Budget
		Unit	Units	Unit	USD
				
MATERIAL TRANSPORT, STORAGE, WAREHOUSING, HANDLING			
	Material Transport				
	Internal Transport Costs	month	6	3,000	18,000
	Storage, Warehousing, Handling				
	Warehouse rental and other costs	month	6	1,000	6,000
	Total Transport, Storage, Handling			24,000
					
PERSONNEL,ADMINISTRATION, OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT			
	Staff Salaries and Support				
	Project Staff Salaries				
	Project director	month	6	1,000	6,000
	Field officer	month	6	870	5,220
	Logistics	month	6	600	3,600
	Financial control/book keeping	month	6	800C	4,800
	Program assistant	month	6	250	1,500
	Transport monitors (part time) (2)	month	6	400	2,400
	Staff Travel				
	Local and Regional Travel	month	6	1,000	6,000
	Office Operation				
	Office Rental	month	6	400	2,400
	Office Stationary, Supplies	month	6	200	1,200
	Bankcosts				2,000
	Communications				
	Telephone, Fax, Electronic mail	month	6	500	3,000
	Total Personnel etc				38,120
					
	Audit and Evaluation				
	Audit of ACT Appeal funds				2,000
					
TOTAL ESTIMATED  EXPENDITURES			365,225
					
BALANCE REQUESTED FROM ACT NETWORK 			225,225




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Action by Churches Together (ACT) is a worldwide alliance of churches and
their related agencies, meeting human need through co-ordinated emergency
response.  The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of 
Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
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   P.O. Box 2100                             E-Mail: act@wcc-coe.org
   1211 Geneva 2                              Telex: 415 730 OIK CH
   Switzerland                                 http://www.act-intl.org


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