Action by Churches Together (ACT)
Appeal - Russia/Siberia
Emergency Flood Relief - EURU11
Appeal Target: US$50,000
Geneva, 20 June 2001


Further to our recent updates on floods in central parts of Russia, we
draw your attention to Siberia, the area seen to be the most affected by
this year's spring flooding. The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is of
particular concern where over 40,000 people have been evacuated from towns
and villages.

Due to the magnitude of the disaster, the Government of the Russian
Federation has been able to respond only to a minimum of the needs
emerging out of this new crisis.  They have strongly urged the
international community to help in providing assistance to those most
severely affected by the floods, many of whom have been forced to flee
their devastated homes.

ACT member, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is already making
significant efforts to alleviate the suffering of Russians who faced
floods in the central parts of the country earlier this spring.  They are
seeking additional funding in order to assist the severely affected
population of Lensk, East Siberia, by delivering the following
humanitarian aid:

Food parcels 
Non-food items (clothes, blankets, stoves)

Project Completion Date:  31 July 2001


Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance
Requested
                                         US$
Total Appeal Target(s)                50,000
Less: Pledges/Contr. Recd.                 0
Balance Requested from ACT Network    50,000



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



REQUESTING ACT MEMBER INFORMATION

Russian Orthodox Church (ROC)


IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER INFORMATION

For the last 12 years the Russian Orthodox Church has participated in
various international diaconal, social and emergency projects in Russia,
as well as in other countries * Tajikistan, Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine,
Estonia, Ethiopia and Serbia. The social service of the Church is carried
out in every parish * assistance for the needy in various forms, education
of children and care for elderly are an integral part of the Church's
mission.

In the last years the Russian Orthodox Church has also gained experience
implementing ACT emergency programs. From 1995 such programs have been
implemented in Chechnya and North Caucasus (Daghestan, Ingushetia, North
Osetia, Stavropol region), in 1999 the Russia Winter Assistance Program
for needy children was carried out and in 2000 * emergency aid for IDPs in
Serbia.  ROC also implemented the RRF flood projects in Moldova (1994
-1995) and in Tajikistan (1998). In June 2001 ROC will finalise the
implementation of the RRF project on assistance to the floods victims in
the region of Nishniy Novgorod.

The aid program proposed in this appeal targets the flood victims in East
Siberia/Russia and will be implemented by ROC through parishes in the
Diocese of Yakutsk and Lensk, which are already active in assisting the
affected people.

The Russia Round Table/Department for External Church Relations of the
Moscow Patriarchate on behalf of the ROC will participate in the following
project.
 


DESCRIPTION OF THE EMERGENCY SITUATION

The hard, snowy Russian winter and long spring of 2001 resulted in severe
flooding in many regions, with thousands of people struggling to save
their lives and property from the spring floods. According to the Russian
EMERCOM the spring floods of 2001 are the heaviest for over a decade.

Local authorities and Russian EMERCOM have taken emergency measures in an
attempt to minimize the damage - 150,000 pieces of machinery for banking
soil and transportation of people were organised, 600 explosives and
air-bombs were used to break ice on the rivers to prevent ice dams.
However, in some regions the governmental measures proved insufficient and
thousands of people found themselves overwhelmed by the floods, losing
crops and property.  Such a tragedy were the floods in the Republic of
akha-Yakutya (Yakutya) in East Siberia in May 2001 which experienced some
of the worst flooding in decades.

Mid-May the town of Khandyga with a population of around 7,000 was the
first to be flooded. A mass of water and ice washed away most of the
houses and other buildings including the Orthodox Church of Saints Peter
and Paul.

The next casualty was the town of Lensk, which was completely inundated
with 3,331 houses being totally destroyed.  The total population of this
region is 31,000 of which 20,000 persons had to be evacuated. 26 schools,
kindergartens and hospitals were severely damaged and electric and
telephone lines were destroyed.  The neighboring villages of Batamay,
Saldykel, Nyuya, Natora, Turukta were also flooded.

The suburbs of the Yakut capital Yakutsk - Dyrkylakh and Zeleny Lug * were
flooded severely affecting 1,000 houses and forcing the evacuation of
5,000 people.  Other parts of the city were saved from flooding by the
urgent action of strengthening and building up a dam as well as the air
force bombing the ice on the river Lena.  However, in spite of this over
80 villages and towns were flooded affecting 45,700 Yakutians and 7
persons died.  Over 11,000 houses were flooded, 6 thousand of them totally
destroyed.  963 industrial and social buildings, roads, bridges and dams
severely damaged.  Telephone and electric lines were broken/disrupted,
thousands of hectares of agricultural land under water and many head of
cattle drowned.  Damage is estimated at over 7 billion Rubles * around
USD241 million.

46,000 Yakutians have lost their homes and possessions with many people
still living on the roofs of their flooded houses as they have nowhere to
escape to. Those evacuated by EMERCOM boats and helicopters have temporary
shelter but are in need of potable water, food and warm clothes.

The local authorities do not have enough resources to assist people even
with the most basic necessities.  In some places Russian EMERCOM have
distributed tents, drinking water and bread in limited quantities, however
most of the affected have not received any assistance. The Russian
President announced during his visit to Yakutya, that the flood victims
will get assistance in the reconstruction of their houses.

Meanwhile, the affected are in dire need of emergency assistance: food,
potable water, warm clothes, blankets and heating.

45 ROC parishes in Yakutya are utilizing their limited resources and
distributing clothes and food to the people. These parishes will
participate in the implementation of this proposal.



GOAL & OBJECTIVES

Goal: 

To alleviate the suffering and offer some hope to the victims of flood by
providing emergency distribution of food and non-food items; development
of capacity for emergency assistance of local parishes dealing with flood.


Objectives:

to alleviate the need for food, warm cloths, blankets and heating among
victims of the flood,

to create a network of the local diaconical and emergency initiatives of
parishes,

to develop the local capacity for emergency assistance,



TARGETED BENEFICIARIES

The targeted beneficiaries include 3,000 persons - 525 families with two
or more children severely affected by floods and representing the most
vulnerable social groups in Lensk region.  These people have low incomes
(under 0,5 USD/day) and suffer from hunger and cold weather. Their
property has been severely damaged or destroyed and, as they do not have
relatives or finances to leave the flooded area, they remain in their
damaged/destroyed property.

Beneficiaries will be reached by implementation of the following project
activities:

#
Project Activity 
Number of beneficiaries
Description of beneficiaries

1
Distribution of Food Parcels
3,000
3,000 persons/525 families in Lensk region 

2
Distribution of Non-Food Parcels
jackets, gum boots, blankets, heating stoves) 
3,000
3,000 persons/525 families in Lensk region



PROPOSED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

Food kits to be distributed among victims of flood

Implementation period:  June 2001 (or upon arrival of funds)

Beneficiaries: 3.000 persons/525 families in Lensk region

Supplies: The first stage will involve a market analysis to reveal the
lowest prices for quality foodstuff. Purchases will be made locally or in
the neighboring Russian regions. The supplier will be fully liable for
quantity and quality of products.

The content of the kits has been compiled upon request of ROC's local
parishes

Items to be purchased and distributed as an individual parcel are:


Drinking water
5 l.

Bread
3 kg.

Sugar
2 kg

Macaroni
3 kg.

Rice
3 kg.

Biscuits
2 kg.

Caned milk
2 p.

Tea
2 p.



Distribution and accounting: ROC will distribute kits in places agreed
with the local authorities and Russian EMERCOM. Beneficiaries will sign
special relief reception forms developed by ROC.


Non-food items to be distributed among victims of flood

Implementation period: June 2001 (upon arrival of funds)

Beneficiaries: 3,000 persons/525 families in Lensk region

Supplies: The first stage will involve a market analysis to reveal the
lowest prices for quality goods. Prices will be lower then market prices.
Purchases will be made locally or in the neighboring regions in Russia.The
supplier will be fully liable for quantity and quality of goods

The content has been compiled upon request of ROC's local parishes
Items to be purchased and distributed per person are:
   blanket
   jacket
   gum boots
   heating stove


Distribution and accounting: ROC will distribute goods in places agreed
with the local authorities and Russian EMERCOM. Beneficiaries will sign
special relief reception forms developed by ROC



ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, MONITORING & REPORTING

ROC will be responsible for finances and reporting towards ACT.

An expert from Russia Round Table will direct the Project and Russia Round
Table will carry out monitoring of the project implementation.


IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

July 2001 (or one month depending on receipt of funds)



COORDINATION

During the implementation ROC will co-operate closely with the local
authorities, Russian EMERCOM and local NGOs to avoid any duplication.


BUDGET

ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE 				

Description	Type of	No of	Unit Cost	Budget
	Unit	Units	US$	US$
FOOD AND NON-FOOD INPUTS 				
Food Items 				
Food parcels (potable water, bread, 
sugar, macaroni, rice, biscuits, milk	 Parcel 	                525 	                     20 	10,500
canned milk, and tea) 				
Non-Food Items 				
Non-food parcels (blankets, jackets, 
rubber boots non-electrical heaters)	 Parcel 	                525 	                     60 	31,500
Total Food and Non-Food Inputs 				42,000
				
MATERIAL TRANSPORT, STORAGE, WAREHOUSING AND HANDLING 		
Transportation				
Transp by ship along Lena river from Yakutsk	 Lumpsum 		1,900	1,900
Transp by truck, wreckers & boats 	 Lumpsum 		2,000 	2,000 
Total Transportation 				3,900
				
				
Description	Type of	No of	Unit Cost	Budget
	Unit	Units	US$	US$

PERSONNEL, ADMINISTRATION, OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT 		
 Staff Salaries: 				
 Project director 	 Month 	1 	300 	300 
 Logisticians (2 persons) 	 Month 	1 	250 	500 
 Transport monitors (2 persons) 	 Month 	1 	150 	300 
 Staff Allowances: 				
 Staff housing (including hotel accommodation) 	 Month 	1 	400 	400 
 Staff Travel: 				
 Flight Moscow/Yakutsk/Moscow 	 Flight 	1 	350 	350 
 Local travel 	 Lumpsum 		250 	250 
 Office Operations: 				
 Stationery and supplies 	 Lumpsum 		100 	100 
 Communications 	 Lumpsum 		300 	300 
 Total Personnel, Admin. Ops & Support				2,500
				
OTHER EXPENSES 				
 Bank charges 	 Lumpsum 		1,600 	1,600 
				
TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE 				50,000



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