Action by Churches Together (ACT)
Appeal - Northern Caucasus
Rehabilitation to Flood Affected - EURU22
Appeal Target: US$ 757,001
Geneva,  12 November 2002


The devastating floods which swept away housing and infrastructure of nine
republics/regions of Northern Caucasus left behind a death toll of 176.
Over 300,000 people have been affected by the floods in different ways.
Since the most damage was done to housing some 110,000 people were
initially evacuated.  However, about 12,000 still remain in temporary
shelter, not suitable for habitation, including public buildings and tent
camps.

The flood hit 361 settlements, totally destroying 2,600 houses and
inflicting serious damage to another 78,000 homes.

In the first days of the emergency in the Northern Caucasus, ACT member,
Russian Orthodox Church-Department of External Church Relations (ROC-DECR)
launched a series of life-saving actions to help the local population cope
with the disaster.  Throughout the program implementation they have
identified extensive needs for reconstruction and rehabilitation that
become urgent as they face the coming winter.

In this appeal, the ROC-DECR seeks financial support to pursue the
following rehabilitation activities:

  - distribution of reconstruction kits
  - distribution of household kits
  - distribution of agriculture kits
  - small sewing workshops


Project Completion Date:  15 May 2003

Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance
Requested
                                           US$
Total Appeal Target(s)                   757,001
Less: Pledges/Contr. Recd.                     0
Balance Requested from ACT Network       757,001


Ms. Genevieve Jacques		John Nduna 		Robert Granke
Director			Acting Director, ACT	Director
WCC/Cluster on Relations				LWF/World Service




REQUESTING ACT MEMBER

Russian Orthodox Church - Department of External Church Relations
(ROC-DECR)



IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER & PARTNER INFORMATION

For the last 12 years ACT member, 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.


Over the past years ROC has implemented different ACT emergency programs
both nationally and internationally:

- flood relief projects in Moldova, Tajikistan and different parts of
  Russia,
- support programs for IDPs in Chechnya and North Caucasus (Daghestan,
  Ingushetia, North Ossetia, Stavropol region),
- emergency food assistance program for needy children in different parts
  of Russia,
- emergency aid program for IDPs in Serbia,
- emergency relief program for the Afghan refugees on the Tajik-Afghan
  border.



Since July 2002, ROC-DECR has been engaged in implementing the EURU-21
program for emergency aid to the most needy victims of the floods in six
republics in the North Caucasus.  The proposed rehabilitation program
corresponds to EURU-21 and has been developed as a response to the
dramatic situation in the region. The following has been used in
developing it:

information on the present situation, the aid received and prospects for
the victims in various North Caucasus regions, which has been collected by
the ROC-DECR staff in implementing EURU-21;

information provided to ROC-DECR by victims, ROC parishes, the EMERCOM and
local authorities in various North Caucasus areas hit by the floods;

information obtained from international NGO's active in this region and
Russian mass media.


In implementing the proposed project, use will be made of trained ROC-DECR
emergency staff, volunteers and infrastructure in the North Caucasus, as
well as ROC's local diocesan and parish infrastructures.

This project will be implemented by the Russia Round Table/Department for
External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate on behalf of the ROC.




DESCRIPTION OF EMERGENCY SITUATION

In the course of flood in July-August 2002 nine republics and regions of
North Caucasus suffered severe damages:

- Krasnodar Kray (Region),
- Stavropol Kray (Region),
- Republic of Karachaevo-Cherkessia,
- Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria,
- Republic of North Ossetia,
- Republic of Adygea,
- Republic of Ingushetia,
- Chechen Republic,
- Republic of Daghestan.


The number of victims of the floods in Northern Caucasus, the worst for
the last 150 years, is more then 370,000. According to the latest reports,
176 people died; over 110,000 people have been evacuated and about 12,000
still remain in temporary shelter, not suitable for habitation, including
public buildings and tent camps.

The flood hit 361 settlements, about 12,600 houses were destroyed and
78,000 damaged.  According to Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, the total
damage amounts to 16 billion rubles - 508 million US dollars - these
figures do not include later floods in the Krasnodar region and
mud-torrents in North Ossetia.

In some areas, the final estimation of the damage inflicted by the floods
has not yet been made. Therefore, there are no final statistics on the
consequences of the floods, including social ones.

It should be noted that the most tragic consequences of the floods are as
follows:

loss or partial damage of houses;
loss/damage of household property;
loss of provisions and reserves;

loss of crops - agriculture is the main source of income in traditionally
agricultural regions in southern Russia.

Furthermore, no more than 10% of the destroyed and damaged houses and
property were insured.


Reconstruction work and aid to victims

The authorities announced the beginning of rescue work immediately after
the flood.

Priority was given for the restoration of industrial and public services
infrastructures, such as roads, electric lines and water supply systems
(which have been almost restored now), rather than to emergency aid to
individuals.  In some areas, schools, hospitals, homes for the elderly and
other social institutions have not yet received the necessary assistance
for their reconstruction.



Restoration of houses

Considering the low living standards in this region, the Russian
government has promised to assist victims in restoring their houses and
households.  However, during the last month and a half, the government's
plans for the aid, its criteria, amount and other parameters, have changed
at least twice.



Restoring completely destroyed houses

The main concern of the victims is to restore their destroyed houses. The
Russian government has promised assistance to those who have lost their
houses, offering, with certain reservations and limitations, one of the
following three options:

building a new house at a different place in the same locality;

building a new house at the old place or nearby on the same plot of land
belonging to an affected family;

buying a house on the second market in the same republic/region.



In practice, the necessary financing of these intentions has not been
provided yet. The quality and location of houses built in new places do
not suit people in most cases as they are often built on soil unfit for
cultivation, thus depriving victims of the opportunity to start a
vegetable garden - often the only source of income. At present, only some
10% of the construction pledged has been completed. The construction of
houses in the original places has not been finished because of the lack of
funds. The secondary market is not large enough to meet the demand that
has arisen after the floods.

Besides, there is further confusion concerning the land on which new
houses are to be built. According to the law, the land for a new house
cannot be given to a family that still own their old plot.  But, for many,
to give up their old land, cultivated by many generations, and move to
unarable land means to lose the bread-winning vegetable garden.



Restoration of partly destroyed houses

The government has promised up to 30,000 rubles (US$ 955) for construction
materials and other building costs to those whose houses have been at
least 40% destroyed.  The reconstruction is to be monitored by the local
authorities. In most cases however, this sum is insufficient for repairing
the house and preparing it for winter.  Even this small assistance has not
reached every affected area in North Caucasus for the lack of funds
allocated by the state.

Thus, those who have lost their houses completely or partially continue to
shelter at their relatives' or neighbours' homes, in half-destroyed damp
houses, tents and temporary shelter in schools and hospitals. They fear
they will not receive the assistance pledged by the state before the
winter comes.


Restoration of damaged households

The government has promised a one-time compensation of 50,000 rubles (US$
1,600) per family for lost property and 20,000 rubles (