Colombia - ACT: 23-Oct-03

Action by Churches Together (ACT) Appeal - Colombia Relief for the Internally Displaced - LACO-31 Appeal Target: US$ 745,135 Geneva, 23 October 2003

The violence in Colombia continues in a crisis that tends to be generalised throughout the country. The crisis has worsened under the current government's policy of "democratic security," which focuses on strengthening of the military in an attempt to end internal fighting. As a consequence of the above, an intensification of military action by the illegal armed groups has been observed. This is particularly noticeable in the cities, where the civil population is increasingly affected by urban violence and caught in the crossfire. They are also subject to threats and displacement. The armed conflict is continually forcibly involving the civil population to such an extent that analysts point out that this is not a war between the armed actors, but rather against the non-combatant civil population. The military confrontation increasingly uses the civil population as "human shield" resulting in a considerable increase in the number of civilian victims. Under these circumstances civilians find themselves repeatedly displaced from one area to another in an attempt to save their lives, invariably finding themselves in adverse and undignified conditions. The current government policy is to promote the return of 30,000 internally displaced peasants families. However, those who do not agree to return will cease to receive assistance from the Social Solidarity Network. This has been seriously questioned by national and international NGOs as they are concerned that the return of these peasants will not be carried out taking into consideration the minimum conditions of dignity and security defined by international humanitarian law. ACT members in Colombia Diakonie Emergency Aid (DEA), the Evangelical Lutheran Church - IELCO/Lutheran World Federation-DWS and ACT Netherlands/Project Counselling Service (PCS) have joined together to respond to the situation. They are proposing to respond through the following components: Food security Health assistance Psychosocial assistance ACT is a worldwide network of churches and related agencies meeting human need through coordinated emergency response. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland. Agriculture Risk management and advocacy Project Completion Date: 30 November, 2004 Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance Requested DEA IELCO PCS Total Target US$ Appeal Targets 341,181 322,254 81,700 745,135 Less: Pledges/Contr Recd 0 0 0 0 Balance Requested from ACT Alliance 341,181 322,254 81,700 745,135 DEA 341,181 IELCO 322,254 PCS 81,700 Total 745,135 John Nduna Acting Director ACT Co-ordinating Office BACKGROUND DESCRIPTION The violence in Colombia continues in a crisis that tends to be generalised throughout the country. The crisis has worsened under the current government policy of “democratic security”, which focuses on strengthening of the military in an attempt to end internal fighting. This has brought a significant cutback in social spending. Furthermore, the armed conflict has become part and parcel of life for the population who are trying desperately to remain outside the conflict. As a consequence of the above, an intensification of military action by the by the illegal armed groups has been observed. This is particularly noticeable in the cities, where the civilians are increasingly affected by urban violence and, as well as being caught in the crossfire is subject to threats and displacement. The armed conflict is continually forcibly involving the civil population to such an extent that analysts point out that this is not a war between the armed groups, but rather against the non-combatant civil population. The military confrontation increasingly uses civilians as “human shields” resulting in a considerable increase in the number of civilian victims. Under these circumstances civilians find themselves repeatedly displaced from one area to another in an attempt to save their lives, invariably finding themselves in economically adverse and undignified conditions. The current government policy is to promote the return of 30 thousand internally displaced peasants families. Those who do not agree to return will cease to receive assistance from the Social Solidarity Network. However, national and international NGO’s have questioned compliance with international humanitarian norms as the current situation does not ensure that the return of these peasants is carried out with at least minimum conditions of dignity and security. Current Situation The internal armed conflict in Colombia is producing destruction of property, livelihood, lives and social and organisational structures. This places communities in a continual crisis affecting their ability to deal with the problems and consequently affecting their mental health. According to the Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement (CODHES), in the first five months of 2003 at least 869 municipalities (out of a total of 1,115) have a displaced population, whilst 2002 was the worst year for forced displacement since 1985 (the year in when statistics begun). This year’s analysis shows a sharp increase that indicates an average of 1,144 people displaced every day. Around 82,511 households were forced to flee their home areas leaving everything behind. Human rights violations are the main cause of forced displacement in Colombia. Impact On Human Lives The Colombian state and non-governmental organisations agree that close to three million people have been displaced during the last decade. They also agree that the whole country is affected as such with the majority of municipalities either receiving or expelling zones, or both. Women and children are the worst affected as the conflict increases their exclusion and discrimination and sexual and intra-family violence. The state does not have integrated policies to assist women affected by displacement. The state authority responsible for dealing with displacement, the Social Solidarity Network (RSS), recognises that out of the total number of registered displaced persons (there is under registration of close to 30%), 50% are female, of which 40% are less than 18 years old. In turn, 54% of the registered households are headed by a woman with the heavy burden of being responsible for an average of five children per family. The majority of the displaced population arriving in the municipal centres take over land that quickly turns into a slum without public services or basic sanitation, lacking food, potable water, medical and psychological services etc. This situation destroys the social network and dignity, and is aggravated by the constant fear of new displacements, new persecutions and the prejudice of the recipient communities. Such a situation makes it difficult to obtain reliable statistics, until work is well under way and the confidence of the community is gained. Disaster and Emergency Statistics According to FAO (United Nations Agency for Food and Agriculture) figures, approximately 11 million Colombians (out of an approximate total of 40 million) are living in conditions of extreme poverty and more than 25 thousand children suffer from malnutrition. At the same time 15 out of every 100 children under the age of five suffer from serious difficulties in their development. According to the FAO, Colombia is one of the countries in the most precarious situation in Latin America. DANE (National Statistics Department) reported that the population living in poverty rose to 60% this year, whilst indigency is above 28%. Although unemployment figures are apparently in decline, the rate of under employment is extremely worrying, running to 33.9% in 2003. This means that one in every four Colombians is unable to buy the basic food basket. In turn, studies by the UNHCR and the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman indicate that displaced people are seriously affected in nutritional terms. According to a study of 80 Colombian NGOs 4,351 people were victims of human rights violations in the period from July 2002 to June 2003. These violations included threats, forced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, extra-judicial executions and torture, amongst other crimes. These figures, compared to the previous period, show an increase of 1,101 violations, which indicates that the strategies of war and repression have been directed towards the civil population. Churches and social organisations must lobby for the distinction between combatants and non-combatants, which will allow the rights of the civilian population to be respected. They also need to press for enforcing of the legal rights and assistance for displaced people. Figures of displaced population per departments and cities from January to September 2002. MUNICIPALITIES No. of People DEPARTMENT No. of People BOGOTA D.C. 17500 CESAR 20294 MEDELLIN 10677 BOGOTA D.C. 17500 SANTA MARTA 8000 ANTIOQUIA 15561 CZCUTA 6989 CORDOBA 10063 IBAGUI 6000 CAUCA 8472 AGUSTÍN CODAZI 4950 MAGDALENA 8266 MONTERIA 4563 NORTE DE SANTANDER 7921 POPAYÁN 4930 TOLIMA 6418 VALLEDUPAR 4456 META 5039 FLORENCIA 4095 NARIQO 5025 NEIVA 2985 CAQUETA 4779 PASTO 2982 ATLANTICO 4702 BARRANQUILLA 2565 HUILA 4326 MAPIRIPAN 2500 SANTANDER 3836 SINCELEJO 2450 BOLIVAR 3604 BUCARAMANGA 1987 CUNDINAMARCA 3323 VALENCIA 2000 SUCRE 3278 VILLAVICENCIO 1926 PUTUMAYO 2836 CARTAGENA 1788 LA GUAJIRA 2475 SAN DIEGO 1796 VALLE DEL CAUCA 2097 SUBTOTAL 95139 QUINDMO 1704 CHOCO 1617 CALDAS 1541 RISARALDA 1125 BOYACA 1101 ARAUCA 940 CASANARE 776 GUAVIARE 587 VICHADA 141 AMAZONAS 25 ARCHIPELAGO OF SAN ANDRES & P 15 TOTAL NATIONAL ESTIMATE 149387 Source: Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement (CODHES) ACT CO-ORDINATION IN COLOMBIA ACT members Diakonie Emergency Aid (DEA), the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO)/Lutheran World Federation and ACT Netherlands/Project Counselling Service (PCS), as members of the ACT Network in Colombia, have joined together in order to formulate and execute the present proposal. I. REQUESTING ACT MEMBER Diakonie - Emergency Aid (DEA) II. IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER & PARTNER INFORMATION Diakonie of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD)” is the central institution for social services. Within this structure the Diakonie – Emergency Aid (DEA) department works in close collaboration with “Bread for the World”. DEA is committed to assisting people in need and in emergency situations and it is governed strictly by the basic principles of humanitarian aid contained in the Code of Conduct of the International Red Cross and NGOs working in the field of emergency aid. DEA is also a founding member of ACT. Since 2001 DEA has a Regional Office located in Bogotá, and has been carrying out emergency, rehabilitation and disaster prevention projects in several countries of Central America namely Venezuela, Cuba, Haití and Colombia. Activities are carried out through local organisations or directly by DEA professional teams. In Colombia activities are being concentrated on support to the displaced population in the southern department of Caquetá. The DEA team is currently made up of 6 agricultural professionals, 7 professionals for psychosocial work and office and field support staff. Work is undertaken in the neighbourhoods of Florencia, capital of the department, where thousands of families, displaced by the violence, have arrived. The projects currently in progress are directed towards the recovery of individuals and families, the stimulation of the formation of social, local and mutual help networks, and community organisation. The work focuses on urban agriculture, which allows the families threatened by hunger to produce a part of their food requirements, with special play and cultural activities aimed towards children, young people, women and men. In rural zones in the south of Caquetá DEA co-operates with local organisations such at the Vicaría del Sur, which promotes the resistance of besieged communities in the middle of the conflict against forced displacement. In this area food production is also combined with the strengthening of community cohesion. III. DESCRIPTION of the EMERGENCY SITUATION Situation in Caquetá The department of Caquetá, located in the south east of Colombia, has been the historical setting for multiple conflicts and periods of violence relating to the control of the exploitation of native products such as precious wood and rubber. It is also the birthplace of insurgent groups and in recent years of a calamitous war for the control of the production and trade of coca. This area of the country was populated by peasants coming from different parts of the country during “colonization” which was generated by party violence in the middle of the last century, ambition for the precious products of the Amazonia region, the dream of a productive land for living and the effects of the agrarian reform. The inhabitants have lived in the shadow of violence for a long time, but never at the levels reached in recent years. This is a war for the control of the production and trade of coca, in which the civil population, in the midst of the crossfire, continues to be the victim of individual and collective assassinations, bombardments, burning of houses and crops, threats, massacres and the indiscriminate fumigation of cultivated areas. The consequences of the conflict are extremely grave, forced displacement and marginalization increase every day, the social network is weakened, the value of human life and dignity disappear, and the management of conflict situations outside the war uses the logic of war itself. The families are slowly leaving communities in the rural areas of conflict, most of them intent upon reaching the capital of the province. However, the municipal centres cannot give any protection as they are also sometimes battlefields. The displaced arrive, seeking refuge in the homes of family members or friends, swelling the poverty belt and increasing the overall vulnerability of the communities of Florencia. The State, which is part of the conflict, neither wants nor has resources to attend to these problems. The Red de Solidaridad Social , the responsible state authority, limits itself to undertaking some partial registrations that do not reflect the size of the tragedy, and to a haphazard distribution of food to the displaced people for the first three months after they have registered. International aid organisations are not well represented in Caquetá. The United Nations has only one office - the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Florencia. In addition, the Spanish NGO Medicos sin Fronteras is operating in the northern area of the department. The International Committee of the Red Cross does some protection work and distributes emergency aid via the Colombian Red Cross. The Dutch Red Cross carries out work focussing on improved housing. However, all these activities put together do not even cover the minimum basic needs of the population affected by the conflict. Although there is no formal co-ordination between the actors, there is a permanent dialogue and a distribution of tasks and zones of intervention. Meanwhile, in the rural zones many communities resist, amongst them Belén de los Andaquíes, Remolino del Caguán, San Vicente del Caguán and Cartagena del Chairá. In addition to the mortal threat of conflict, the inhabitants confront hunger, and their continued presence in the villages depends on their capacity to produce the essential food on their small plots of land. Situation in Cauca Situated in the south-west of Colombia, the department of Cauca is orientated to farming and agriculture. Its landscape is characterised by mountain ranges and rivers, and the only important urban centre is its capital, Popayán, which currently has a population of barely 230,000. The armed conflict has hit Cauca hard since the year 2000. In particular, with the arrival of thousands of paramilitaries there has been a further escalation in the war and with it the displacement of thousands of people. The majority of these are concentrated in the outlying neighbourhoods of the city of Popayán. The registers of the Red de Solidaridad show 11,000 displaced people, other estimates by the same entity give a probable number of 33,000. The displaced population generally ends up in the marginalized neighbourhoods where they mix with the homeless who have been waiting for a dignified solution to their destitute situation since the earthquake in 1985. The large majority are peasants who have no source of income in the new urban environment and when their reserves and the ad hoc help of the state dry up, they are faced with serious hunger. In the face of widespread military operations a worsening of the humanitarian situation is foreseen. At the moment the only NGOs operational in the area are Movimondo and Solidaridad Internacional as well as the IOM. These focus on food aid, small income-generating projects and psychosocial aid in rural municipalities. The Social Solidarity Network in the city of Popayan has just announced that its funds for emergency aid, which the Colombian state is theoretically obliged to give to all displaced persons for the first three months, has run out for the rest of the year. The humanitarian situation clearly exceeds the current capacity for humanitarian response. One of the most serious problems that the displaced and highly vulnerable population face is that of hunger. At the same time, the city and the surrounding areas have land that is potentially suitable for the production of food. Benefiting from the experience that DEA has in this line of work, it has been decided, after a rigorous study of the situation in several departments in the south of Colombia, to extend the work of DEA towards the city of Popayan. IV. GOAL & OBJECTIVES Goal: the overall goal is to provide emergency support to the displaced and vulnerable populations in the departments of Caquetá and Cauca. These direct and indirect victims of the armed conflict will be assisted through agricultural assistance to ensure a minimum provision of food, psychosocial assistance and strengthening of social networks. Objectives To improve the food situation of 450 families affected by the conflict in Florencia, Belén de los Andaquíes, Remolino del Caguán, San Vicente del Caguán and Cartagena del Chairá, through the setting up of vegetable gardens and small subsistence crops. To improve the food situation of 200 families in the urban zone of Popayán and neighbouring municipalities through the setting up of small plots of land for horticulture. To deliver emergency food rations to 400 families in Caquetá and Cauca as an initial support mechanism while setting up farming production. To continue to support 650 families in Florencia and Belén de los Andaquíes that have vegetable gardens through technical and community accompaniment by trained promoters and facilitators. To strengthen the construction and consolidation of social networks through psychosocial assistance to individuals, families, groups and local organisations. To start or to complement the training of 85 promoters and facilitators that will accompany the agricultural and psychosocial activities and processes. To educate groups of mothers (80), children (90), men (60) and families (80) through ludic and artistic elements directed towards the reconstruction of their life projects and peaceful communal living in conditions of human dignity. V. TARGETED BENEFICIARIES Geographical Zone Characteristics of the target population Focuses of assistance Florencia - Belén de los Andaquíes 250 displaced and host families settled in urban and sub urban zones, in a situation of food vulnerability, marginality, low levels of income and fragmentation at a social level. 80 mothers, 90 children, 60 men in similar conditions, will participate in psychosocial activities. 75 facilitators / promoters who will receive intense training in order to be able to advise and guide their community in agricultural production and psychosocial activities. - Establishment of vegetable gardens. - Delivery of food rations (according to situation). - Psychosocial support. - Strengthening of social networks. Remolino del Caguán, San Vicente del Caguán & Cartagena del Chairá. 200 peasant families settled in the rural areas who are affected by acute food crisis due to the fumigation of illegal crops and the blockade of these zones by armed elements. - Setting up of vegetable gardens and small subsistence crops. - Delivery of food rations (according to situation). - Strengthening of social networks. Florencia - Belén de los Andaquíes - 650 displaced and host families settled in urban and sub urban zones that were assisted in 2003 by the DKH team in the establishment of vegetable gardens and support to social networks - Technical accompaniment to established vegetable gardens. - Occasional psychosocial support - Strengthening of social networks and formation of community groups - Popayán and neighbouring municipalities 200 displaced and host families in conditions of high vulnerability that are experiencing an acute food crisis. 10 facilitators / promoters who will receive intensive training in order to be able to advise and guide their community in agricultural production and psychosocial activities. - Setting up of small plots of land. - Delivery of food rations (according to needs). - Psychosocial support. - Strengthening of social networks. 1,300 families will benefit from the project, equivalent to approximately 6,500 people. 230 people will also benefit from additional measures of a psychosocial nature. Criteria for the selection of beneficiaries Families or groups of vulnerable people displaced by the armed conflict along with host communities suffering under the same inhuman, siege-like living conditions inflicted on them by the armed militias. For the farming component the families need to have access to land and an availability and willingness to participate in the project. In the case of Florencia, the large majority of those interested have the minimum land necessary (patios, front gardens or plots) close to their homes. In the rural zones of Caquetá all the families have the land necessary for participating in the project. The pilot phase of the work in Popayán is considered to be an exceptional case. The management of small plots of land is being contemplated together with the local government, the University of Cauca and the Catholic Church of Popayán. These have land and have expressed interest in supporting the productive activities. Each plot of land will be divided into small plots of between 20 and 50 m2 and will be worked by families. In zones where land is not available, DEA would be able to temporarily acquire the necessary land with their own resources. Preference will be given to female headed families given their greater vulnerability and their motivation in agricultural food production. Existing grassroots organisations will participate in the definition of the detailed criteria for the selection of beneficiaries. VI. PROPOSED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE & IMPLEMENTATION The project consists of two lines of work: Food security, which is directed towards the stabilisation of the food situation, and the psychosocial assistance, which seeks the psychological recovery of families that suffered the destruction of all that they have worked for. The psychosocial activities centre on the same participating population as the agricultural activities. However, in some cases they involve wider groups from the same communities. DEA has been working in and with the communities in the department of Caquetá for several years. Over this time a good working relationship and trust has been developed which will facilitate any further projects taken up. The work will also benefit from a highly qualified professional staff. The activities in Cauca are based on this institutional experience. However, Cauca is new terrain, this has to be taken into consideration in the planning and requires greater flexibility in the execution of the plans. FOOD SECURITY All the activities for the establishment of vegetable gardens and subsistence crops encourage active participation of the beneficiaries. The project will work with new knowledge based on ecological farming practices that enable intensive production on small areas of land. It will also generate common spaces for interchange and mutual help during implementation with the basic idea of generating and / or strengthening informal social networks. Implementation Selection of beneficiaries: From the applications received to date and applying the selection criteria established in support of vulnerable communities affected by the armed conflict. Identification and selection of families and / or groups for emergency food support along with complementary rations. This activity will be carried out depending on the dynamics of the conflict and the displacement and arrival of families to the intervention areas, as well as information from the field for the selection of new beneficiaries of vegetable gardens. The food relief is the “local basket” made up according to traditional diet and the individual needs of families. Delivery of farming materials: the package will include seeds, organic fertiliser, materials for enclosure and protection. Farming production will be in close co-ordination with the beneficiaries and communities. Technical training - Installation of vegetable gardens and small subsistence crops: workshop activities will deal with the use and management of soil; the installation and protection of the vegetable gardens; management of irrigation and drainage; construction and use of nurseries; continuous sowing; preparation of organic fertiliser; integrated control of plagues and diseases; harvesting; seed production and preparation of foods with vegetables. Training promoters: required in certain zones where the permanent access of professional personnel would be risky. Furthermore, it is the local promoters who can guarantee the continuity of production and the sustainability of the proposal. Technical accompaniment for the establishment of the vegetable gardens and small subsistence crops as well as continuity of those already established. This is also a mechanism for monitoring the efficacy of implementation and community involvement. On this point the promoters play a very important role, as they will provide most of the assistance to the productive units. Farming professionals (5 in Caquetá and 3 in Cauca) will guide the installation of the small plots of land and vegetable gardens, each one being responsible for a group of families that lives in the same sector. They will organise training and will accompany the productive process through field visits. Parallel to this, they will train local promoters to gradually take on more tasks related to the monitoring and installation of the vegetable gardens. They will monitor the productive and social development of the project. The work in the municipality of Belén de los Andaquies is in the hands of two farming technicians employed by the local NGO Tierra Viva. These technicians have theoretical training though not to the standard of the other field professionals. However, they do have several years experience qualifying them for assuming the same tasks detailed above. The team of field professionals in the department of Caquetá will be complemented with a social worker, who will be responsible for organisational elements, mutual help and the strengthening of the neighbourhood and community organisation. The social worker will be responsible for the training of promoters, especially on the reactivation of the network of promoters in Remolinos. The social worker will lead educational activities directly with the beneficiaries, as well as working with the field professionals and ensuring the strengthening of relationships between and among the beneficiaries and communities. Most of the promoters have participated in previous projects and have been selected because of their interest, motivation and knowledge of the families in the different sectors. The information and the contacts that they have are also key elements for the security of the team because it permits an in-depth analysis of the conflict situation in the highly volatile areas such as Remolinos, San Vicente and Cartagena del Chairá. In these areas they will be responsible for all the training as conditions do not allow for a stable presence of professional teams. Promoters will receive training and will be visited individually every month. They will be responsible for the monitoring of the beneficiaries that already have small plots of land and vegetable gardens from previous projects. The main way of monitoring will be group or individual visits and on-site discussion on the progress and of the problems of the beneficiaries. In Florencia and Popayan the promoters will support the professional in all logistical tasks: the selection of families, the transportation and distribution of materials, the gathering of information etc. They will not work full-time but will receive remuneration for the days that they dedicate to the activities. Both of the two agricultural teams will have a local co-ordinator who will lead, co-ordinate and supervise the activities. The co-ordinator will be responsible for and purchasing materials and controlling expenditure. He/she will report directly to the DEA Co-ordinator in Bogotá, who will be responsible for the overall project. In the case of Cauca, the local co-ordinator will also assume the co-ordination of psychosocial activities, given that the volume of work and the size of the team are smaller than that in Caquetá. PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSISTANCE Diakonie will use Gestalt therapy for the psycho-emotional recuperation of the beneficiaries, such as expressive elements (painting, games, art, guided journeys and writing) and relaxation directed at helping the participant make contact with the inner child. The therapy will take place in group sessions and will be aimed at the individual expression of painful experiences. At the same time it will generate through this sharing an element of collective identity that can be used to strengthen the group ties and realise the potential of group work. Implementation Training of facilitators through two monthly training sessions, a monthly planning session and a systematic accompaniment of their field activities. The training will deal with participative teaching tools; human development; group management; planning of community processes; therapeutic group management and relaxation techniques. Raising awareness of the group of mothers with respect to their history, knowledge and role in the family, community and society. In this way standards for the upbringing of children will be modified and collective rules constructed to facilitate the resolving of conflicts. 4 groups will be formed, each one will go through 12 sessions of reflection, including a participatory talk on family life and home visits. To create space for boys and girls to take stock of their lives, their environment and their potential for the future. Four games circles will be formed and rounds, stories, dynamics, narration, listening, painting and reading will be used to strengthen their resilience and their expressive capacity. The families will participate in 200 sessions of family interchange in order to reconstruct their life and to form self-help groups. The groups of men will undertake 5 workshops in order to reflect on their “inner child”, perception of social norms relating to their masculinity, men and war and the construction of a more humane masculinity. Finally, the results will be systematised in order to measure the impact of the activities, and the experiences and lessons learnt will be summarised in a report. The psychosocial activities in the department of Cauca will begin with a diagnosis through awareness which seeks to facilitate in people a perception of their current situation, their strengths and weaknesses. The aim is that, after a series of workshops, the beneficiaries will be able to decide on future plans of action making use of the techniques mentioned above. The psychosocial diagnosis will also facilitate the identification of future psychosocial and cultural facilitators. The follow up activities will focus on the integration of the community, the processes of recovery and the strengthening of memories and cultural resistance. The 4 professionals in Caquetá will work with the different groups of beneficiaries: mothers, children and families. They will plan and accompany the processes, prepare activities and constantly evaluate the impact of the measures. They will receive occasional support from the workshop leaders contracted in Bogotá, as for example in the case of the new subject of work with masculinity. Parallel to this they will train the promoters (facilitators), who are mainly young people from the neighbourhoods and who were noted for their motivation and aptitude for working with groups. They have received training in the past and have experience with recreational and artistic materials. They have become activists in all areas of social work in their sectors and guarantee the continuity of group processes after the project has finished. They will not work every day but will be remunerated for the days that they dedicate to the activities. The psychosocial team in Caquetá has a local co-ordinator whose responsibilities include co-ordinating and supervising the activities as well as controlling expenditure and purchasing of materials. He/she will report directly to the DEA Co-ordinator in Bogotá, who will be responsible for the overall project. The psychosocial work in Cauca will begin with external workshop leaders (from Bogotá) who will undertake the first diagnosis. Subsequently, two local contracted professionals will plan and prepare activities, accompany the groups and evaluate impacts. They will identify local promoters (facilitators) and will train them to gradually assume more responsibilities. VII. ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, MONITORING & REPORTING The financial management of the project is in the hands of the Regional DEA Office in Bogotá, which has an accounts department and includes auxiliary staff in the working zones. The person directly responsible is the Latin American Co-ordinator. There will be 3 co-ordinators in the field (1 Caquetá – agricultural; 1 Caquetá – psychosocial; and 1 Cauca), whose duties will include the local acquisition of materials. The final audit (on separate project accounts for each organisation) will be carried out on a joint terms of reference and through the same auditing firm. Administration Due to the critical security situation, the activities in the municipality of Belén de los Andaquies will be carried out in co-operation with the local NGO, Tierra Viva with whom a co-operation agreement will be signed. However, the management of resources (acquisitions and payroll) will be the responsibility of DEA in Florencia. Reporting DEA applies a system of evaluation and planning to its activities at the level of the local teams. These will serve as the foundation for the respective monthly reports. Intermediate and final evaluations will also be provided. The Regional Office will be responsible for providing monthly progress reports to the main office in Germany, which will deliver quarterly reports to the Co-ordinating Office of ACT in Geneva. Reporting Schedule: 1st Interim Report - by 31 December 2003 2nd Interim Report - by 31 March 2004 3rd Interim Report - by 30 June 2004 Final Report - to be received at the ACT CO before 31 December 2004 VIII. IMPLEMENTATION TIMETABLE One year IX. CO-ORDINATION The ACT Network Colombia will set up a co-ordinating group consisting of four (4) institutions: Diakonie - Emergency Aid of the Evangelical Church of Germany (DEA) Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO) Project Counselling Service (PCS) The Lutheran World Federation, Department for World Service LWF/DWS This group will co-ordinate a training exchange on Risk Management, Psychosocial Assistance, human rights and enforcement of rights. ACT Network Colombia, printed material (pamphlets) will be distributed to make known the work undertaken by the ACT Network to other institutions, competent authorities, churches and communities. DEA will co-ordinate its activities with all the NGOs and local authorities (Solidarity Network, Colombian Institute for Family Welfare) present. In Caquetá, in particular with MSF, OIM, CICR, Vicaría del Sur, Pastoral Social and local authorities. In Cauca with Movimondo, Solidaridad Internacional, entities of the Catholic Church and local State and regional institutions. The co-ordination includes the exchange of information, agreement of criteria, participation of local networks and occasional joint action. X. BUDGET ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE Category/Description Type of No of Unit Cost Budget Budget Units units COL $ COL $ US$ DIRECT ASSISTANCE Food security Food Aid basket 400 40,000.00 16,000,000 5,654 Seeds, fertilizers and tool inputs packet 650 207,193.44 134,675,736 47,589 Agricultural training material (booklets) booklet 2600 1,200.00 3,120,000 1,102 Educational inputs (radio programs) broadcast 5 350,000.00 1,750,000 618 Workshops (logistics, refreshments) workshop 72 137,500.00 9,900,000 3,498 Caqueta - local project coordinator month 8 5,582,000.00 44,656,000 15,780 Cauca - local project coordinator month 12 5,582,000.00 66,984,000 23,669 Cauca coordinator's assistant month 12 1,510,000.00 18,120,000 6,403 Social worker month 8 2,944,500.00 23,556,000 8,324 7 agricultural experts month 7.5 20,807,800.00 156,058,500 55,144 1 agricultural junior expert month 8 2,567,000.00 20,536,000 7,257 2 agricultural technicians month 8 2,400,000.00 19,200,000 6,784 30 Promoters month 8 4,050,000.00 32,400,000 11,449 Staff life insurance Lump sum 1 4,755,408.00 4,755,408 1,680 Staff training Lump sum 1 2,000,000.00 2,000,000 707 Local staff exposure visits Visit 27 420,000.00 11,340,000 4,007 Per Diems day 88 110,000.00 9,680,000 3,420 Subtotal 574,731,644 203,085 Psycosocial Assistance Educational inputs Lump sum 1 9,839,667.00 9,839,667 3,477 Workshops (logistics, refreshments) Work shop 97 137,500.00 13,337,500 4,713 Psychosocial Coordinator month 6 2,755,750.00 16,534,500 5,843 3 Social workers month 6 8,833,500.00 53,001,000 18,728 2 Social workers month 7 5,889,000.00 41,223,000 14,566 1 Assistant social workers month 6 2,567,000.00 15,402,000 5,442 Assistant teacher (partial time) month 4 2,944,500.00 11,778,000 4,162 Facilitator workshops day 49 360,000.00 17,599,997 6,219 10 Promoters month 8 600,000.00 4,800,000 1,696 Volunteers month 5 400,000.00 1,980,000 700 Staff life insurance Lump sum 1 3,566,520.00 3,566,520 1,260 Staff training Lump sum 1 3,230,000.00 3,230,000 1,141 Local staff exposure visits Visit 20 420,000.00 8,400,000 2,968 Per Diems day 51 110,000.00 5,589,980 1,975 SUBTOTAL 206,282,164 72,891 TOTAL DIRECT ASSISTANCE 781,013,808 275,977 MATERIAL TRANSPORT Truck rental and related costs trip 140 65,000.00 9,100,000 3,216 CAPITAL EQUIPMENT Office Equipment Computers and peripherals equipment 5 3,546,750.00 17,733,750 6,266 Office Furnishings global 1 2,500,000.00 2,500,000 883 Equip (projector, camera, TV, video) equipment 4 1,178,500.00 4,714,000 1,666 Category/Description Type of No of Unit Cost Budget Budget Units units COL $ COL $ US$ Communications Equipment 0 Telephone, mobiles, fax equipment 6 250,000.00 1,500,000 530 TOTAL CAPITAL EQUIPMENT 26,447,750 9,345 PERSONNEL, ADMINISTRATION, OPERATIONS & SUPPORT Auxiliary office staff Accountant month 8 1,812,000.00 14,496,000 5,122 Administrative assistant month 8 1,510,000.00 12,080,000 4,269 Driver month 8 1,062,625.00 8,501,000 3,004 Logistics (Caquetá) month 8 962,625.00 7,701,000 2,721 Messenger and file clerk month 8 610,418.00 4,883,344 1,726 Office auxiliary (Cauca) month 8 557,945.00 4,463,560 1,577 Staff life insurance Lump sum 1 2,377,680.00 2,377,680 840 Staff training Lump sum 1 770,000.00 770,000 272 Regional staff travels 0 Assessment & co-ord visits Visit 12 420,000.00 5,040,000 1,781 Per Diems day 24 110,000.00 2,640,000 933 Office operations (Florencia and Popayán) Office rental (Cauca only) month 12 363,000.00 4,356,000 1,539 Office utilities month 12 350,000.00 4,200,000 1,484 Stationery, essential items, cleaning month 12 1,000,000.00 12,000,000 4,240 Bank charges month 12 520,000.00 6,240,000 2,205 Repairs and maintenance expenses month 12 750,000.00 9,000,000 3,180 Equipment and Office insurance month 12 1,026,667.00 12,320,004 4,353 Telephone, mobiles, fax month 12 1,450,000.00 17,400,000 6,148 Fuel month 12 1,544,333.00 18,531,996 6,548 TOTAL PERSONNEL, ADMINISTRATION, OPERATIONS 147,000,584 51,944 Audit & Evaluation Audit on ACT funds Lump sum 1,981,000 700 TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE 965,543,142 341,181 Exchange Rate: 1 US$ = 2830 The budget breakdown below reflects the area of the focus of DEA: both areas of work deal with the transfer of knowledge and accompaniment to individual and collective processes. For this reason the budget for staff expenditure is high, forming 60% of the total, and that for materials to the participants relatively low. The salaries are in line with income levels for experienced, qualified professionals working in zones of conflict in Colombia. They also include legal benefits which in Colombia represent 55% of the salary, as well as life insurance for staff. DEA is including the logistical support of the Regional Office, the rental of its local office in Florencia, the vehicles and motorcycles of the field teams and its management, supervising and administrative staff at the disposal of the project. I. REQUESTING ACT MEMBER INFORMATION Evangelical Lutheran Church in Colombia (IELCO) and the Lutheran World Federation/Department for World Service El Salvador Program (LWF/WS-ES) II. IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER & PARTNER INFORMATION The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO) was founded in 1958 and joined the LWF in 1966. IELCO's Social Development Office was established in 1982, with a mission to promote integral development projects for families and marginalised communities to assist them in becoming self-reliant. The main objective of the Development Office is to promote, advise and execute integral development projects in both rural and urban communities, in order to improve their social, economic, cultural and spiritual level as well as foster self-reliance and community commitment. IELCO has also provided emergency assistance to victims of earthquakes (1983 - 1985 - 1999) floods (1985 - 1987 - 1994 - 2000). IELCO has been working with internally displaced people since 1996. Its work is limited as funds are not always available to target all displaced, and co-operation agreements have been signed with both NGOs and other Government agencies working with the displaced to complement activities. The Department of World Service serves as an international Lutheran Agency with the responsibility to conduct, administer, support and implement relief, rehabilitation, resettlement and development programs with particular reference to refugees, emergency situations and other areas of endemic need, as well as to address the root causes of social and economic injustice. Such services are global in scope and are rendered together with or on behalf of local, national and/or international partners for the benefit of people in need irrespective of race, sex, creed, nationality or political conviction. The DWS program in El Salvador/Guatemala has comprehensive experience in emergency, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities. It has carried out emergency/rehabilitation/reconstruction programs in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras over the last three years. All activities and projects included elements of risk management, human rights and community participation to lay the foundation for sustainable development. III. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMERGENCY SITUATION Apart from the existence of IDP's in dire need of aid, the criteria for the selection of the areas to respond were: The Lutheran Church has established presence in the zone in order to provide institutional support and to complement the activities that will be undertaken as well to ensure the transition. Places where other international co-operation agencies have low presence and response. Given the impact of the armed conflict on the breakdown of the social fabric ACT, and its strategic allies operating in the zones will work towards organisational and community strengthening as a source of physical and moral resistance. Villa Hermosa Settlement in the city of Villavicencio, Department of Meta Initially, on 22 July 2002, 18 displaced families arrived from several municipalities neighbouring Villavicencio in search of safety. In their efforts to find shelter and livelihood they opted to settle on four hectares of unused land, felling trees and putting together shelters from waste materials. The land is low-lying, humid and lacks any basic services (water, energy, sewage and communications). The community lives in overcrowded conditions and its only source of water are tanks containing water that is sometimes filtered through the sewage of nearby latrines. The risk of contracting illnesses due to these unhealthy conditions is very high. At night candles are used for lighting, consequently increasing the danger of fire. The large majority still cook using wood. The possibility of work is limited - carrying sacks in a nearby rice mill and gathering leftovers in the market to use or sell. There are currently more than 300 families living in this area under inhuman conditions and constant threat of eviction. Municipality of Sogamoso, Department of Boyacá During the last four years this Municipality has received people from Casanare, Meta, Sur de Bolívar, Santander and the north of the Department of Boyacá itself. The Social Solidarity Network has 250 families registered who are dispersed and living in overcrowded conditions. These people have not dared make themselves visible by occupying unused land and setting up their own shelters. Consequently, they have not found the means for economic reinsertion and are limited to hawking what they can find and begging. The Lutheran Church has had a presence in this zone since 1954 and has a day centre for needy children. An office building is just being completed and will be available for the project. Two unsanitary areas with no basic services or infrastructure have been selected for assistance in the neighbourhoods of El Durazno and Cartagena . There is a general feeling of abandonment and defencelessness in their difficult physical conditions and a desperate need to be at least self sufficient in production of food. Neighbourhood of Las Delicias in Ibagué, Department of Tolima This neighbourhood, located in the city of Ibagué has an estimated population of 8,700 people, 90% of which is of peasant origin. The majority of the inhabitants scrape together a living either in the building or security area for men and in the market place, domestic service or dress making for women. The neighbourhood has an aqueduct but there are no treatment plants, which means that the water is not fit for human consumption. ACT Appeal LACO-21 provided funds for housing which will be completed during the current year. The Lutheran Church is also constructing a building that will be at the disposition of the project and where a school for children outside the school system and a community pharmacy will be established. Nueva Colombia Settlement, Municipality of Piedecuesta, Department of Santander This Department has been both a place for receiving displaced from other areas as well as a place of exodus of people fleeing violence that breaks out frequently. Currently both civilians and armed groups are present. There is also a high level of organised crime. According to the 2003 UNDP report [El Conflicto, Callejón con salid], which uses the database of the state Social Solidarity Network, the Department saw the exodus of a total of 8,985 people fleeing the conflict in 2002. At the same time, it was a receiver of other people coming from the interior of the same department and from neighbouring departments who have taken refuge in the municipal centres. Data from the Episcopal Conference/Codhes in 1999 locates 856 families in the municipality of Piedecuesta, where the present project will concentrate its assistance to 100 families. Nueva Colombia is on land taken by force and located on a mountain, which complicates and aggravates the basic needs of the population, such as access to education, food, health, means of income and public services. The Lutheran Church has had a presence in the region for 17 years and now has the premises necessary for continuing to provide support. Assistance was also provided through LACO-21. Sectors of Divino Niño and Ducales in the Municipality of Soacha, Department of Cundinamarca A recent census shows that Soacha has a population of 364,625. The Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman says that out of this population more than 5% are IDPs. IV. GOAL & OBJECTIVES Goal To provide humanitarian assistance to IPDs through components that develop communities, preserve dignity and prevent new displacements, in zones located in the Departments of Cundinamarca, Boyacá, Santander, Tolima and Meta. Objectives To provide nutritional assistance to 300 children from families displaced by the violence and to 60 elderly people To contribute to promoting the self reliance of 290 displaced families through the implementation of small productive projects, the raising of domestic animals and the generation of vegetable gardens To provide basic medical assistance to 700 displaced families that do not receive health care from the state To promote the psycho-social recovery of approximately 310 families who are the victims of the armed conflict To provide training for five reference groups and extension workers in the communities and the IELCO field team, in risk management and disaster prevention. To promote and disseminate information on human rights in order to empower the displaced to be assertive in their demands to the authorities. To make an impact on local state policies related to assistance to the displaced population. V. TARGETED BENEFICIARIES Benefiting Population Risk Management Psychosocial Recuperation Nutritional Recuperation Productive Capacities Community Health Santander 1 extension worker for a community of 100 families 100 families 100 children and 20 old people 30 families 100 families Soacha 1 extension worker for a community of 30 families 60 families 100 children and 40 adults 40 families -- Villavicencio 1 extension worker for a community of 40 families 40 children and 30 adults -- 100 families 200 families Ibagué 1 extension worker for a community of 200 families 47 families 100 children 60 families 200 families Sogamoso 1 extension worker for a community of 40 families 40 children and 30 adults 60 families 200 families A total of approximately 786 families will benefit or approximately 3,900 IDPs. 60% of these will be women, in particular heads of households, and consequently an important number of children will benefit that are malnourished and have stopped attending school owing to the situation of their families. Criteria Utilised in Beneficiary Selection IELCO and the DSM-LWF focus their work on the most vulnerable IDPs according to the following criteria: Communities included in the LACO21 proposal who require further assistance. Areas where the Lutheran Church is operational and where sustainability can be ensured. Populations willing to form communities to strengthen the social network Populations willing to attend information and training sessions for empowerment and assertion of rights. Displaced people living in zones of high risk and/or affected by the armed conflict Displaced populations abandoned by the state and with little or no assistance from other organisations The selection of the participating families will be undertaken with the active participation of the community. The co-ordinator, together with the promoters in the area, will verify the situation of the families proposed in accordance with the criteria laid down in the ACT code of conduct. The committees for implementation and the facilitation of community participation will be chosen jointly. VI. PROPOSED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE & IMPLEMENTATION NUTRITIONAL RECOVERY This consists of providing the children with one balanced, nutritional and hygienically prepared meal each day, during the period of studies. It will provide a service in three school canteens, located in each community. The canteens will work in co-ordination with the church and other local non-governmental organisations that will provide the site and will facilitate the operating of the canteen. Two displaced women will be contracted and trained as Food handlers. They will be responsible for the control and preparation of the food. An agreement will be reached with the ICBF to provide part of the food on the checklist drawn up by nutritionists. The community will participate in surveys, assessing the weight and height of the children. It will determine the population that to be assisted and will undertake supervision through the respective committees. Additionally, workshops will be organised for the mothers of those children receiving the meals to inform and train them on preparing healthy and balanced meals. In Villavicencio and Sogamoso nutritional recovery will be implemented through the vegetable gardens and raising of domestic animals. COMMUNITY HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT Support will be given to the construction of one health centre and one community centre. These buildings will be administered by the Community Action Council and one member of the Congregational Council of the Lutheran Church. The health services will be developed by a nurse who will be supervised by the promoter and the project co-ordinator. When the project ends, the administration of the centres will be the responsibility of the community through the Council. A co-ordination with the Municipal Health Secretariat is planned in order to ensure the provision of specialised medical services. Similar agreements will be sought with universities and laboratories present in each zone. The equipment and the medicines will be handed over to the co-ordination Committee which, together with the nurse, will supervise their correct use. In three zones, the occasional services of nurses will be contracted. These will be responsible for negotiating agreements on training in first aid, family planning and talks on preventative medicine with nursing schools and universities. They will also be responsible for vaccination and parasite campaigns. They will administer the community pharmacy and will keep a register of the clinical history of the patients. They will also hold workshops on community health, prevention and environmental sanitation PSYCHOSOCIAL RECOVERY The work will be undertaken with IDPs who have suffered uprooting from their physical and social environment. Many of them have been victims of rape or have close family members who have been raped. The project aims to assist the psychosocial recuperation of these families, giving special emphasis to the reinsertion of the children into a new social and environmental context. To do this, individual and group sessions will be held and play activities encouraged. A recreational teacher will be contracted who will undertake training activities and art with the children as well as family reintegration guidance with the parents. The professional in psychology will guide, assist and accompany the individual and family in the process. The workshops will be directed towards promoting reflection and dialogue on the past and present situation, for the emotional and social recovery of the displaced families. An exchange will take place with Church Aid of Sweden in order to enrich the methodology in psychosocial assistance. This will include visits to the area. RISK MANAGEMENT AND ADVOCACY The work will be undertaken with the most vulnerable population displaced by the violence. The work will be developed taking into account the physical conditions of the area that the IDPs now occupy and the vulnerability that they confront in terms of social, organisational, economic, technical, sanitation and environmental matters. It is planned to strengthen the social network through full community participation in the disaster preparedness activities. Training workshops will be arranged for the Risk Committee, which will arrange drills and campaigns in agreement with local emergency organisations and the national Red Cross. Legal advice will be given to the communities that need it. Training and education will be provided in the promotion, defence and enforcing of fundamental rights. These actions will be carried out by a specialised NGO “Humanidad Vigente Corporación Jurídica”. Mediation will be provided and negotiations will be promoted with the authorities and bodies responsible for ensuring the rights of the displaced population. Co-ordinating groups will be formed at a local, national and international level to bring the situation of the IDPs into the limelight. The communities of each area will determine the training needs along with the promoters. RECOVERY OF HORTICULTURE The families displaced by the violence have lost their livelihoods which generally came from subsistence crops and small economic activities. The project aims to help the IDPs recover their self reliance and regain their dignity. The income generating activities will be determined participatively. Those that have land will be encouraged to restart small subsistence crop projects and the raising of domestic animals. Initial assistance will be given, such as the necessary tools, seeds, food and materials. A seed bank will be set up as working capital in order to begin or strengthen income generating units. It will be administered jointly with the committee representing the community. As a preparatory step, technical and administrative workshops will be held in each zone in collaboration with SENA (government training agency), non-governmental organisations, universities and the Social Solidarity Network. Implementation An area promoter and a social worker will accompany each community in the execution and implementation of the different components, with the support of the Development Office of IELCO and the permanent co-ordination of LWF/DWS. Professionals with proven experience in working with IPDs will be contracted according to need. The work of the different components will not be undertaken in an isolated manner but will be complementary to other work and seeking the recovery of the social network, generation of income and dignity for the people. Transition From Emergency The experience and lessons already learnt in conjunction with the DSM-LWF and IELCO in the course of the project LACO 21, combined with the permanent and qualified work that IELCO undertakes through its Development Department, means that the current proposal will form part of a long-term plan. After the Appeal ends, it will be integrated into the IELCO development plans, a process which is obligatory given that there is no sign of a solution to the internal armed conflict. VII. ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, MONITORING & REPORTING Administration The overall administration of the present project will be the responsibility of the Department for World Service of the LWF, which will make its regional team (technical and administrative) available in order to guarantee the provision of reports, evaluations and audits. The project will be executed in co-ordination with IELCO, which will make available its management and field team in Colombia, its infrastructure and institutional recognition. Finance The project will have its own qualified accountant and a firm of auditors that will provide permanent advice. The DSM will provide prior training on the initiation of the project under the ACT mandate and in ways of providing reports, balance sheets and other documents pertinent to correct and transparent financial management. An account will be opened in Colombia solely for the management of resources. The purchase of materials costing more than USD$ 200 will be subject to obtaining three previous quotations. All the materials that are available locally will be purchased in the field. At the end of the project the goods purchased will be donated to the respective communities with the consequent administration and accompaniment of IELCO. Monitoring and reporting Monitoring and accompaniment will be undertaken directly by the professionals contracted by the DSM, in co-ordination with the Director of the Development Department of IELCO and with the permanent support of the two organisations. Monitoring visits by the DSM and IELCO co-ordinators will take place every month to the 5 regions. Co-ordination meetings of the promoters from each region will be held monthly. Due to security reasons staff will have to use air craft for long distances. The amount included in the budget for monitoring includes the fares and per diem of the two co-ordinators and the promoters. Quarterly reports will be provided; two participatory evaluations (intermediate and final) will take place and a final audit will be contracted. This audit will initially be carried out on each member organisation and then will form part of a joint audit report for the three organisations. VIII. IMPLEMENTATION TIMETABLE One year IX. CO-ORDINATION The ACT Network Colombia will set up a co-ordinating group consisting of four (4) institutions: Diakonie - Emergency Aid of the Evangelical Church of Germany IELCO - Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia PCS - Project Counselling Service Department for World Service of the Lutheran World Foundation This co-ordinating group will include an interchange of training, especially in the components on Risk Management, Psychosocial Assistance, human rights and enforcement of rights. An intermediate and final evaluation will also be shared on the progress of each of the components. The final audit of the Appeal will be carried out on joint terms of reference and through the same auditing firm and, based on separate project accounts for each organization, a joint final audit report will be presented. ACT Network Colombia, printed material (pamphlets) will be distribute widely to other organisations, the authorities, churches and communities for visibility purposes. In addition to a close co-ordination between the ACT Network Colombia there will be an internal co-ordination between the five zones, in such a way that all are jointly responsible for the overall project. This will be achieved via monthly co-ordinating meetings. The third level of co-ordination will be external and will be formed with local and national organisations such as various NGOs in development, human rights, psychosocial assistance, disaster assistance, etc; the National Red Cross; religious denominations; state entities such as the Social Solidarity Network, the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare, the respective mayor's offices and the administrative bodies responsible for the welfare of the Colombian population, especially the population displaced by the internal armed conflict. The fourth level of co-ordination will be according to the zone with international organisations such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the FAO and the Office of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCR). A specific budget line has been included to cover the travel expenses to such co-ordination meetings. X. BUDGET ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE Description Type of No of Unit Cost Budget Budget Unit Units COL$ COL$ US$ DIRECT ASSISTANCE Nutritional recovery Allowance 6 community women (cooks) Month 12 1,200,000 14,400,000 5,088 Food Month 12 6,975,200 83,702,400 29,577 Nutritional workshops Workshop 6 566,667 3,400,002 1,201 Training community women (as cooks) Women 6 100,000 600,000 212 Allowance Office-based promoter (based on % of regular salary) Month 12 500,000 6,000,000 2,120 Community Promoter salary + social benefits & statutory payments Month 12 750,000 9,000,000 3,180 Legal Emoluments at end of contract Number 2 1,200,000 2,400,000 848 Food transportation Month 12 291,667 3,500,004 1,237 Subtotal 123,002,406 43,464 Community Health and Environment Equip pharmacy, doctor & dental surgery Lumpsum 9,772,000 3,453 Medicines pharmacy & dental surgery Lumpsum 27,200,000 9,611 Environmental health campaigns 5 560,000 2,800,000 989 Health Workshops 60 237,000 14,200,000 5,018 Support for medical treatment Family 100 53,800 5,380,000 1,901 Allowance 3 nurses Month 12 1,500,000 18,000,000 6,360 Allowance Office-based promoter (based on % of regular salary) Month 12 500,000 6,000,000 2,120 Community Promoter salary + social benefits & statutory payments Month 12 750,000 9,000,000 3,180 Description Type of No of Unit Cost Budget Budget Unit Units COL$ COL$ US$ Legal Emoluments at end of contract Number 2 1,200,000 2,400,000 848 Ambulance services Month 12 355,000 4,260,000 1,505 Subtotal 99,012,000 34,987 Psychosocial Recovery Workshops and sessions with children Workshop 54 140,000 7,560,000 2,671 Workshops and sessions with adults Workshop 39 320,000 12,480,000 4,410 Materials & equipment for workshops Lumpsum 11,610,000 4,102 Equipment for therapy room Lumpsum 2,650,000 936 Audiovisual & communication equip Lumpsum 3,100,000 1,095 8 Psychologists Month 12 4,660,000 55,920,000 19,760 Exchange workshops (Update staff) Unit 1 10,000,000 10,000,000 3,534 Allowance Office-based promoter (based on % of regular salary) Month 12 500,000 6,000,000 2,120 Community Promoter salary + social benefits & statutory payments Month 12 750,000 9,000,000 3,180 Legal Emoluments at end of contract Number 2 1,200,000 2,400,000 848 Subtotal 120,720,000 42,657 Infrastructure Construction medical units (Villavicencio, Ibague, Bucaramanga) Unit 3 10,900,000 32,700,000 11,555 Water distribution system (Villavicencio) System 1 18,000,000 18,000,000 6,360 Improvement community center Lumpsum 8,000,000 2,827 Subtotal 58,700,000 20,742 Risk management and advocacy Training w/shops community committees Workshop 10 830,000 8,300,000 2,933 First-aid kits for the communities Number 3 1,870,000 5,610,000 1,982 Materials and stationery Lumpsum 7,500,000 2,650 Training workshops and legal advice Workshop 30 1,000,000 30,000,000 10,601 Travel costs for facilitators Travel 30 477,000 14,310,000 5,057 Workshop refreshments Workshop 30 300,000 9,000,000 3,180 Participation in events Month 12 750,000 9,000,000 3,180 Allowance Church Coordinator (based on % of regular salary) Month 12 600,000 7,200,000 2,544 Legal Emoluments at end of contract Number 1 1,500,000 1,500,000 530 Subtotal 92,420,000 32,657 Recovery of Productive Capacities Small family businesses Areas 5 92,099,520 32,544 Micro-credit workshops Workshop 25 317,000 7,925,000 2,800 Materials and stationery Lumpsum 1,800,000 636 Allowance Office-based promoter (based on % of regular salary) Month 12 500,000 6,000,000 2,120 Community Promoter salary + social benefits & statutory payments Month 12 750,000 9,000,000 3,180 Legal emoluments at end of contract Number 2 1,200,000 2,400,000 848 Subtotal 119,224,520 42,129 Co-ordination of the project Coordinator LWF-DWS salary + social benefits & statutory payments Month 12 6,792,000 81,504,000 28,800 Local transport promoters within the zone Lumpsum 13,530,000 4,781 Description Type of No of Unit Cost Budget Budget Unit Units COL$ COL$ US$ Monitoring Lumpsum 59,879,970 21,159 Subtotal 154,913,970 54,740 TOTAL DIRECT ASSISTANCE 767,992,896 271,376 CAPITAL EQUIPMENT (over US$ 500) Office Equipment and Furniture Computer and extra monitor Unit 1 3,300,000 3,300,000 1,166 Office furniture Lumpsum 4,000,000 1,413 Office equipment on zones Lumpsum 4,245,000 1,500 Software Lumpsum 2,830,000 1,000 TOTAL CAPITAL EQUIPMENT 14,375,000 5,080 PERSONNEL, ADMIN., OPERATIONS & OTHER SUPPORT COSTS Staff Salaries & Benefits Admin Assist (based on % regular salary) Month 12 500,000 6,000,000 2,120 Legal emoluments to Admin Assistant Unit 1 1,200,000 1,200,000 424 Accountant - 1 salary with social benefits Month 12 2,250,000 27,000,000 9,541 Shared LWF DWS Office Cost Chargeable to project Lumpsum 17,220,550 6,085 International monitoring trips Lumpsum 22,640,000 8,000 Office Operations costs Central Stationery and supplies Lumpsum 3,603,000 1,273 Regional Stationery and supplies Lumpsum 5,760,000 2,035 Office Mainteinance Mantenance of equipment Lumpsum 2,500,000 883 Utilities Month 12 725,000 8,700,000 3,074 Communications costs Tel, mobile phones, fax & e-mail & central office Month 12 943,334 11,320,008 4,000 Other Adm. & Oper. Support costs Translation of reports and materials Lumpsum 4,500,000 1,590 Visibility material (T-shirts, sweaters, leaflets, etc) Lumpsum 5,300,000 1,873 Coordination meetings Month 12 566,000 6,792,000 2,400 Bank costs Lumpsum 2,830,000 1,000 TOTAL PERSONNEL, ADMIN, OPS & OTHER SUPPORT COSTS 125,365,558 44,299 Audit fees Audit Unit 4,245,000 1,500 TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE 911,978,454 322,254 Exchange rate: 1US$ = 2,830 I. REQUESTING ACT MEMBER INFORMATION Project Counselling Service (PCS) II. IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER & PARTNER INFORMATION Description of ACT Member The Project Counselling Service (PCS) is an international consortium of European and Canadian agencies created in 1979 and composed of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the Aid of the Evangelical Churches of Switzerland (HEKS), Joint Action by Dutch Churches - ACT/NL and the Canadian agency Inter Pares (IP). PCS in Colombia works with local counterparts, grassroots and church organisations. The work is, carried out with the full participation of the population affected. The work of PCS has focussed on three objectives: humanitarian assistance and protection of the populations affected by internal conflict; development and strengthening of the capacities of people, local NGOs, church and popular organisations aimed at achieving lasting solutions to the problems of conflict resolution; and policy impact at a national and international level. PCS Colombia has programmes in the following regions: Urabá-Atrato (Bajo Atrato, Urabá Antioqueño, Medio Atrato), North East (Catatumbo and Magdalena Medio), Bogotá and the Border Areas (with Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama). Description of ACT Member's Implementing Partners Mennonite Church: Programa Pastoral para Desplazados This program seeks to instil hope in the people through assisting in the psychological, spiritual and social restoration of the displaced families and in the reconstruction of their social fabric. The Mennonite Church, as an executing counterpart, will contribute infrastructure: rooms and equipment for carrying out the workshops and voluntary staff (some twenty people), in order to undertake the project. III. DESCRIPTION of the SITUATION in the AREA of PROPOSED RESPONSE Bogotá is a city that has over time received large migratory flows caused by the political, economic and social violence that Colombia has been suffering for over five decades. Since 1985, and with growing momentum since 1995, Bogotá has seen a new wave of immigration causing a negative socio-demographic impact and which threatens to become one more detonator of social conflicts. Approximately five hundred thousand displaced Colombians, between 18% and 20% of the estimated national total have arrived in Bogotá since then. The national trend in forced displacement shows that Bogotá continues to be the main receiving municipality of the displaced population at a national level and is second on a departmental level (see chart in the general description of the emergency situation). Neither the Plans for Socio-Economic Development and Infrastructure of Bogotá and the neighbouring municipality of Soacha for the three-year period 2002-2004, nor the mechanisms for citizen participation, such as the Local Planning Councils and the district and municipal mayor’s offices, took the displaced population into account. Consequently, there is no strategic planning to confront the problems of displacement, which continues to become more worrying and complex in these two municipalities. In a forum on forced displacement held by the Bogotá cómo vamos project , the Unit for Integrated Assistance to the Displaced Population of the Office of the Mayor of Bogotá reported that between 1999 and 2002 it had assisted 8,362 families, equivalent to approximately 42,000 people, out of a total of 90,000 families, approximately 450,000 people, which is the estimated displaced population in Bogotá. That is to say, they have assisted only 8.3% of the total displaced population, which has arrived, in Bogotá. The assistance provided is only humanitarian and emergency aid and provides practically no help in terms of socio-economic stabilisation. For its part, the Territorial Unit of Soacha presented a series of programmes and projects of which many have not been implemented. The few that have been executed are those financed by the WFP and have a low coverage. The Social Solidarity Network mentioned the existence of the Action Plan for prevention and assistance to forced displacement, but could only present a very shaky performance in terms of Emergency Humanitarian Assistance, without providing concrete figures. According to NGOs and the IDP organisations this is of poor quality and has a low coverage. The project will intervene in the city of Bogotá and in the municipality of Soacha, as these are two centres that receive an important percentage of IDPs in Colombia. It is currently calculated that approximately 20% of the displaced population in Colombia is in Bogotá. The IDPs in Bogotá and Soacha are considered to be very vulnerable and in highly precarious living conditions. The specific places where the project will intervene in Bogotá are: Usme, Bosa, Soacha and Ciudad Bolívar. The Colombian armed conflict has become more urbanized and Bogotá does not escape from this reality, although the impact is less than in other cities. In the localities of Usme, Bosa and Ciudad Bolívar in Bogotá, as well as in the area of Altos de Cazuca, in the adjacent municipality of Soacha, there is a presence of the different legal and illegal armed groups, which could eventually be a risk for the project. However, up until now the projects undertaken with the support of international co-operation have not been affected and it is hoped that this situation will be maintained. IV. GOAL & OBJECTIVES Goal To facilitate the relocation, integration and social reconstruction of women and children who are the victims of forced displacement due to violence, and to help them overcome intra-family violence. This will be done through psychosocial and nutritional support: financing; technical and administrative training for the mounting of productive projects; and advice and accompaniment in organisational processes and negotiation and dialogue with the state. Objectives To reduce levels of inequality, intra-family violence, preventable illnesses, child abuse, malnutrition and lack of affection currently existing within the families that are victims of forced displacement, through an educational, psychological and nutritional programme. To generate income for a group of female headed families through the setting up and implementation of four small enterprises in the localities of Bosa, Ciudad Bolívar and Usme in Bogotá and in the area of Altos de Cazuca in Soacha. To begin a process of negotiation, dialogue and enforceability of the rights of women beneficiaries of the project through training and education in human rights, participation and leadership and the creation of autonomous internally displaced women’s organisations. Expected Outcomes Implementation of 4 Child Teaching and Community Centres (CCTC) in Bosa, Soacha, Ciudad Bolívar and Usme, for the execution of a psycho-pedagogical rehabilitation programme for training, education and improvement in the health of 120 displaced children. Training of 20 women on the pedagogical proposal to be developed in the CCTC 4 small enterprises created: one in Ciudad Bolívar and one in Soacha, both for the manufacture and trade of crafts, one in Bosa for the manufacture and trade of cleaning equipment and one in Usme for the manufacture and trade of cleaning equipment. Four autonomous organisations created for women victims of forced displacement. These will negotiate, discuss and demand their rights from the state and seek resources from private and official sources in order to guarantee the continuity and sustainability of the 4 Child Teaching and Community Centres. V. TARGETED BENEFICIARIES The beneficiaries will be the displaced population (women and children) located in Ciudad Bolívar, Usme and Bosa in Bogotá and the area of Altos de Cazuca in Soacha. Total direct beneficiaries: 560 Total families benefiting directly: 120 Total indirect beneficiaries: 600 Direct beneficiaries 20 women, heads of households and victims of forced displacement, who attend and manage the four Child Teaching Centres. 120 displaced and local women benefiting from employment generated through the four small enterprises. 120 displaced children receiving education in the four Child Teaching Centres. 240 displaced children receiving nutritional feeding in the four Child Teaching Centres. Indirect beneficiaries 80 members of the families of the twenty women managing the four Child Teaching Centres (average of four members per family). 480 members of the families of 120 female heads of households who benefit from the generation of employment provided by the project. 60 families corresponding to the 120 child beneficiaries of the Child Teaching Centres. 60 families corresponding to the 120 child beneficiaries of the Children's Restaurants. Criteria used in Beneficiary Selection Displaced women and children in great need of socio-economic help and who have not received any type of help form the State. Women and children belonging to displaced families that have been accompanied by the Mennonite church: Programa Pastoral para Desplazados. Displaced families that are grouped in common geographic sectors. Female headed displaced families Displaced families that do not wish to be involved in programmes of return, because they consider that conditions of security and sustainability do not exist. Children from the receiving communities with nutritional problems. VI. PROPOSED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE & IMPLEMENTATION NUTRITIONAL RECOVERY & PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSISTANCE The project will benefit 120 children who are the victims of forced displacement, providing them with teaching and psychological assistance and health protection. 240 displaced children and children from the receiving communities will also benefit from nutritional feeding. Implementation Selection of 20 responsible displaced mothers and the appointment of a team of professionals to provide support. Definition of the location of the Child Teaching and Community Centres. Psycho-pedagogical teaching for the displaced mothers. Definition of the criteria for the use, assistance and administration of the CTCC. Acquisition of equipment for the CTCC. Inauguration and implementation of the CTCC. The assistance will be provided in the Child Teaching and Community Centres and will be the responsibility of 20 displaced mothers, one social worker, one psychologist, one recreational teacher and one arts and crafts teacher. An operating team will be constituted, made up of representatives of the displaced mothers and the support professionals. This will be responsible for the production, orientation and monitoring of the implementation of an Operational Plan, under the management of the overall project co-ordination. Periodic meetings will be held with the beneficiaries in order to evaluate the progress of the project and to gather together elements for making the corresponding adjustments. INCOME GENERATION 120 displaced women and women from the receiving community will benefit through the generation of employment. Implementation Selection of beneficiaries in accordance with the criteria of participation, needs and rights of the associates. Training: technical, administrative, accounts and productive. Feasibility studies: marketing, sustainability and break-even point. Mounting and implementation of the productive units An operating team will be constituted for the design and mounting of the productive units, made up of representatives of the small enterprises or associative work enterprises, professional advisers and the overall project co-ordination which will be responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the productive units. EMERGENCY FUND - RETURN & RELOCATIONS A fund to help IDP's in the communities where the project is working and that are not beneficiaries of the other activities. The support will be directed to cover travel and legal expenses for returns to their places of origin and to support relocation within the country or exodus due to insecurity. ORGANISATION & ADVOCACY The displaced mothers responsible for the Child Teaching and Community Centres, the associates of the small enterprises or associative work enterprises and other women who are the indirect beneficiaries of the Centres and productive projects (approximately 200 displaced women and women from the receiving communities). Implementation Training in human rights, organisation and participation. Production of the statutes of the organisations. Meetings for the approval of the statutes, work plan and election of directors. Formalisation and legalisation of the organisations. Accompaniment for negotiation and dialogue with the state. A promoting team will be made up of those with the best leadership qualities. The team will receive advice from professional volunteers of the Mennonite Church and the accompaniment of the overall project co-ordination. Transition from the Emergency The project will seek to foster conditions for the socio-economic stabilisation of the beneficiaries and to start lobbying for the state to take responsibility for humanitarian assistance and the socio-economic reestablishment of the displaced families. VII. ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, MONITORING & REPORTING Administration The project will be under the administration of the Mennonite Christian Church of Colombia, through the Programa Pastoral para Desplazados. Finance The project will have a General Co-ordinator responsible for the control of expenditure. It will also have an accountant, statutory auditor and an external auditor. The Christian Mennonite Church of Colombia has wide-ranging experience in the management of this type of project. The final audit of the Appeal will be carried out on joint terms of reference and through the same auditing firm, and based on separate project accounts for each organisation we will present a joint final audit report. Monitoring The Christian Mennonite Church of Colombia has a team of volunteers that will be responsible for constant monitoring and evaluation of the projects in order to guarantee total compliance with the outlined objectives and goals. Likewise, the project has an internal work team that will deliver weekly work reports to the project co-ordination. The beneficiaries will have meetings where they will evaluate, from their perspective, the execution of each one of the project components. PCS will assign a project officer who will have the support of the Administrative Team. The project officer will provide advice, monitoring and follow-up to the project, promoting and encouraging its articulation with the sub-programme that is carried out in Bogotá. He/she will also encourage spaces for interchange, articulation and co-ordination with other partners and projects, especially those with similar geographical location, focus, objectives, actions and plans. Half-yearly and annual narrative and financial reports and bi-monthly implementation reports will be requested. Periodic visits to monitor the project will be undertaken and meetings with the team responsible will be held in order to evaluate the work and to make the necessary adjustments. An intermediate and final evaluation will also be shared on the progress of each one of the components that make up the Appeal. VIII. IMPLEMENTATION TIMETABLE One year IX. CO-ORDINATION The ACT Network Colombia will set up a co-ordinating group consisting of four (4) institutions: Diakonie- Emergency Aid of the Evangelical Church of Germany IELCO- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia PC- Project Counselling Service Department for World Service of the Lutheran World Foundation This co-ordinating group will include an interchange of training, especially on Risk Management, Psychosocial Assistance, human rights and enforcement of rights. The ACT Network Colombia, printed material (pamphlets) will be distributed to other institutions, competent authorities, churches and communities for visibility purposes. PCS and the Mennonite Church will co-ordinate with institutions such as: the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF), the Administrative Department for Social Welfare, (DABS), the National Service for Learning (SENA), the Social Solidarity Network and the Personería of Bogotá. At a non-government level: the Permanent Assembly of Civil Society for Peace, the Interfranciscana Commission, the Assistance to Migrants Foundation (Fundación Atención al Migrante), the Colombia Present Foundation (Fundación Colombia Presente), The Soacha Dialogue Group (Mesa Interlocución Soacha) and the Centro Salesiano Don Bosco del barrio el Paraíso. X. BUDGET ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE Description Type of No of Unit Cost Budget Budget Unit Units COL$ COL$ US$ DIRECT ASSISTANCE Nutritional and psychosocial recovery Organization Child Teaching & Community Centres (CTCC) meeting 1 1,400,000 495 Rent and improvement CTCC local month 12 1,307,000 15,684,000 5,600 Local improvements to the CTCC offices Lump sum 1,400 Part-time social worker month 12 507,500 6,090,000 2,152 Part-time psychologist month 12 507,500 6,090,000 2,152 Fine Arts Teacher month 12 507,500 6,090,000 2,152 Recreational Worker month 12 507,500 6,090,000 2,152 Transportation & mobilization work team month 12 210,000 2,520,000 890 Blackboards LS 3,360,000 1,187 Chairs, tables, desks LS 4,760,000 1,682 Teaching material LS 3,920,000 1,385 Texts LS 3,640,000 1,286 Children's educational toys LS 3,360,000 1,187 Cooking and kitchen utensils material 4 430,000 1,720,000 608 Fridges material 4 800,000 3,200,000 1,131 Televisions material 4 500,000 2,000,000 707 VHS material 4 300,000 1,200,000 424 Mobilization expenditure for 20 women month 12 420,000 5,040,000 1,781 Training for 20 women (psycho-emotional rehab & education) workshop 2 1,680,000 3,360,000 1,187 Formulation of psychological & educational proposal workshop 2 420,000 840,000 297 Allowances for community mothers month 12 1,167,000 14,004,000 4,948 Healthcare campaigns for 120 children and women campaigns 6 1,773,000 10,638,000 3,759 Subtotal 105,006,000 38,563 Productive activities Training on admin, accounts & finances workshop 3 1,586,001 4,758,002 1,681 Training in manufacturing and sales course 1 12,600,000 4,452 Equipment & tools for small enterprises Lump sum 21,000,000 7,420 Industrial safety equipment Lump sum 5,600,000 1,979 Raw material for small business products Lump sum 10,360,000 3,661 Support of sale and exportation activities Lump sum 7,000,000 2,473 Subtotal 61,318,002 21,667 Emergency fund for returns, relocations or exits Emergency fund for return, relocations or departure from the area Lump sum 7,000,000 2,473 Advocacy and organization Workshops & prof advice on constitution of corporate entities workshop 4 1,330,000 5,320,000 1,880 Workshops on legal processes for demanding rights workshop 4 1,400,000 5,600,000 1,979 Meetings for exchange of experiences & evaluation meeting 2 2,100,000 4,200,000 1,484 Meetings summary of lessons learned meeting 3 1,120,000 3,360,000 1,187 Cultural meetings meeting 4 420,000 1,680,000 594 SUBTOTAL 20,160,000 7,124 Project coordination Salary & social benefits coordinator month 12 1,633,333 19,599,996 6,926 ADMINISTRATION & MONITORING External audit LS 2,800,000 989 Administrative support LS 5,600,000 1,979 Monitoring and Follow-up LS 5,600,000 1,979 Subtotal Administration & Monitoring 14,000,000 4,947 TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE 227,083,998 81,700 Exchange Rate: US$ = 2,830 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Action by Churches Together (ACT) is a worldwide alliance of churches and their related agencies, meeting human need through co-ordinated emergency response. 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