ACT Appeal Revision 2: Emergency Relief to South Asia Earthquake

Emergency Relief to Quake Affected ASSA-51 (Revision 2)
Appeal Target: US$ 26,657,106
Balance Requested from ACT Alliance: US$ 17,655,549

Geneva, 24 November 2005

Dear Colleagues,

This second revision of the South Asia Earthquake Appeal is made to include the programme of ACT member United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India (UELCI).

This appeal includes all the programmes of the ACT members in Pakistan and India in response to the earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale that shook parts of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan on 8 October 2005. The quake’s epicentre lay 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Islamabad in Pakistan. Meteorological Departments reported that it was the strongest earthquake in the area for the last hundred years. Thousands of smaller tremors have been recorded in the area since the main quake on 8 October.

The death toll continues to rise with numbers currently around 87,000 dead and many more seriously injured. The full scale of the disaster is unfolding gradually with access to remote villages being made.

Massive rescue and relief operations are continuing in a race against time. They are still facing immense challenges because of the difficult terrain and the worsening weather conditions due to the oncoming winter. There is an enormous need of relief goods with food, tents, blankets and medicines being the priority.

ACT member Church World Service Pakistan/Afghanistan - CWS (P/A) along with Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is providing emergency relief for Pakistan comprising shelter kits, food packages, housing reconstruction kits, medical services, water and sanitation. ACT member Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) with the assistance of partner organisations is providing relief kits comprising blankets, clothing and household utensils; temporary shelter – tarpaulins and tin sheeting in Indian-administered Kashmir. ACT member the United Evangelical Church in India (UELCI) is focusing on the provision of medical care.

For the sake of clarity, this revision includes all the above mentioned programmes as well as the ACT co-ordination and communication budget and the Evaluation.

ACT requests urgently your further pledges against the total appeal.

Project Completion Date:

CASA-ACT - 30 December 2005

CWS (P/A) - ACT - 31 July 2006

UELCI- 31 January 2006

Please kindly send your contributions to either of the following ACT bank accounts:

US dollar
Account Number - 240-432629.60A
IBAN No: CH46 0024 0240 4326 2960A

Euro
Euro Bank Account Number - 240-432629.50Z
IBAN No: CH84 0024 0240 4326 2950Z

Account Name: ACT - Action by Churches Together
UBS AG
8, rue du Rhône
P.O. Box 2600
1211 Geneva 4, SWITZERLAND
Swift address: UBSW CHZH12A

Please also inform the Finance Officer Jessie Kgoroeadira (direct tel. +4122/791.60.38, e-mail address jkg@act-intl.org) of all pledges/contributions and transfers, including funds sent direct to the implementers, now that the Pledge Form is no longer attached to the Appeal.

We would appreciate being informed of any intent to submit applications for EU, USAID and/or other back donor funding and the subsequent results. We thank you in advance for your kind cooperation.

For further information please contact:

ACT Interim Director, Jenny Borden (phone +41 22 791 6033 or mobile phone + 41 79 203 6055) or

ACT Program Officer, Mieke Weeda (phone +41 22 791 6035 or mobile phone +41 79 285 2916)

ACT Web Site address: http://www.act-intl.org

Jenny Borden
Interim Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office

I. REQUESTING ACT MEMBER INFORMATION

United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India

II. IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER & PARTNER INFORMATION

The United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (UELCI), Chennai, Tamilnadu, is an umbrella organisation of the Lutheran Churches in India. UELCI is committed to working amongst the poor and the marginalised with a commitment to a participatory methodology and also a long-term development accompaniment. The Division of Social Action (DSA) is the development arm of the UELCI and its member churches. It has been working amongst the Fisherfolk, Dalits and Adivasi communities for several decades. In 2004, UELCI established its own Emergency response team. It has its secretariat in Chennai from where all its programmes are co-ordinated.

As far as emergencies are concerned, the UELCI has been engaged though the member Churches and Church related organisations for over three decades. It has worked in various emergencies all over the country, the most recent being: Andhra floods, Tamil Nadu cyclone, Lattur Earth Quake, Orissa Cyclone, Orissa Drought, Orissa Flash Floods, Andhra Cyclone, Gujarat Earth Quake, Gujarat Communal Riots as well as the Tsunami response in Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Kerala

UELCI is deeply committed to working among the poor and the marginalized with a focus on participatory methodology and long-term development accompaniment. UELCI bases its interventions on a "rights based approach".

NLHMB / ADEPT:

National Lutheran Health and Medical Board (NLHMB), set up in 1986, is a unit of UELCI which is mandated to manage healthcare, community development and emergency response in disasters. NLHMB-ADEPT response is regardless of considerations of caste, language, religion, ethnic origin or political affiliation.

One of its major activities is in the area of HIV/AIDS awareness, care interventions and rehabilitation programs. Another role is to conduct training programs and workshops for healthcare providers.

UELCI/NLHMB works through its network of hospitals and partners all over India, such as Christian Medical College, Ludhiana which has traditionally provided medical response Teams. UELCI/NLHMB has been working in the area of Disaster medical relief since 1996 especially in the Andhra cyclone, Orissa Super cyclone and Gujarat Earthquake.

UELCI/NLHMB created the Academy for Disaster Management Education Planning & Training (ADEPT) as its Emergency Response and Training Secretariat in the aftermath of the Tsunami, which developed a decentralised disaster preparedness plan. This system works through a wide network and identified partner organisations, both at the disaster management and grassroots level, who can respond to a call for assistance at short notice.

III. DESCRIPTION of the EMERGENCY SITUATION

On 8 October 2005, a massive earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale shook the whole of North India and Pakistan. Reported to be the worst earthquake in the span of 120 years, this tragedy left hundreds of thousands of people homeless in the Kashmir valley.

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