Date: January 13, 2005

Activity: Field visits with CASA (Church's Auxiliary for Social Action)

Objective: Relief distribution to villages in Nagappatinum region

Toured the area with CASA staff in the morning and participated in a distribution in the afternoon with CASA Director and several DanChurchAid visitors.

Relief packets included:

•  Tarps •  Blankets •  3 bed sheets •  3 sleeping mats •  9-piece cooking/eating utensil set •  Soap •  1 sari & 1 doti •  5L water container •  Towel •  Candles & matches

•  15kg rice •  2kg lentils •  Spices •  Salt •  1L oil

The relief bags listed the contents in English and Tamil so ensure transparency (if packets aren't complete or other NGOs wonder what's been distributed already).

CASA is working in 52 villages in the Nagappatinum region, distributing items to 14,500 families.

They are focusing more on vulnerable people - widows, orphans, elderly, marginalized groups within villages - and areas neglected by other relief efforts. For example, while doing community surveys, CASA field officers discovered 8-10 hamlets not on government maps. These areas haven't received aid yet so they are a priority for distribution in the next few days.

As for temporary housing, they will begin community consultations on location, size, and type of materials early next week. They will procure materials and provide them to families but they will require families to construct the houses in exchange for food or cash (with technical assistance from carpenters of course). Once they have the materials, it will only take 3-5 days to construct the houses.

Unfortunately the government allocation of villages is somewhat "fluid," so they are reluctant to begin full-fledged construction right now. CASA has been actively advocating for a government housing policy that respects community needs (using local materials like palm fronds instead of the dreadful tin panels) and involves community input in planning.

When asked what CASA has learned, as an organization, from this disaster so far, staff cited the importance of preparedness and capacity, both of CASA and of the communities themselves. CASA was prepared (37,000 relief packets in 14 warehouses ready to go at a moment's notice) but the communities weren't. This is why the community shelters and risk management training will be such an important component of the recovery phase.

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