Access and assistance to beneficiaries in the

Colombian context, case study by Mencoldes

(ACT Alliance)October 21, 2010

ECHO Partners Conference 2010

Mencoldes has worked closely with:◦Christian Aid UK Ireland◦Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe ◦Lutheran World Relief◦ICCO + Kerkinactie◦Diakonia – Sweden◦HEKS – Switzerland◦Bethlehem Mission◦Brot für die Welt

ACT ALLIANCE PARTNERS

• Democratic government

• Investigations of government officials

• Long history of armed conflict- political control- land control / land grabbing- Drug production and trafficking

• Debilitated guerrilla

• Paramilitary officially demobilized

COLOMBIA

• Colombia number 77 in the 2009 Report on Human Development

• Unequal distribution of land

• Economy flooded with USD

• Civil society and NGOs

COLOMBIA

Large numbers of IDPs – mass and individual displacements

Dependence on initial humanitarian assistance

Rural areas particularly affected by fighting

Insufficient capacity of public institutions to respond

Characteristics highlighted in Global Plan 2010

Displacement July 2008 – June 2009 (Expulsion)

Map constructed by OCHA from Government statistics

Overall levels of displacement

Government of Colombia is the source for Colombia, for Sudan, Pakistan, Somalia and Iraq figures are from the United Nations High Comission for Refugees (UNHCR): January 2010, URL: http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/page?page=; Colombia figures updated in 31 December 2009. Sudan, Pakistan, Somalia and Iraq, January 2010.

The Colombian Mennonite Development Foundation

Mission : to promote social development with populations in vulnerable situations

We are committed to humanitarian principles

35 years of experience as a local organization

MENCOLDES

PICTURE

Centers for the Attention of Displaced Families

The magnitude of the problem

Legal framework

Internal Displacement

◦Informants◦Military service◦Forced recruitment◦Family member assassinated or

disappeared◦Having witnesses an assassination◦Generalized fear of violence when there

are armed confrontations

Reasons for displacement

Lack of information

General fear and mistrust of government

Burden of proof

The magnitude of the problem of displacement is played down by government

Barriers to access government aid

City of 500.000 population

Southern Tolima important corridor for guerrilla movement

Army activity is significant

City perceived by IDPs to be safe and calm

IBAGUÉ

Receives the largest number of IDPs in the department of Tolima

Aug. 2010: 12.000 homes (49.582 persons)

IBAGUE

New IDP come from southern Tolima, Caquetá and Huila

89% give FARC as actor involved

50-60 families arriving a week

IBAGUÉ

Located next to Bogotá

80% of population below the poverty line

Constant influx of IDPs: 12-15 families / day

Families mostly from Atlantic coast (Paramilitary), Cauca and Tolima (Guerilla)

SOACHA

Institutional response limited to government offices

Difficult to access clear information

First step: presentation of official declaration

Initial response minimal- Food package- Limited medical attention

Governmental response

3-4 month delay to receive notification of inclusion

Another 1-2 months to begin receive initial aid

Ibagué: 50% initially accepted in registry Soacha: 15% inclusion

Governmental response

Emergency food packages

Non food items

Orientation and Information

Medical and dental care

What the Project Offers

Emergency housing

Training in various job skills

Income generation

Opportunities for psychosocial support

What the Project Offers

“hidden” population

- Fear – Generalized mistrust

- Stigmatization

- Continued threats

Challenges to access beneficiaries

• We need to promote our Centers

• Organization known for 35 year history of emergency and development work

• Referrals from government and NGOs

• Word of mouth

Access to beneficiaries

Independence from government

Quality of attention

Beneficiary selection

Aid provided in a timely fashion

The aid provided is pertinent

Acceptance by beneficiaries

The integrated (holistic) approach includes psychosocial support

Working with beneficiaries in group settings: added benefits

Acceptance by beneficiaries

Quality of materials

Tailor made Humanitarian Aid – individual needs assessment

Acceptance by beneficiaries

Promotion of economic autonomy in the emergency setting

- Complements limited emergency aid

- Recognizes and reinforces autonomy

- Promotes psychosocial recovery

Acceptance by beneficiaries

Mencoldes has established procedures to Plan Monitor and Evaluate

Qualified and competent personnel

Challenge to adapt our information to donor´s forms and procedures

ACCOUNTABILITY

• Sensitive information regarding beneficiaries

• Ever changing environment

• Re-evaluated currency

Challenges in accountability

• Efficient use of resources: individual needs assessments

• The impact of one piece of our program is made stronger by the effect of the whole

Challenges

Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption

Purchasing procedures

Personnel time

Multiple levels of control and audits

Administrative Challenges

• Monthly reporting to ECHO partner

• Revision of supporting documents

• Project audit

• Information recorded in Institutional data base

Mechanisms and Procedures

DIAKONIE - ECHO 2010

Monthly progress report – Implementing partners

Project title

Implementing partner: Month: Report written by: Position:

Date sent: 1. Local context (specific and relevant events in the last month) What happened? How does it affect the project? What measures need to be taken? 2. Security for local teams and Project beneficiaries (incidents, action taken, suggestions for Diakonie) 3. Problems in the implementation of the Project and action taken. What were the problems? How were they resolved? 4. Proposals for adjustments to the project 5. Contact made with other organisations during the month Who did you meet with? ¿What was agreed? How will you follow-up on these agreements? 6. Visibility and communications activities 7. Project progress - indicators 8. Project progress – activities carried out

Ref no. and activity title Place Date Participants

II. Financial Report

Narrative Reporting Formats

Participatory needs assessment as an essential part of project planning

Participatory evaluation process gives needed feedback to make adjustments

Evaluation

Participatory evaluations

Financial Reporting formats

A. Relief commodities and investment BALANCE COP BALANCE € % COP € COP € COP €

A.1. General investmentA.1.1. Buildings

A.1.2. Vehicles

A.1.3. Office investment

A.2. Project Investments

A.2.1. Buildings

A.2.2. Vehicles

A.2.3. Machines and equipment

A.2.4. Medical equipment

A.3. Relief commodities including logistics

A.3.1. Foodstuff

A.3.2. Material and Medicines

A.3.3. Transport

A.3.4. Stock-keeping

A.3.5 Educational materialB.2. Direct costs for project measures

B.2.1. Personnel expenses + fringe benefits

B.2.1.1. Project manager

B.2.1.2. Other project staff related to project

B.2.1.3. Auxiliary personnel

B.2.1.4 Insurance and charges for personnel

B.2.1.5 Training for personnel

B.2.2. Material expenses

B.2.2.1. Rent

B.2.2.2. Telecommunication

B.2.2.3. Insurances

B.2.2.4. Travel and transport

B.2.2.5 Training for target groups

B.2.2.6 Office Material

B.2.2.7 Bank charges

B.2.3 Visibility

B.2.3.1 Material expenses

B.2.3.2 J ournalists' visit

B.3. Services

B.3.1. Consultancies

B.3.2. External evaluation

B.3.3. Audit

B.3.4 Translation

Total direct costs

TOTAL EXPENDITURE

€

DIFFERENCE Result 1 Result 2 Result 3Budget COP

Expenditure Month/ Year COP

Expenditure Month/ Year COP

TOTAL EXPENDITURE

COP

Results based

monitoring

Personnel

Country: COLOMBIA

Partner DateBudget Code

Budget hading

PositionNo. of people

Kind of contract

Period contracted

Total months contract

% of time contracted

Basic salary per month

Total value Observations

TOTAL

Project Code ECHO/-SM/BUD/20xx/xxx

Implementation period 01.03. 2010 to 28.02. 20011

Project Title

1. List of Personnel

Examples of annexes to the financial report: monthly listing of personnel

Examples of annexes to the financial report: monthly listing of contracts

3. List of contracts: supplies/ transport/ services

Country: COLOMBIA

Implementing partner

DateBudget Code

Budget heading

Ref no. supporting document

Name of supplier

Invoice and contract no.

Contract period

Description Total value

Total value

Project TitleProject Code ECHO/-SM/BUD/20xx/xxx

Implementation period 01.03. 2010 to 28.02. 20011

Record of delivery to beneficiaries.

Attendance lists.

Photographic records

Record of activities

Supporting documents

CENTRO DE ATENCIÓN INTEGRAL A POBLACIÓN EN SITUACIÓN DE DESPLAZAMIENTO ACOMPAÑAMIENTO PSICOSOCIAL

REGISTRO DE ASISTENCIA Y ENTREGA DE MATERIALES

Fecha:          Lugar:          

Nombre de la Actividad:                       

Recursos entregados a las/los Participantes:                  

                            

                            

Nº NOMBRE Y APELLIDOS Nº DE DOCUMENTO SEXO EDAD RECIBI

1          

2          

3          

4          

5          

6          

7          

8          

9          

10          

     

 

                 

 

         

 

                       

       

   

   

   

   

 ECHO/-SM/BUD/2010/01004 K-COL-1003-0001

 

   

   

FORMATO DE REMISIÓN FECHA RECEPCIÓN: / /

 

 U

 

   

  1. INFORMACIÓN GENERAL                                                

  CABEZA DE FAMILIA    

  NOMBRE:_______________________________________________ C.C.:_____________________ DE ____________________  

  CONYUGE    

  NOMBRE:_______________________________________________ C.C.:_____________________ DE ____________________  

   

  2. COMPOSICIÓN DEL GRUPO FAMILIAR                  

  ADULTOS NIÑOS TOTAL  

 HOMBRES MUJERES

HOMBRES MUJERES INTEGRANTES  

  1~7 8~17 1~7 8~17          

                                       

   

  3. REMISIONES                                                    

  MER K. A K.C. K.E. K.B. ROP PLAN DOC VIV/ARR A. TRAN VISIT/DOM COL COB SÁB EST/REG CIL PAÑ   O. EXP

                                                             

  OTRO:                                                        

   

  4. MERCADO              

1

TALLER:_________________________________________

 No. CANT. DESCRIPCIÓN

FECHA:________________  

  NOMBRE:________________________________________

  1 1 FRASCO DE ACEITE x 1000 cc   C.C.:_______________________________  

Colombia is a complicated place with an ongoing armed conflict

In spite of this Mencoldes works well, meeting the standards required by all the parties involved

We are able to reach beneficiaries that have significant needs

Providing them with pertinent and timely aid, with the support of our international donors.

Summary

We are very grateful for the solidarity manifested by international agencies such as ECHO that allows us to respond to this population which is the victim of the ongoing conflict in Colombia

Colombia needs continued support by ECHO as an organization committed to humanitarian principles