4 Feb 2005

UPDATE ON INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION REGARDING YMCA TSUNAMI RESPONSE
 --------------------------------------------------------------------

First an update on the specific situation:

PERSPECTIVES IN SRI LANKA
-------------------------

The first Phase of Immediate Emergency relief by Sri Lanka YMCA was to be concluded by 31 January 2005. At the same time, certain activities initiated in this first phase will continue during the second phase (Interim Sustenance and Recovery).

At the same time, the Sri Lanka YMCA will initiate a plan that will be worked out by 10 February. In some fields the YMCA can build on past experience (eg. Micro credit, vocational training)  but in others, the YMCA of Sri Lanka will need to enlarge its skills and professional competency

PERSPECTIVES IN INDIA
---------------------

The YMCA of India  have arranged a meeting of all implementing YMCAs and Regions on February 5 and 6, 2005 at Bangalore to assess the situation there and to make
the necessary proposals in consultation with the local YMCAs.

PERSPECTIVES IN INDONESIA
-------------------------

In Medan, YMCA leaders have responded quickly by sending teams of young people to Banda Aceh, Meulaboh and Nias Island. This is the only YMCA established in all of Sumatra. The local community welcomes and very much appreciates the YMCA teams as they are dedicated to the enormous clean-up efforts. Medan YMCA forms part of a co-ordination network with a special
emphasis on issues of logistics, distribution of relief supplies and volunteer-recruitment for emergency evacuation work. So far, emergency relief actions continue. But the YMCA in Indonesia has started to plan for the recovery of livelihoods and initiate rehabilitation programs for affected communities and is also studying the concept of building an inter-religious program of Tsunami response.

INFORMATION MATERIAL
--------------------

We have set-up a new photo gallery on our web page. If you click on the picture, a  commentary will appear about the situation. We have many more pictures, especially from Sri Lanka.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ernestoabroad2001/album?.dir=/5857&.src=ph&.tok=phhLqeCB81O30vri.
If you want to use Jean-Paul's photos in publications, please contact him at (ymca@waldonet.net.mt).

COORDINATION
------------

The co-ordination process is building strength for the planning process in the different locations. We are faced with a complex challenge, but in this situation, co-ordination is even more important. We have a working agreement with the Asia Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY) on roles and responsibilities:

The World Alliance (W.A.) will (1) communicate and up-date the situation in the affected countries to the World Movement, (2) concentrate on mobilising resources on global level and assign resources in co-ordination with APAY and (3) follow-up and co-ordinate partners and from partner co-ordination groups.

The Asia Pacific Alliance will (1) communicate and up-date the situation in the affected countries to the movements and Asia & Pacific, (2) concentrate on mobilising resources on the level of APAY and assign resources in co-ordination with W.A. and (3) secure reporting according to the needs of Asia & Pacific and for the World Movement.

During the past weeks, it became obvious that, first, a strength of the World Movement is the very large solidarity base in the international movement: nearly 40 National Movements and Area Organisations have sent solidarity messages or have come up with pledges, not only for financial support. We have had even more reaction from local YMCAs and individuals contacting us directly with queries about how they can best help, or offering specific expertise or to volunteer for a certain time period working for one of the affected YMCAs. As our concern is to use all resources for relief most effectively, we concluded that the placements of volunteers immediately could result as more of a burden for the implementing YMCAs that a support. In a later phase, specific know-how brought in by volunteers could become and important factor for capacity building. But this need to be part of an overall capacity-building plan based on clearly identified needs. For the time being, only Sri Lanka YMCA indicated that they can integrate a small number of volunteers into one going program (volunteer teams for cleaning up and recreational programs).

We also see a number of YMCA movements expressing interest in being involved on a long-term basis for the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.

For an effective co-ordination, especially for the long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction phase, we plan to form Partner Co-ordination Groups, one for those YMCAs with a particular interest in Sri Lanka, one for India and another one for supporting Indonesia YMCA.

TIMELINE (tentative)
--------------------

In regard to the next steps of developing plans and international co-ordination, the following important dates are coming up:

5/6 Feb: In Indonesia, the YMCA still helps the search and cleaning-up teams for the moment.

10 Feb: Initial plans for initiatives for long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction phase will be worked out by Sri Lanka YMCA.

2 March, Hong Kong: Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs will call together the major YMCAs in Asia co-operating in Tsunami response programs for a sharing on the situation.

16 March, Paris: World Alliance of YMCAs will provide a forum on the Tsunami response programs during the upcoming GOP meeting in Paris on 16th March

7/8 April, Sri Lanka: Meeting of the partner Co-ordination Group on Sri Lanka in Colombo on 7/8 (tentative data)

9/10 April, India: Meeting of the Partner Co-ordination Group on India in Madras on 9/10 April (tentative date)