ECHO Donor Visit to Zamboanga City to monitor IOM activities IOM together with ACF and Plan International support displaced families to find safer homes This week, representatives from the European Commission for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) from Brussels and Manila visited Zamboanga City to monitor a joint project by ACF, Plan International and IOM. This project aims to assist people displaced by the siege that occurred in September 2013 with shelter, WASH and protection support. Today, 14 months after the crisis, over 10,000 people are still living in evacuation centres across the city. Amongst these evacuation centres, the Grandstand, a sports complex, is in a particularly critical situation. It is overcrowded with nearly 2,000 displaced families, many of whom are minority Tausugs and Badjaos. The living conditions at the Grandstand are very poor, families do not have sufficient private space or access to shelter, WASH, nutrition and protection services. While the government and international agencies continue to provide assistance on the ground, the response has not been effective enough. As a result, all partners are advocating for more attention and funds to continue supporting the people in need.
ECHO representatives visiting the newly constructed transitional site ©IOM 2014
IOM staff orienting the ECHO representatives in Masepla, Mampang in Zamboanga City ©IOM 2014
As part of the ECHO project and with the aim to decongest the evacuation centres, IOM has constructed 300 single detached shelters to house some of the most vulnerable families that were residing in the Grandstand before. ACF and Plan International are contributing with facilities such as child and women friendly spaces, nutritional support and capacity building activities. This collaboration intends to provide a safe and sustainable transitional site for the displaced families. During the visit, the representatives from ECHO Brussels and Manila mentioned that they were pleased with the progress of the transitional site “Masepla 2”, but they also expressed their concern over the current conditions of the Grandstand. Mr. David Sevcik from ECHO Manila commented: “we hope that living conditions in the Grandstand will improve, and durable solutions for these vulnerable communities are found as soon as possible.” IOM, together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other partners, is supporting the Government Recovery Plan for Zamboanga called “Zamboanga Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R)”. In line with Z3R, IOM will continue to help families to move out of the Grandstand and have a safe and humane transfer to transitional sites. Additionally, IOM will support these families until permanent housing solutions under Z3R are achieved.
Map of Zamboanga City © IOM 2014
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ECHO Representatives visiting the Grandstand © IOM 2014
Issued 21 November 2014