SOASpecial Operations Appeal in Aceh and Nias – the Caritas Response
The Special Operations Appeal (SOA ) is a mechanism to facilitate cooperation among Caritas member organizations throughout the world which ensures an effective response in relief operations and helps raise funds for major emergencies. The SOA in Aceh and Nias, known as the SOA 02/05, is currently the largest Caritas response world wide. Through the SOA, Catholic donors have pledged approximately $82,000,000 to the reconstruction of Aceh and Nias. The total Catholic response (including both SOA and other funding sources available to the individual implementing agencies) is approximately $220,000,000. The SOA 02/05 was launched in January 2005 and runs until December 2008. CRS is the SOA 02/05 facilitating partner. The role of the facilitating partner is to provide technical and administrative support to the various agencies participating in the SOA. The SOA is being implemented by both Indonesian church and international Caritas partners. There are twelve implementing partners in the SOA 02/05. These include nine international Caritas partners:
The three Indonesian church partners include:
The goal of the SOA, which all partners work towards through their various interventions, is “to prevent further loss of life, contribute to rapid recovery and reconstruction of affected communities, and increase disaster preparedness capacities amongst communities and national partners”. This is achieved through relief and transition activities including recovery and reconstruction of homes and basic infrastructure, support for the re-establishment of livelihoods, long term risk reduction (DRR), and peacebuilding. Capacity building of national and local Caritas agencies and SOA partner organizations is being implemented to provide support to sustainable development and relief activities. Achievements to date include the construction of more than 2000 temporary homes and 6000 permanent homes. Household and community-level infrastructure projects including water and sanitation interventions have reached 80,000 beneficiaries. More than 280 infrastructure projects including markets, schools, electricity systems, community buildings, health facilities, and bridges and roads have been implemented. Livelihoods interventions including agricultural, enterprise, rural development, and micro-credit schemes, including capacity development have reached over 100,000 beneficiaries. In December 2006, SOA partners redefined the over-arching purpose of the SOA to “support creation and development of a Caritas Working Group for |
|||