ASHA's Plans for Bihar flood relief work. (www.ashanet.org)

ASHA's Plans for Bihar flood relief work.

How decision was made:
1) 9/1/08 Asha-projects and Asha-coordination groups invited to a
conference call to discuss need and fundraising methods for Bihar
flood relief. Preliminary proposals and available funds and
fundraising plans were discussed.

2) 9/3//08 - Conference call open to all volunteers on asha-projects
and asha-coordionation.

Agreement among the ten attendees at the conference call that unused
Tsunami funds can be used for Bihar Flood Relief with a ARC tactical
vote. Decisions and minutes of discussions posted on asha lists.

3) 9/4/08 - 9/6/08 - ARC proposal submitted to ARC committee with
request to consider delegating the decision to an executive decision
on the ARC proposal pending ratification by the chapters in following
weeks (ARC process allows for this ).

5) 9/6/08 Deadline for comments on ARC proposal to use tsunami funds
for Bihar flood relief and the current proposals for work from the two
teams

6) Receive 'best estimate' plan for expenses to be incurred for the
funds allocated by Asha for Education and Asha Trust.

Follow-up procedures planned:
- Updates from Bihar teams collected by involved stewards and
volunteers and posted on a blog three to four times a week (let us
know if someone can help maintain the blog). Pictures and videos will
also be requested.

- Share information on urgent needs of other groups conducting relief
work in Bihar and short term and long term strategies followed by them
(Multiple teams of AID India, BGVS, Medha's team, Government efforts,
RTI Fellows in Bihar working to check corruption in government relief
efforts etc). About 8 of our RTI Fellows have already begun applying
for information on expenses by government under RTI Act which has to
be supplied in 48 hours in case of emergency. Government has
sufficient funds and is under some pressure where RTI fellows are
active.

Next steps:
9/14/08 - Receive detailed long term needs assessment and work plan, if any

9/15/08 - Conference call to discuss the rehabilitation needs and plan

9/18/08 - Decision on the Asha's rehabilitation work and on use of
general funds emergency component (10% of general funds available to
the group) pending decision on 'Genenral funds' ARC proposal (three
options have 10% allocated to emergency funds). Decision on appeal
issued to donors for funds for rehabilitation work may also be
appropriate at this time.

Volunteers from Asha for Education committed in follow-up: Manisha
Joshi, Pawan Agarwal, Maheshwar Lal, Sirish Agarwal. More volunteers
needed to observe approaches of groups other than Asha and seek a long
term solution for flood problem.

Asha Trust people committed for carrying out the work and for updates
by phone (and email when possible): Vivek Umrao (working with multiple
teams in the field), Manoj Kumar (Supaul villages), Vallabh pandey

Current Resources:
1) Comprehensive Portal: http://www.indiawaterportal.org/bihar/
(maintained by Asha Bangalore volunteer Vijay Krishna)

2) Asha Varanasi site: www.ashanet.org/varanasi

3) Video on how children are affected by Floods (highly recommended
for general educational purpose on how AFE can work with the poorest
children and families):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8277716610293246126&ei=9ADDSIj-KpSyrgKe8OG5BQ&q=bihar+floods&hl=en

4) Work by AID India - http://biharflood2008.blogspot.com/

Do send any comments with suggestions for improvement.

Thanks,
Sirish
( sirish.in@gmail.com )