Table of contens

Chapter I: Introduction
Introduction.............................................................................5
1.1 Objective of the capitalization ......................................... 5
1.2 Aim of the capitalization.....................................................5
1.3 Axis of the capitalization.....................................................6
1.4 Objective group of the capitalization ............................ 6
1.5 Mechanisms of compilation of information,
organization, analysis and synthesis. ............................. 6
1.6 Levels of participation .........................................................8
1.7 Mechanisms of communication....................................... 9

Chapter II: Description of the Project

2.1 Name of the experience ...................................................10
2.2 Topic areas of intervention..............................................10
2.3 Location data ........................................................................11
2.4 Period of de implementation ........................................ 12
2.5 Identification of participants involved........................ 12
2.6 Context....................................................................................14
2.7 Description of the tackled problem............................. 16
2.8 Proposal of intervention...................................................17
2.9 Unexpected achievements and relevant difficulties in
the implementation ...........................................................18

Chapter III: Capitalization of Experiences

3.1 Introduction to capitalization......................................... 25
3.2 Capitalization........................................................................25

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 3.3 Lessons learned ..............................................................................41
3.4 Testimonies of participants in the DIPECHO Rio Grande
Project ..............................................................................................43

Chapter IV: Recommendations

Recommendations ......................................................................47

Annex 1: List of systemised products

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

Chapter I
Introduction

1.1 Objective of the capitalization

The objective in this document is to recover experiences and

knowledge through a systematic and analytical reflection, with the
final purpose of facilitating access to information by groups of
interest, and contribute thus to the overcoming difficulties in the
field of preparation for disasters from accumulated experiences by
DIPECHO Rio Grande Project.

1.2 Aim of the capitalization

The purpose of the capitalization are the preparation and

organization activities facing disasters fostered by different
participants involved in emergencies caused by the overflowing of
the Rio Grande in the Department of Santa Cruz (Bolivia). Among
such local participants the following stand out: Civil Defence,
Departmental Emergency Operations Centre (Centro de
Operaciones de Emergencias COED) municipalities, rescue groups,
health services, and very specially, leaders and community based
organizations. The activities carried out with them during the
implementation of the project include training in different topics

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related to the response to emergencies, strengthening of inter-

institutional coordination, implementation of mitigation measures,
and reinforcement of Early Warning Systems (EWS), scientific
research about hydrological behaviour of the Rio Grande, etc. The
project had an exceptional duration of 16.5 months, from September
15, 2007 to January 31, 2009, because of the delays caused by social-
political problems that affected the area of intervention.

This document will focus on:

• Innovative aspects of the activities carried out
• New knowledge provided by the execution of the project

1.3 Axis of the capitalization

The central axis that regulates this capitalization is the improvement

of the disaster preparedness by local participants.

1.4 Objective group of the capitalization

This document of capitalization is focused on organizations in

charge of the design and implementation of DIPECHO projects,
technicians and authorities of the areas exposed to flood risks, as
well as public in general aware of the search for a better preparation
of institutions and civil society facing natural disasters.

1.5 Mechanisms of compilation of information, organization,

analysis and synthesis.

This document has been prepared by a consultant and has been

complemented by the technical team of the DIPECHO Rio Grande

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project. The process of capitalization and systematisation (in this

regard, a DVD has been created with all the generated products),
was developed between January and March 2009.

A participative methodology was privileged, allowing the

compilation of primary and secondary information due to individual
interviews and focal dialogues with key participants and informants:
authorities directly involved in the execution of the project at a
departmental and municipal level, technical team from Action
against Hunger. Besides, a documentary review was carried out of
the different document and tools generated by the project. All
selected documentation was analysed and tabulated to be socialized
later toward the people involved and interested in the DIPECHO
Rio Grande Project.

The information was processed as it is described below:

• Compilation and analysis of secondary information of the

project.
• Compilation and analysis of primary information: field
work, meetings with the technical team of Action against
Hunger, semi-structured meetings and interviews with
community leaders, those in charge of Municipal
Emergency Operation Centres (Centro de Operaciones de
Emergencias COEM), representatives of the Departmental
Emergency Operation Centre (COED) and Departmental
Civil Defence.
•Â Processing and analysis of information. Besides
systematizing the preceding sources of information, the
group of documents generated by the project was

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reviewed, such as the

systematisation of KAP
surveys, the hydrological
– hydraulic study or even
the systematisation
documents from different
activities carried out along
the project.
•ÂWriting of the final
document considering the
contribution from the
project’s team.

1.6 Levels of participation

Representatives from
institutions involved in the
execution of the project, from
Photo 1. Systems of cell phone telephony
installed in order to expand the Early Warning the Departmental
System’s coverage in communities of high risk Emergency Operation Centre
of floods.
– (COED), Departmental
Delegation of Civil Defence, Municipal Governments in the area of
influence of the project, Rescue and Search Force of SAR-FAB, as
well as direct beneficiaries in communities of the area of intervention,
contributed key information for the execution of this capitalization.
The process has been led by a consultant together with the project’s
technical team.

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1.7 Mechanisms of communication

The diffusion of this document, besides the digital support of all

the relevant information generated by the project will be sent to
all DIPECHO associates, those in charge, and participants interested
and/or involved in the reduction and preparation for disasters.
Specifically, this document will be sent to the Municipalities and
institutions that have been part of the action, together with those
systematised products and materials.

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Chapter II
Description of the Project

2.1 Name of the experience

The project is entitled “Strengthening of local and departmental

capability to face the threat of floods in the Lower Basin of the Rio
Grande, Department of Santa Cruz – Bolivia”. Simply put, the project
has been announced among the beneficiary population and
institutions such as DIPECHO Rio Grande Project.

2.2 Topic areas of intervention

The Project intervened in the sub-sectors pre-defined next:

1. Elements of local management of emergencies:

• Early Warning System (EWS)
• Mapping and data processing
• Creation and training of local capabilities
2. Institutional links and lobbying:
• Incidence
• Facilitation of coordination
• Institutional strengthening

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3. Information, Education and Communication:

• Raising public awareness
• Education
• Divulgation
4. Works in small infrastructures and services:
• Supporting infrastructure
• Mitigation works

2.3 Location data

The project was developed in the Department of Santa Cruz (a

department in the Bolivian East) in six municipalities located in the
Lower Basin of the Rio Grande: Pailón, El Puente, Cuatro Cañadas,
San Julián, Okinawa and Saavedra. The work of communal
strengthening and preparation was carried out in 33 rural
communities and 2 neighbourhoods in the urban area of the
Municipality of Pailon.

Figure 1. Area of intervention of the DIPECHO Project

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2.4 Period of implementation

The project was developed in a period of 16.5 months of duration,

from September 15, 2007 to January 31, 2009.

2.5 Identification of participants involved

A basic premise of the project has been the largest possible

collaboration and participation with different institutions and local
participants, each of them in their specialty field, without ACH
substituting any of them. It is worth mentioning the participation
of organization such as the Departmental Government of Santa
Cruz together with the Departmental Emergency Operation Centre
and its different commissions, the SENAMHI; SEARPI; Municipal
Governments of Pailón, Cuatro Cañadas, San Julián, El Puente,
Okinawa, Saavedra; the University “Gabriel René Moreno”,the Institute
of Popular Training (Instituto de Capacitación Popular ICAP); the
association of Municipalities of Santa Cruz (AMDECRUZ); the rescue
and search team of the Air Force SAR FAB and other cooperation
institutions. Special emphases deserve the thirty five beneficiary
communities of the project. In the next table, it is offered a global
vision of the previous participants:

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Chart 1. Main participants involved

Total number of
Sub-sector Type of activity Statute Detail beneficiaries

Inhabitants of communities with

established Civil Defence Brigades and 14.405
Local management Creation and training Local population developed Contingency Plans
of emergencies of local capabilities
Members of trained and equipped 299
Community Civil Defence Brigades

Emergency infrastructure Local population Capability of the improved temporary 3.400

Works of small shelters, according to SPHERE standards
infrastructures and
services Inhabitants of communities benefited
Mitigation works Local population with the protection of water supply wells 8.460

Institutional links Institutional strengthening Local Technicians Technicians and municipal authorities 124
and lobbying and Authorities trained in COEM operation
Technicians and municipal and
Technicians and departmental authorities trained with
Local Authorities // specialization courses on Risk 38
Institutional strengthening / NGO Management
Creation (Training) of local
capabilities for local Local professionals Professional of Health trained on
Elements of local institutions of Risk preparation for disasters in the health 40
management of of Health
Management field
emergencies
Volunteers from salvage and help
Local volunteers of teams trained on rescue techniques
salvage and equipped 36
Technicians and Technicians and representatives of
Contingency planning Local Authorities institutions 30
Technicians and Technicians from different institutions
Facilitation of coordination Local Authorities // that participate in the design of the 98
Institutional NGO Departmental Contingency Plan
links andlobbying Technicians and COED and COEM
Technicians and authorities trained in the use of software
Institutional Strengthening Local Authorities Departmental Emergency Management 29
System (SIGED)
Technicians and Technicians from different institutions
Information, Local Authorities // that participate in DIPECHO 50
education, Public awareness NGO presentation and DIRD commemoration
communication
Local population Participants of DIRD events 250
Research and socialization Technicians and Technicians from public institutions,
Others Local Authorities // authorities and decision makers in
Mapping and data NGO // Local general from the Lower Basin of the 100
processing population Rio Grande
Creation and training of Technicians and Technicians from institutions
local capabilities Local Authorities // participating in training on measuring 20
Elements of local NGO equipment management
management of
emergencies Technicians and Technicians from institutions
Early Alert System (SAT) participating in SAT diagnosis 30
Local Authorities workshops and its dinamization

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Total number of
Sub-sector Type of activity Statute Detail beneficiaries
Supporting infrastructure Inhabitants of communities where
(SAT: improvement of Local population evacuation routes were signalised and 14.405
Works of small improved
infrastructures and evacuation routes)
services SAT Communication: Inhabitants of communities equipped
Installation antennas cell Local population with alert system by cell phone telephony 5.755
phone telephony

Professors Professors trained on the use of the game 44

Information, Education “Riskland”
education, Students Students who participated in drawing contests 1.100
communication
Lobbying and awareness Population to whom printed materials and
raising Local population radio shows of awareness raising were directed 14.405

2.6 Context

The DIPECHO Rio Grande Project has been developed in a large area
of the Department of Santa Cruz , East Region of Bolivia, affected
periodically by catastrophic floods.

The Lower Basin of the Rio Grande has a special geomorphology

which makes it especially prone to suffer floods of catastrophic
consequences, as it has happened in the last few years. In its area of
influence, more than one people live, distributed in fifteen
municipalities and hundreds of communities.

The Rio Grande is born among Andean valleys in the Department of

Cochabamba, characterized by an extreme deforestation and high
rates of hydric erosion. In average, around 400,000 tons of sediments
are dragged by the river daily1. The great flows of water transported
during the rainy seasons (November-February) and its low slope in
the Lower Basin generate a scenario of periodical and disastrous
floods, worsened by unsustainable use of the territory; massive
deforestation, occupation of the fluvial bank, slash and burn as regular
farming practice, etc. The surface under high risk of floods has been
estimated by the Departmental Mayoralty of Santa Cruz in 8.541 Km2.
- 1 (Wachholtzsurvey. “Threat and vulnerability for change of River bed and Flood in the Lower Basin of the Río Grande”.
Study for the Inter-institutional Risk Management Project, FAN-AMDECRUZ-GTZ, 2002).
- 2 Resolución Prefectural Nº086/2007

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In this environment of high exposure to natural disasters (partially

flooded in five occasions, since 1996), thousand of families coming
from the Andean Bolivian Highlands and Valleys have settled down
here. This process of colonization of tropical lands has been part of
one of the strategic axis of long term development in the Bolivian
Republic for three decades, based on offering an alternative to the
dominantly rural population from the West of the country, where
the agricultural and climatic conditions are very unfavourable and
the demographic growth has downsized family farms to a size under
the limits of subsistence.

Despite the initial planning effort, many families and communities

of the colonization have not improved their living conditions over
the years. The deterioration of the situations is favouring the gradual
substitution of these colonies by large properties dedicated to the
mechanized farming of oilseeds (soybean, sunflower, rape). The
floods, stimulated by the progress of the agricultural border up to
the very river bank, has also contributed to the fleeing from the
communities and internal emigration from its old inhabitants, toward
the latter areas still with forests in the region, or toward the urban
peripheries of the main cities in the Department of Santa Cruz.

During the last decade, almost every year, the Lower Basin of the
Rio Grande (Department of Santa Cruz) has been affected by
catastrophic floods. These events have been especially intense in
2006, 2007 and 2008. The threat of overflowing and floods caused
by the Rio Grande worsen every year, in an area that has gone
through a quick demographic growth and where more than 70%
of the population lives in poverty conditions3.

- 3 National Institute of Statistics (INE, Department Statistics of Bolivia,2005

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2.7 Description of the tackled problem

According to the Study “Hydrologic – Hydraulic of the Rio Grande”4

carried out in the framework of the DIPECHO Project, its Lower Basin
has a very scarce slope, is subjected to important yearly rainfall
(1,400 mm), and a high phreatic stratum, which as a group, causes
the communities settled over it, suffer permanent floods, with loss
of lives, goods and crops. During rainy seasons, the basin of the Rio
Grande grows significantly and it also brings along sediments that
are placed in this part the basin that has a very low slope that
favours floods.

Figure 2. Map of Flood Risk Area5

- 4 Final Report “Hydrological – Hydraulic Study of the low areas in the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande” – Action against Hunger DIPECHO V
- 5 Final Report “Hydrological – Hydraulic Study of the low areas in the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande” – Action against Hunger DIPECHO V

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According to the context described, the main problems tackled by

the project are mentioned next:

• Organizational weakness of communities and municipalities

in the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande.
• Lack of appropriate knowledge to adapt local living means
to a context of high exposure to floods.
• Lack of municipal requirements responsible for the
preparation and assistance to emergencies and disasters.
• Degradation of the natural defences of the Rio Grande bank
which increases the exposure to floods in the community.
• Scarce inter-institutional coordination regarding the
preparation, alert and response to adverse events.
• Departmental and Municipal Emergency Operation Centres
having deficiencies in their damage evaluation processes
generated for disasters, information analysis and decision
making in emergencies.
• Municipalities having scarce response capability facing
adverse events.

2.8 Proposal of intervention

The project’s main purpose was to contribute to the decrease of

risks in the Department of Santa Cruz (East of Bolivia), through the
sustainable strengthening of response capabilities facing disasters
of the most vulnerable population and the local risk management
coordinated and appropriated inter-institutionally6. The project
contemplated the following four results jointed to the objective
described before:

- 6 Interim Report, DIPECHO V – Action against Hunger, 2008

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Result 1. Inhabitants of communities with high risk to floods have

been prepared and organized to respond to emergencies and
mitigate disasters.

Result 2. Authorities and technicians from institutions in the Lower

Basin of the Rio Grande have improved their skills to face disaster
situations.

Result 3. Technicians and authorities at departmental and municipal

levels know better about the risks to which the population in the
Lower Basin of the Rio Grande is exposed and how to respond to
disasters efficiently and co-ordinately.

Result 4. Local authorities and technicians operate an improved and

enhanced Early Warning System properly and co-ordinately and its
indications and alerts are appropriately interpreted by the population
most vulnerable to floods in the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande.

The project identified the environmental sustainability as the main

transversal axis and more specifically the adjustment of local means
of living and the territorial organization to the limitations imposed
by periodically flooded plains.

2.9 Unexpected achievements and relevant difficulties in the

implementation

Synergies with other ACH’s interventions

Before the implementation of the DIPECHO Project, Action against

Hunger was already experienced in the area of intervention by
having developed a project of Humanitarian Help in 2006 in

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response to the floods caused by the Rio Grande that year. This
presence allowed the relationship with departmental, municipal
and communal authorities to be established, in most of the cases,
faster and with more dynamism.

The DIPECHO Project managed to complement itself with other

three intervention fostered by ACH in the same territory, which
caused a remarkable increase in the number of beneficiaries in the
impact of the work done:

The first project, financed by AECID, was centred on the left river
bank of the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande, allowing the increase
to ten communities and two municipalities (Okinawa and Saavedra)
the strengthening work of local capabilities to face natural disasters
planned in the DIPECHO, a project that was focused on the right
river bank (San Julian, Cuatro Cañadas, Pailon and El Puente). Because
it concerns differentiated areas of intervention, the duplication of
actions regarding local reaching activities was avoided. AECID
project also became the main co-financer of the DIPECHO project,
and it covered different activities, among which, the equipping of
search and rescue groups (FAB-SAR Groups) stand out; the training
of technicians and authorities on risk management, as well as the
signalling of evacuation routes.

The second project that coincided in time with that of DIPECHO,

was also financed by ECHO, the Catalan Agency of Cooperation for
Development (ACCD), and AECID. Such project allowed the
emergency assistance for floods that happened between December
2007 and January 2008. The name of the intervention was
“Humanitarian Help for the vulnerable population affected by floods

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of the Rio Grande, in the Department of Santa Cruz, Bolivia”. It lasted

6 months. It started on February 15 and finished on August 14,
2008. Its area of influence was made up by the municipalities of
Pailón, Cuatro Cañadas, San Julián and El Puente.

This intervention focused on the attention of basic needs regarding

hygiene, water and cleaning up of people affected by floods who
were dispersed in shelters and camps. Well cleaning activities were
also organized in communities and small works of mitigation, as
well as training and formation workshops on hygiene, water and
cleaning up, etc.

The third project, also developed for vulnerable communities in

the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande, was approved by the Government
of Navarra and was called:“Reduction of vulnerability of the families
in poverty situation and with high risk of suffering floods, through
sustainable adjustment of their means of living to the natural
environment in the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande”.It lasted 7 months.
It started on August 1st, 2008 and finished on March 31, 2009. The
area of intervention covered 10 communities vulnerable to floods
distributed in the municipalities of Pailón, Cuatro Cañadas, San
Julián y El Puente.

Navarra’s proposal was mainly focused on the adjustment of the

means of living of the vulnerable communities, facing the natural
environment of the Rio Grande and contemplated coordination
activities and work together with extension agent technicians from
the Agricultural Departmental Service (SEDAG), made the
implementation of demonstrative family gardens, fostered the
participation in fairs and agriculturally productive activities and

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reproduced a series of material for the diffusion of information

produced by SEDAG and related to the project’s issues. Through
this intervention the knowledge acquired by the inhabitants of the
communities in the entire area of intervention was also reinforced
through workshops on Communal Contingency Plan and it
contributed to the diffusion of the products generated by all the
actions carried out by ACH in the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande
between 2007 and 2009.

Municipal Acquisition

DIPECHO project decisively contributed to the awareness increase

in some municipalities about the need to focus the preparation for
disasters comprehensively and permanently. In this sense, the
Municipality of Pailon ended up creating a Risk Management Unit
which has a person, equipment and specific budget for
comprehensive management of risks. This important step shows
the level of empowering of these municipalities in the design of
their own policies responding to a specific need of attention to
risks which they have to live with.

Communal initiative

In the case of villagers participating in the process, it could be seen

that there has been a higher sense of awareness, identifying
themselves as participants in the social construction of the risk,
which produced mutual cooperation coordination among
neighbouring communities with which to take more comprehensive
measures of risk reduction, preparation, alert and response to
disasters. The process of training on preparation for disasters was

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designed starting from interest expressed by the very beneficiaries,

outstanding among its contents, the self construction of wooden
boats which allow providing 17 communities with essential elements
for evacuation and rescue its inhabitants.

Participation of local participants in the search for sustainability

Another important result was the incorporation of the Autonomous

University “Gabriel Rene Moreno” –Institute of Popular Training, to
the DIPECHO project. This allowed higher education to be part of
the training process in the obtained results.

In the case of the strengthening and implementation of the Early

Warning System, the group of participants related to the EWS was
strengthened with specialized equipment and training. The
expansion of the group through the use of low cost and easy upkeep
technology stands out, as well as cell phone telephony, providing
25 communities with the necessary equipment (antennas and
telephones) to be communicated during emergency situations.

Main difficulties

Among the greatest inconveniences the DIPECHO project had to

face, the social political conflicts the Department of Santa Cruz goes
through stand out, and they reached their culminating moment
between the months of August and September 2008, with the closing
of routes, taking of public institutions and discontinuation of economic
activities. Besides stopping the proper execution of activities, this
climate has made it extremely difficult to process inter-institutional
coordination, one of the main work lines proposed by the project.

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The period of
implementation also
coincided with three
electoral processes, which
made it difficult to call for
training/awareness events
planned in communities
and municipalities.

The situation forced the

ACH’s team to maintain a permanent lobbying and conciliation
attitude, emphasizing the principles of neutrality and impartiality
of the institution. Despite this effort, some confusion occurred in
some of the communities and municipalities about the role played
by the different institutions related to the project.

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The social political conflicts added to the humanitarian emergency

caused by the floods in February 2008 caused some of the local
participants not to have the best predisposition or availability of
human resources and time to get involved more actively in the
activities proposed by the project.

In general terms, technicians and authorities of the intervention

area came from a limited knowledge about the responsibilities
assigned to them by the juridical mark stipulated by Law 21407.
The municipalities and communities neither had, in most of the
cases, a trajectory of jointed work in the preparation for disasters.

- 7 Risk Reduction and emergencies atention low

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Chapter III
Capitalization of Experiences

3.1 Introduction to capitalization

For the fulfilment of the results proposed by the Project, a

comprehensive intervention strategy was adopted; however, the
following sub-sectors stand out given the importance assigned to
them by the project:

- Community Strengthening / Communal Brigades of Civil

Defence
- Expansion of the Early Warning System facing floods
- Inter-institutional training process on preparation for disasters

3.2 Capitalization

Component 1.
Community Strengthening / Communal Brigades of Civil Defence

The component of community work is included in Result 1:

Community inhabitants with high risk of floods have been prepared
and organized to respond to emergencies and to mitigate disasters.

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1. Description and Converging Aspects

This process started with the selection of beneficiary communities,

in coordination with municipal and communal authorities,
considering the degree of threat and vulnerability facing disasters
the main criteria. In such communities, a communal self-diagnosis
was carried out and one of their main products was the preparation
of flood maps. The information procured at the beginning of the
project was completed with a survey on Knowledge, Attitude and
Practices (KAP), in relation to the preparation for floods.

The process of community selection followed the following criteria:

a) Identification of areas of high risk of floods in the Lower

Basin of the Rio Grande: for that, the information
procured from Mayoralty Resolution No. 086/2007 from
March 27, 2007, from the Mayoralty of Santa Cruz was
used and it states and delimits the area of high risk of
floods in the Lower Basin of the river with geographic
coordinates.

b) Analysis of historic records of floods in the municipalities

of intervention, which allowed focalising in more detail
those areas that in the last few years have been more
exposed to the overflowing dynamics and floods of the
river and that have suffered more losses and damages.

c) Consultation to local authorities and organizations:

because the number of communities susceptible to
floods in the intervention municipalities is larger than

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the one foreseen in the project. The technical team of

the project supplemented the initial analysis with
interviews and meetings dedicated to agree with
municipal technicians, the municipal government's
authorities and leaders of the social and community
organizations the election of the communities where
to work.

After the selection of communities, the community diagnosis was

carried out with each one of them, through workshops carried out
by promoters of the DIPECHO project, with the purpose that they
write their maps of perception of the communal risk and identify
the strengths, weaknesses and necessities for the attention and
response to emergencies and disasters.

Then, they conformed to Communal Brigades of Emergency in the

35 communities located in the six established municipalities; the
members of the brigades were trained in the areas of: Evacuation
of Communities, Early Alert and Activation of Response, Management
of Shelters, First aids in Remote Areas, Controlled Burns, Forest Fire
fighters, self-construction and maintenance of wooden boats.
Complementarily to the training, basic equipment for response to
emergencies was provided.

In the final stage of implementation, Communities, Communal

Brigades of Emergency and promoters cooperated with the
preparation of Communal Plans of Contingency facing Floods that
capture the coordination actions, operation and response to
emergency situations. An important exercise that closed the
activities in the communities was the development of workshops

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of communal simulations, to be able to apply the acquired

knowledge, to evaluate the effectiveness of the Contingency Plans
and to familiarize with the deficiencies on which the community
should work.

Figure 3. Maps of the community of Port Pacay, in normal situation

and during a flood time. Contingency Plan

From an initiative of the Project and Communal Brigades, inter-

communal workshops were carried out, where Brigades from
different communities gathered to make an interchange of
knowledge, experiences, and to consolidate the mutual support
and coordination bonds.

Among the activities proposed by the project, reforestation actions

in prioritised areas over the Rio Grande bank were done. The work
was developed in coordination with the municipalities of Pailon
and San Julian. The support for the project for this activity was
centred on giving forest seedling and equipment to the
Municipality of Pailon, as well as salary payments, for a period of
3 months (September, October and November) to 7 people in
charge of the work at the nursery and transplants in prioritised
areas in the Municipality of San Julian.

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Among other activities, there were those of protection of water

supply wells in the communities, with the purpose of avoiding
contamination in case of floods. Seven temporary shelters were
also identified and adjusted so that they can be used as shelters
in the right place, for temporarily evacuated families in future flood
areas. In the adjustment and repair of the shelters, minimal
regulations of the Sphere Project were taken into account.

2. Impact, relevance and comprehensiveness

The component has impact and relevance elements, initially with

the work in communities through promoters, who became
participants with knowledge of the problem facing floods in the
area. The awareness of these local participants created a bigger
impact on the strengthening local capabilities and a sense of
relevance that facilitated the rapprochement, the empathy relation
with their environment between vulnerable municipalities and
communities.

According to the analysis, the strongest and most impact of an

adverse event on the communities falls on the means of living,
and the strategy used by Action against Hunger was to strengthen
and complement the implementation of the DIPECHO project with
the Food Security Project financed by the Government of Navarra.

The Food Security Project in larger measure facilitated that ten

communities acquired the thematic of Risk Reduction and
Preparation for Disasters by conceptualising a solution conducive
to reduce the impact that the communities considered more
important as a result of an adverse event.

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It can be emphasized the effort of the project to cover the diffusion

of appropriate knowledge of the preparation for disasters in the
widest possible territory of the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande,
overcoming climatic and logistics difficulties. This devotion has
been recognized for the communities themselves.

The methodological training process incorporated local demands

and made the villagers participants. The Communal Contingency
Plans rescued key aspects about local knowledge and
organizational appropriate actions.

The exercise of communal simulations incorporated the SAR Group

as facilitators, which allowed strengthening coordination
mechanisms of an operation requirement that at a time of an
emergency supports the evacuation and the rescue. These exercises
also allowed a better knowledge of the environment from the
FAB-SAR Groups and a better degree of relation with the villagers
in a different phase at the time of an emergency.

Facilitators and community created a mutual coordination and

learning space in relation to the participants affected-rescuer,
acknowledging the exercise of the simulation as an important
learning process and ulterior analysis of all the process of DIPECHO
Project about communal response capabilities.

Having physical spaces for sheltering people in case of adverse

events, was carried out together with the municipalities, to which
Action against Hunger technically advised about minimal
requirements these spaces must meet about water and cleaning
up, food, solid wastes management, administration, besides the

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selection of appropriate space for this task. It is also important to

mention that these spaces have been adjusted through the Project
and meet the Minimum Requirements in the SPHERE Project.

Component 2.
Expansion of the Early Warning System facing Floods

The improvement of the Early Warning System (EWS)

corresponding to Result 4. Local authorities and technicians
operate an improved and enhanced Early Alert System,
appropriately and co-ordinately, and its indications and alerts are
interpreted appropriately by the population most vulnerable to
floods in the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande.

1. Description and concluding aspects

The EWS strengthening and improvement process started with

interviews, structured surveys and coordinating meetings with
local requirements that made up the Early Warning Commission
and Monitoring COED in the Department of Santa Cruz, such as
the Service of Water Embankment of the Pirai River ( Servicio de
Encauzamiento de Aguas del Río Piraí SEARPI), the Municipal
Emergency Operation Centres and the National Service of
Meteorology and Hydrology (Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e
Hidrología SENAMHI), AASANA, Project of Non Structured Measures
of Drainage North Area and the Direction of Territorial and Basins
Arrangement to know the existing deficiencies in the current system.
As a result of the actions mentioned before, the alert information
protocols were strengthened by workshops where the institutions
updated their alert communication protocols and means.

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In order for the EWS communication protocols may work more

efficiently, the expansion of the alert communication system was
carried out through installation of towers and antennas where there
was no signal. The project provided the appropriate telephone
equipment and manual battery charging systems. This way they
have an easy and permanent communication not only for
emergency situations but also for any necessary case.

In communities, EWS operation training workshops were carried

out including the diffusion of the meaning of alert messages to the
population, a training that was made at a municipal level as well.
Awareness raising campaigns about the topic were developed,
including diffusion materials for the general population.

From this process, the incorporation of the Early Warning component

in the Community Contingency Plans was carried out. This way,
alert communities methods were defined, meeting points, escape
routes and safe areas. To facilitate these works, the signalling of
evacuation routes was made (270 Km), distances were determined,
approximate times between communities and safe areas, by foot
and by vehicle, capturing all this information on the Communal
Contingency Plans.

The project provided SEARPI with the equipment for monitoring

the river flows, which will allow having permanent and reliable
statistical data of the behaviour of the river and its levels. In the
next figure, the way in which the SAT is articulated in the Rio Grande
is shown.

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

SENAMHI Santa Cruz Observadores de SEARPI asignados al

monitoreo de limnímetros en Abapo y Pailas

Teléfono celular y reportes escritos

SEARPI Santa Cruz

Teléfono celular, fax y e-mail

COED (Comisión de Alerta

Temprana)
Teléfono celular, SMS, radioemisoras

Centro Operaciones Brigadas OTB’s, Comités Radioemisoras

Emergencias Comunitarias de Cominitarios de Alerta locales
(COEM) Defensa Civil Temprana

Figure 4. Information flow and communication means used in the SATA

of the Rio Grande

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Additionally to the
hydrometric equipment,
2 limnimetric scales
were installed in the
community of Puerto
Pacay in the Municipality
of Cuatro Cañadas and
6 limnimetric rulers were
painted in the railroad
bridge of Puerto Pailas,
in the Municipality of
Pailon. These devices were also created with the purpose of
improving the quality and quantity of data that allow optimising
and improving the necessary information to declare states of alert
in the area of influence of the project.

To validate the EWS

strengthening process
and other actions carried
out during the project, a
departmental simulation
was carried out where
EWS operation was
observed, as well as the
communication
protocols and means,
training given to the
communities, the response of the organizations in charge and the
communities themselves facing emergency situations, coordination
levels, communication among communities, municipalities and
departmental government.

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2. Impact, relevance and comprehensiveness

The departmental EWS strengthening facing floods was vitally

important since it allowed the risks analysis articulations, alert
signals and monitoring through technical-scientific means and
communication systems, at departmental, municipal and communal
level.

The communities point out that the use of cell phone

communication means will not only be for flood situations but
there is already an awareness and acquiring of the systems to be
used in any emergency situation that occurs in their community
related to health, fires, etc.

The hydrological-hydraulic study made in the Lower Basin of the

Rio Grande provided relevant information about the dynamics of
the river, areas of influence of its overflowing, factors that increase
threats in the area, as well as anthropic activities that increase their
vulnerability conditions, a situation that has been increasing through
the years. An important element within the recommendations of
this study is an action proposal called Comprehensive Management
Service of the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande.

From the Communal Contingency Plans, the communities know

and identify their evacuation routes, meeting places and shelters,
distances to these points, information that is relevant for the
municipality, and from it, they can plan response activities more
appropriately, contributing with support by the necessary
equipment and logistics.

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The elements previously mentioned allow departmental and

municipal levels to have larger instruments to plan the response
to emergencies or disasters and join them technically.

Component 3.
Process inter-institutional training on preparation for disasters

Within the project, there was an important Training component,

incorporated in: Result 2. Authorities and technicians from
institutions in the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande have improved
their skills to face disaster situations, and Result 3. Technicians and
authorities of municipal and departmental levels know the risks to
which the population of the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande is
exposed better and how to respond to disasters efficiently and co-
ordinately.

1. Description and conclusive aspects

In this component the Municipal Emergency Operation Centres

were organized and equipped in 6 beneficiary municipalities and
the Departmental Emergency Operation Centre. In the municipalities
where there was no COEMs, the process started from their creation.
To strengthen the COEM and the Departmental Emergency
Operation Centre COED, technicians and municipal and
departmental authorities were trained on the following topics:

- Early Alert and response activation

- Logistic Support Systems Course LSS/SUMA
- Need Analysis and Damage Evaluation Course
- Minimal Norms Sphere

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

- Shelter Administration
- GPS basic handling
- First Aids

In the training general process a big step was taken to the design
and implementation of the Course called: Risk Reduction and
Preparation for Emergencies, in coordination with the Autonomous
University “Gabriel Rene Moreno” (UAGRM). This course has been
the first academic experience of this kind in the Department of
Santa Cruz. Its contents are structured the following way:

Module 1. Conceptual framework of Risk Management

Module 2. Legal and Regulation framework Risk Management
Module 3. Risk Analysis
Module 4. Hydrology: risk management
Modulo 5. Climatic change
Modulo 6. Land Use Plan
Modulo 7. Early Warning System for Forest Fires (SATIF)
Modulo 8. Early Warning System for Floods in the CBRG

The courses develop every module in theory and in practice through

conceptual presentations, exercises and case studies in which GR
topics are incorporated, Municipal Development Plans and Territorial
Arrangement.

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

Photo 5. Training to Municipal COEs

The Search and Rescue Team FAB SAR was also trained on: First
Aids, Cartography, Damage Evaluation and Need Analysis EDAN,
Aquatic Rescue, Use and Handling of communication equipment,
Engine Handling and Diving; equipment was also given to carry
out the activities they were trained on.

Health personnel were trained on Disaster Preparedness in the

Lower Basin of the Rio Grande, with the support of the Departmental
Health Service (SEDES) and the Panamerican Health Organization
(OPS).

In the results this component covers, there is the preparation of the

Departmental Contingency Plan and Municipal Contingency Plans,
and for these, inter-institutional workshops were organized where
action protocols were defined in case of floods.

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

From a need identified during the formulation of the project, COED’s

technicians were designed and trained on the implementation of
the Information System for Departmental Emergencies (SIGED),
that allows:

- The creation of a database, a structured archive and

information analysis of Damage Evaluation EDAN

- The automatic generation of reports in which type and

amount of humanitarian help required in a community or
municipality is specified

- The generation of GIS (Geographic Information System)

maps of victim areas, degree of affectation, etc.

- Representation of damage maps on Google Earth.

All the generated information was shown to the departmental and

municipal institutions and to the general public so that they could
apply the generated knowledge.

Finally, together with the Departmental Government of Santa Cruz,

a commemorative fair of the International Day for Disaster Reduction
was co-organized and implemented, where the civil society was
shown the activities carried out by the Project, the need to be aware
of the risks they coexist with, as well as of the importance of including
risk management in the organizational social culture. In this fair,
institutions such as the City hall, Mayoralty, Voluntary Fire-fighters,
SAR FAB, Departmental Civil Defence, International Plan, Bolivian
Red Cross, Help in Action among others.

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

2. Impact, relevance and comprehensiveness

Although COED’s members had an empirical knowledge and a wide

experience on emergency assistance, the training reinforced the
acquired practical skills, offering new operative technical knowledge,
which allowed to strengthen their institution quality not only
through their practice but also by having a more comprehensive
focus on the preparation and response to disasters.

The strengthening not only physical but also conceptual of the COEMs
generated a leadership and awareness from local authorities at the time
of focusing on emergencies to a Comprehensive Risk Management
in all its processes through the creation of Risk Management Unit
(UGR) that allows the municipality to work not only at the time of a
disaster but also during its previous and ulterior phases.

A relevant aspect in the attitude change that lately has been

perceived in municipalities is the purposed manifested by
technicians and authorities to prioritise the response to a disaster
that affects the municipality before turning to departmental help,
which is a resource to turn to in case that local capabilities have
been overwhelmed. The training course organized with the
University allowed focusing on risk management not as an activity
separate from the development processes but as an incorporated
to municipal development planning.

The training received by SAR Group besides being in accordance

with the objectives the institution pursuits, allowed them to generate
a vision of self management in strengthening and training processes
through knowledge, capabilities and skills that have been developed.

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

Finally, the software development of the Departmental Emergency

Information System (SIGED) allows the Departmental Government
to have a tool that articulates the generation of maps (SIG), with
the Damage Evaluation Form (EDAN) and SPHERE Minimal Norms
in a comprehensive way.

This tool gives complete information that allows planning actions

before, during and after the emergency.

This computer system may be empowered by the national

organization such as Civil Defence and by other departments by
incorporating them to their emergency management. The SIGED
becomes a useful tool to make a strategic planning of Response to
Disasters.

3.3 Lessons learned

This part of the project’s capitalization process was also made with
the managerial and technical team of Action against Hunger.

- The creation of Civil Defence Communal Brigades in the

area of intervention has limited sustainability given the
social cultural conditions. Therefore, the need to incorporate
preparation and communal response to disasters to already
existing local organizational structures is proposed.

- Increasing the levels of planning, coordination, follow-up,

experience sharing and articulation of different components
of the technical team to increase impact of each activity
was identified as of vital importance.

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

- In the processes of work with promoters, methodological

weaknesses of teaching were identified, so it is necessary
to design a training methodology for promoters and a
training methodology from promoters to villagers
implemented homogenously in all the Project’s activities.

- Due to the situations specific to the context where the

activities are carried out, the project’s technical team showed
a great capability of adjustment to the difficult environment
dynamics, and remained in its neutral and independent
position.

- In the training processes in communities, a great number

of participants were women accompanied by children. This
circumstance may be used to carry out simultaneous
activities of awareness directed to school children that allow
a more comprehensive use by the participants and the
inclusion of a new participant in the training.

- Due to the social cultural characteristics, the difficulty of

communication and the extension of the territory covered
by the project, the community workshop or training calls
were not as good as they should have, and as a consequence,
the level of participation in the training was lower than
expected. A strategy to insure a greater participation of the
rural population must be designed.

- At the beginning of the Project and during its execution,

it is necessary that the Project’s team correctly understand
and interpret the objectives and commitments of the

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

document to improve the articulation of components and

results.

- Although carrying out departmental simulations

strengthened the learning processes of DIPECHO Project,
the need to carry out these exercises was identified focusing
on different sectors, level and stages so that during a
preliminary exercise there may be a real diagnostic that
allows defining strategies during the implementation of
the project and at the end of the process carry out an
evaluation of the generated capabilities.

- To achieve attitude and behaviour changes in communities,

it is important and necessary to use a methodology of
information based on the community developing a medium
and long term publicity campaign.

- Although ACH achieved incidence on the social

responsibility of the cell phone telephony private companies,
the results were not those expected. However, it became a
new working line that allows the articulation of new
participants of the preparation for disasters.

3.4 Testimonies of participants in the DIPECHO Rio Grande

Project

- “…The project was developed very appropriately within

the municipality because it is a municipality that it’s
continuously threatened by floods, so that it can assists its
different communities that needed this training, so that

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

they become more aware of the danger, of the threat they

have there permanently. By becoming aware, they already
know they are threatened and then they have a response
at the moment of the flood, unlike past years, the
communities are trained and make the decision of self
evacuate, if the term is valid, and not to wait for the help to
come, because it always comes late. They have the capability
to evacuate, they take preventive measures before it
happens, considering the place where they will go to,
adjusting the possible shelters, the possible routes. We have
noticed a change thanks to the training received…” Severino
Barba Bazán, Honourable Municipal Government of
Okinawa.

- “…Civil Defence has always had to made expenditures to

train people sending them abroad, but since Action against
Hunger has started to train
people, we have had the
opportunity to attend the training
and to increase our possibility to
help people…” Colonel Juan
Carlos Velásquez Rivera, Head of
Evaluators Civil Defence
Departmental Direction Santa
Cruz.

- “…Actually, for us, it has been

flattering as a municipality,
because our capability especially
of response and to have a good

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Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

result regarding the

affectations we had,
the work done by
Action against Hunger
has been of great help,
that besides training us
as a municipality, they
have trained all the
communities…”
Manfredo Suarez
Parada, Honourable
Municipal Government
of Saavedra.

- “… The project has intervened in the logical area, which is

the Lower Basin of the Rio Grande. It was one of the most
affected areas, and it has been thus coordinated and we
are aware of that and we thank having recognized the
departmental organization that COE is by law and the
mayoralty which are the top departmental organizations
by law…” Alcides Vargas, Departmental Secretary of Human
Development – Director Departmental Emergency
Operation Centre Departmental Government of Santa Cruz.

- “… Action against Hunger comes in the main door at the

moment of signing an agreement with the municipality of
San Julian and the conclusions that stand out, I would say,
for example, are the creation of a Early Alert System where
the communities are equipped with cell phones and its
respective antennas and towers. I think this is a very

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

important tool to alert or to have communication that may

be about emergencies or others. In the Rio Grande for
example, many eucalyptus seedlings have been produced.
also with the support of the project, forest areas have been
reforested and the mayoralty keeps reforesting at the
moment and we ask ACH to propose a new project with
other communities in San Julián…” Avilio Moreira Cruz,
Director of Economic Development Honourable Municipal
Government of San Julián.

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

Chapter IV
Recommendations8

1. The information, tools, instruments and results generated must

be socialized the widest way possible tot he participant of
Preparation and Response to Disasters to generate a larger use,
empower their capabilities, their acquisition and relevance for
their use in decision making.

2. Even though the project has finished, there is a possibility that

the public participants continue and search financing for the
project’s processes, or other similar proposals be designed and
financed.

3. Motivate municipal and departmental Governments to continue

and include a process of reinforcement of the project’s results
and prepare similar projects.

4. The promotion of knowledge in technicians and facilitators of

evaluation methodologies about teaching and learning
systematically, emphasizing on qualitative aspects. This would
improve the results and impact on the educational processes
(training).
- 8 Recommendations from the Report of External Evaluation EX-Post of the project is incorporated, prepared by consultant Alfredo Paz.

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

5. The selection of qualified personnel of project coordination with

competencies that prioritise development project management.
Skills, abilities and experience on the project management seem
more important than technical competence in the topic dealt
with. Technical competences at risk management levels and
others, may be carried out by technical specialists, but good
personnel management, team work, management tools, control,
monitoring and follow-up, inter-institutional relations, etc. are
key at the time of executing a project.

6. Applying a reviewing method to consistency of logical

framework (Any of the methods commonly used), to detect
difficulties in the measurement of indicators and facilitating the
generation of verification sources and base lines.

7. Establishing ample time ranges in places where the occurrence

of assumptions or external factors interferes with temporary
efficiency such as social or political conflicts.

8. Capitalizing the experience at institutional and financial

organizations levels. The systematisation of experiences and
practices normally end up in a collection of data, reflections
about the project and its participants, executors, but it is
recommended to continue until they are implemented and
applied to the interior of linked institutions and their projects.
For this, it is useful to prepare a specific work plan.

9. Mass socialization of the study made for the project and the
achieved systematisation because they will promote the topic
at different levels.

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

10. The assignation of specific budgets to carry out several

simulations in similar projects because besides being referents
of the situation valuation, it is an appropriate space to put the
knowledge, attitudes and practices achieved by the participants
into practice.

11. The in-depth study and selection of variable and pertinent and
intelligent indicators in the evaluation system of simulations,
because the application of simulations but especially drills,
provide ideal opportunities to value several aspects, sectors and
performances in projects of this kind, and consequently of
adjustments in the execution and in the strategies and
methodologies used.

12. A strategy of work must be designed with information means

of communication that generate synergy effects that strengthen
the seizure of knowledge about Preparation and Disaster
Preparedness.

13. In the processes of training and follow-up of the activities in

communities, authorities of the COEM should be included with
a more protagonist role to increase the capability of autonomous
response to disasters.

14. The design and application of methodologies must be

restructured and strengthened in the training processes of the
entire technical team in a way that it responds to a strategy of
the project in all its activities.

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

ANNEX 1

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

Products systemised by the project, made available to anyone

interested

1. Digitalized maps obtained from community self diagnosis of

flood risks

2. Didactic materials used in training courses given to

communities; first aids, forest fire-fighters and controlled burn)

3. Community Contingency Plans

4. Report of community simulations workshops systematisation

5. Report of Survey at the beginning and end of the project, about

communal Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (CAP) about
risk management.

6. Card of temporary shelter repair systematisation (blue prints

of work, budgets, photographs)

7. Card of well protection systematisation (blue prints of work,

budgets, photographs)

8. Card of reforestation activity systematisation

9. Training of technicians and departmental and municipal

authorities on Preparation for Disasters and Response to
Emergencies: module contents, support documents, certificate
model

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

10. Training and equipping of Municipal Emergency Operation

Centres (COEM): module contents, support documentation,
certificate model

11. Training on preparation for disasters to municipal health service

personnel in coordination with OPS

12. Training and equipping of FAB-SAR Groups: module contents,

support documents, certificate model

13. Municipal and departmental contingency plans: six documents

of municipal plans and one document of departmental plan

14. Report of Systematisation of inter-institutional workshops to

prepare the Departmental Contingency Plan

15. Indicators of preparation for disasters: analysis report with

municipal technicians and authorities of the Red Cross reference
document

16. CD with free software Departmental Emergencies Management

System (SIGED); installation software, user’s manual, coordinates
of communities in the Department of Santa Cruz

17. DVD with hydrological study of the Lower Basin of the Rio
Grande and risk maps in Arcgis and Autocad formats

18. Report of systematisation of the commemoration events of

the International Day of Disaster Reduction (DIRD)

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 Fifth DIPECHO Action Plan for South America

19. Report of capitalization of the project

20. Card of systematisation about hydrometric equipment given

to SEARPI, in the framework of improvement activities of the
Early Alert System (SAT)

21. Card of systematisation of the SAT communication network

improvement process

22. Card of systematisation of the Awareness Campaign about SAT

and preparation for floods: school drawings, illustrations bank,
printed materials, radio spots, radio soap opera, Game “Riskland”

23. Card of systematisation of communal evacuation routes

signalling

24. Report of systematisation of departmental simulation

25. Report of final External Evaluation

26. Bank of photographs generated for the project

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