Aid worker stories
Ensuring quality and accountability in flood response programmes
The Sphere minimum standards in disaster relief are the international measure for ensuring quality and accountability in the delivery of aid. Titus Prince, Field Coordinator for Pakistan-based NGO Sungi Development Fund, explains how RedR training enabled him to design improved flood response programmes to meet the needs of those affected.
How have you been responding to the flooding in Pakistan?
Immediately after the flooding I was deputed as part of the emergency response team to Rajanpur in southern Punjab where we provided relief items and food to 8,400 people. I was part of the team that designed a Water, Sanitation & Hygiene project in Naseerabad in Baluchistan targeting 16,800 people. I am also supervising a project in Swat and Lower Dir (Khyber Pakhtoonkha) targeting 17,500 people with relief items and WASH.
How has the RedR training you received improved your response to the floods?
Just after attending the Essentials of Humanitarian Practice training in July we were immediately sent to the field to respond to the floods crisis. The course enabled me to plan a comprehensive and coordinated response for my organisation. Another advantage of the course was my increased knowledge about various ethical standards and international laws which helped me to design very useful projects.
What’s been the impact on the people affected by the floods?
The RedR training has helped us to deliver a higher quality of assistance. For instance, we knew exactly the daily calorie guide from Sphere Standards in order to design an ample food package for a family. Following Sphere Standards too, we established latrines taking into account the distance from the dwellings, and gender issues like privacy for females. We are able to ensure that the affected people are getting good quality clean drinking water. We have also formed humanitarian quality management committees at the village level to ensure quality control and be more accountable to the people we work for.
Have you been able to share your RedR training within your organisation?
Knowledge sharing is vital to any organization. After attending RedR trainings I have shared the knowledge with my colleagues. For instance, I have shared the concepts of the Sphere Project, HAP ethical standards, the code of conduct and humanitarian reform with 125 colleagues across Punjab, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtoonkha. It is mandatory for these colleagues to follow these international guidelines and ensure human dignity, greater accountability and morality when running the projects.
What do you think is the wider impact of training in minimum standards for disaster relief?
Pakistan has a lack of very qualified people working in the humanitarian sector. RedR trainings have a long-term impact on the humanitarian sector as more humanitarians will be able to deliver high quality assistance to the affected people. I would say that RedR is bringing a change to the sector to professionalise it in order to improve the lives of people affected by disasters.
Titus has attended three RedR courses in Pakistan: Essentials of Humanitarian Practice, Elements of Emergency Action and Project Proposal Writing.
Read about RedR Members working in Pakistan
Donate to RedR and support our training in Pakistan.
Photo credits: Reuters/Akhtar Soomro, courtesy Trust.org - AlertNet.
