Weekly Bulletin Housing Recovery and Reconstruction Platform, Nepal

26 February 2018 Page 1 of 11

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WEEKLY BULLETIN 26 February 2018

Kolki-Rainas Urban Municipality, Ward No. 5, Lamjung

Rainas Urban Municipality, Ward No. 9, Lamjung: The house on the right of the photo is the household’s current house which was damaged in the earthquake. To the left of the photo is the household’s new house that is under

construction. The family are moving to brick masonry for their new home as they don’t trust stone masonry construction. They are living in their old house at the moment but plan to demolish it once their new house is

complete. They were also informed by the inspection engineers that they would need to demolish their old house to be able to receive the third tranche of the GoN housing reconstruction grant.

Weekly Bulletin Housing Recovery and Reconstruction Platform, Nepal

26 February 2018 Page 2 of 11

Rainas Urban Municipality, Ward No. 9, Lamjung: many households have chosen to demolish upper storeys and replace the roof rather than retrofitting their existing house or reconstructing a new home. Their priest has told

them not to reconstruct in this area but their other piece of land which is now in conflict with the Right of Way of a new road. They are also waiting for someone to visit that can provide them with information and / or support on

where and how to rebuild.

Kolki-Rainas Urban Municipality, Ward No. 5, Lamjung: an example of hybrid construction with ground floor constructed using stone and mud mortar masonry with RCC bands, and first floor constructed using CGI and timber.

This household was supported by Lutheran World Relief (LWR) / COPPADES up to second tranche, but LWR / COPPADES only had agreement to support up to 200,000 NPRs so the third tranche will come from the Government

and there is a risk that the house will be non-compliant.

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Kolki-Rainas Urban Municipality, Ward No. 5, Lamjung: in this area there is a mix of hybrid structures and brick masonry structures under construction. The brick masonry house in the foreground is being constructed with

support from LWR / COPPADES, and the blue houses in the background have been constructed with support from Kadori Foundation (KAAA/KCF).

Highlights

• Please, please, please help improve the platform by taking part in the HRRP Partner Satisfaction Survey – the HRRP is your platform and your feedback will help to shape it.

• NRA Project Monitoring Information System Launch, 21 February

• NRA Lamjung, Partner Coordination Meeting, 23 February – the first reconstruction partner coordination meeting to take place in the district!

• Nepal Rastra Bank, Financial Inclusion Map

• Summary of HRRP district and municipal coordination meetings, 16 February – 22 February

• Distribution of timber at subsidised rate, Ramechhap

• Summary of Cash Coordination Group (CCG) Meeting, 23 February

• Open Data Day Nepal 2018, 3 March, Patan Durbar Square and Museum

• International Women’s Day Event, Women’s Experience in Reconstruction, 9 March, 10-12

Weekly Bulletin Housing Recovery and Reconstruction Platform, Nepal

26 February 2018 Page 4 of 11

National MoFALD CLPIU Enrolment Data, as of 23 February (Nepali and Unofficial English Translation):

11 February 18 February 23 February

Total No. Eligible HHs 767,705 767,685 767,705

HHs Enrolled 692,066 689,125 701,350

HHs Received 1st Tranche 679,722 679,859 691,255

HHs Applied for 2nd Tranche 197,115 229,025 270,839

HHs Received 2nd Tranche 194,297 203,501 219,971

HHs Applied for 3rd Tranche 47,841 56,367 70,820

HHs Received 3rd Tranche 47,394 49,021 51,272

NRA Project Monitoring Information System Launch, 21 February: the PMIS is web-based application software designed to establish a comprehensive database of reconstruction programs and to monitor their implementation, particularly the Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) jointly financed by Government of Nepal and ADB. NRA has implemented the PMIS to ensure reconstruction activities are effective and transparent in earthquake-affected districts. The PMIS enables central monitoring of all reconstruction related activities at the local level. Project managers can now have real time interaction with resident engineers and field level officers working in all earthquake-affected districts and provide a quick response when required. The publicly accessible portal provides access to a range of information and reports related to ongoing reconstruction activities.

HRRP Hollow Concrete Block Testing: the testing is ongoing at the Central Material Testing Laboratory (CMTL), Pulchowk Engineering Campus, Lalitpur. The test samples were collected from HCB producers across the 14 most districts most affected by the 2015 earthquake. This testing builds on a previous round of HCB testing conducted by HRRP in December 2016 – more details here. Please feel free to contact Deepak Saud, HRRP District Management Team Technical Coordinator, dmt.tech@hrrpnepal.org, with any questions or suggestions related to the HCB testing.

UPDATES & REQUESTS

Weekly Bulletin Housing Recovery and Reconstruction Platform, Nepal

26 February 2018 Page 5 of 11

Block testing taking place at the Central Material Testing Laboratory (CMTL), Pulchowk Engineering Campus,

Lalitpur. Training for NRA Assistant Sub-Engineers on Correction and Exceptions Manual and Retrofitting, 20-22 February: the 3 day training was conducted in Kathmandu for NRA Assistant Sub-Engineers working in Dhading and Okhaldhunga. HRRP supported the technical part of the training on request from MoUD CLPIU. Similar trainings are now being rolled out or Assistant Sub-Engineers from other districts. Cash Coordination Group Meeting, 23 February: during the meeting UNCDF presented financial data and mapping and informed that partners can access this useful data through http://emap.nrb.org.np/. The CCG requested HRRP to share lessons learned on coordination and advocacy to support strengthening of the CCG. The CCG agreed to conduct training with local government and partner organisations and an action plan was developed for this. International Mother Language Day, 21 February: this day provided an important moment to reflect on the role of language in the context of the reconstruction. The Inter-Agency Common Feedback Project Community Perception Survey of September 2017 found wide variation in respondents’ confidence that they fully understand the grant process by mother tongue, with 72% of Nepali speakers confident in their understanding, compared to only 50% of Newari speakers and 55% of Gurung speakers.

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The mother tongue of people across the 31 earthquake affected districts, based on CBS Census 2011. For more

information visit the mother tongue dashboard on the HRRP website - http://www.hrrpnepal.org/mother-tongue.

Districts & Municipalities NRA Lamjung, Partner Coordination Meeting, 23 February: the meeting was chaired by NRA Lamjung, attended by MoUD DLPIU and 7 Partner Organisations, and facilitated by the visiting HRRP team. The meeting included updates from partners on progress and upcoming planning, a presentation from NRA on the 5W and training database templates, and presentation from HRRP team on their field visit observations. It was agreed that there will be a regular coordination meeting every month. Some of the major issues and challenges observed by the HRRP team are as follows:

1. Misinformation and confusion are present at all levels – field, local, and district. There is no clear and uniform understanding on reconstruction policies, guidelines and processes.

2. Only 562 households have received support to date (they received socio-technical assistance and the grant from POs). This is just 4% of the total number of households eligible for the reconstruction grant. There is an urgent need for the minimum package of socio-technical assistance to be implemented as households are waiting for clear information and support to start reconstruction. NRA Lamjung requested that the gaps in coverage be presented and reflected at central level so that it may help with reducing the funding gap.

3. There is confusion around MIS and documentation for the inspection and tranche disbursement process. For example, the inspection engineers do not have tablets to conduct the inspections so households are required to provide a print of photos of the house. There has also been no orientation for district or local officials on MIS and document management related to inspection and tranche disbursement. To date, the only households that have received the second tranche of the reconstruction grant are those that are receiving the grant from a PO due to the challenges with the MIS.

4. Most government and PO engineers have not been trained or oriented on technical guidelines and manuals and are therefore not able to apply these in their work or share relevant information with households and masons.

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5. There are approximately 2,000 houses that have been constructed but are not fully compliant and require corrections based on the Corrections and Exceptions Manual. However, as per point 4 above most government and PO engineers have not been trained on the manual. There is also a need for the District Support Engineers to analyse cases which are not within minimum requirements and building code and to feed the information back to national level for more in-depth analysis if required.

6. The municipality design approval process and cost is variable with people required to pay anywhere from 3,000 NPRs to 12,000 NPRs for a load bearing design. Engineers and households are still focusing on the 17 designs from the DUDBC design catalogue volume 1 as clear information about minimum requirements were not disseminated to community and households do not want to pay for other designs. N.B. Households are NOT required to use one of the 17 designs.

Distribution of Timber at Subsidised Rate, Ramechhap: the timber management committee in Ramechhap has decided to provide timber at a subsidised rate to earthquake victims who have completed the process of receiving the second tranche of the GoN housing reconstruction grant. HRRP District and Municipal Coordination Meetings, 16 February – 22 February: during this period district coordination meetings took place in Gorkha (21 February) and Makwanpur (20 February). A municipal level meeting took place in Arughat Rural Municipality, Gorkha (20 February) Some of the highlights from these meetings include:

• In Gorkha, NRA/HRRP focal person formally appointed at Gorkha Municipality in presence of Mayor Mr. Rajan Pant supported by Caritas Nepal and CRS. NRA and HRRP requested municipality to support focal person work specifically targeting reconstruction work.

• In Gorkha, Soti bazaar, Arughat the meeting focused on ways to well manage the housing reconstruction of earthquake affected people within the rural municipality. The meeting discussed reporting reconstruction updates, challenges and solutions of reconstruction, procedures for tranche distribution, houses constructed before the release of NRA guidelines, retrofitting and corrections, and management of files in the district.

• In Makwanpur, 15 key issues and challenges of housing reconstruction in the district were developed defined the meeting. The meeting decided to come up with way forward for each of the issues and challenges identified through a team of DLPIUs, NRA, and HRRP and take necessary action accordingly.

HRRP District Coordination Team Gorkha, Weekly District Report, 16 - 22 Feb 2018

Ghyachowk ward no. 1, Ajirkot Rural Municipality, Gorkha: brick and cement mortar masonry house which has been

recommended for the third tranche of the GoN housing reconstruction grant by the MoUD DLPIU field engineers.

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HRRP District Coordination Team Kathmandu, Weekly District Report, 16 - 22 Feb 2018

Bungamati Ward no. 22, Lalitpur Metropolitan City: temporary shelter constructed using a timber frame and CGI roofing. The material for the temporary shelter has been supplied by Danish Aid. The household has received the

first tranche of the GoN housing reconstruction grant.

HRRP District Coordination Team Okhaldhunga, Weekly District Report, 16 – 22 Feb 2018

Ward 3, Chishankhu Gadhi Rural municipality, Okhaldhunga: stone and mud mortar masonry house which is almost complete and has been approved for the third tranche of the GoN housing reconstruction grant. However, due to a discrepancy in the PA number and the name corresponding to the PA number, the home owner has not received the second tranche of the grant. The second tranche was transferred to another person’s account who is not an eligible

beneficiary. This issue has been forwarded to NRA Okhaldhunga for further action.

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Requests for Partner Support

REMINDER, Round 2, HRRP Partner Satisfaction Survey: this is your last chance to let us know your feedback! The deadline to submit your responses has been extended to this Friday, 2 March. The survey should take approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete, but will take longer if you choose to provide more detailed feedback in the open answer questions, and can be conducted in Nepali or English. The HRRP is your platform and your feedback will help to shape it – please, please, please help improve the platform by taking part in the survey! International Women’s Day Event, Women’s Experience in Reconstruction, 9 March, 10-12: HRRP with other partners, including the Inter-Agency Common Feedback Project and the Feminist Dalit Organisation, is organising and event on 9 March to mark International Women’s Day and highlight the challenges that women are facing in the reconstruction. Details of the venue will be shared shortly and partners interested to collaborate on the event are requested to contact Siobhan Kennedy, HRRP Recovery Advisor, siobhan@hrrpnepal.org. The HRRP district teams will also be working with partners at district level to facilitate similar events in the districts during this week. Open Data Day Nepal 2018, 3 March, Patan Durbar Square and Museum: this is a free and interactive event which aims to provide an opportunity for people to experience the importance of data in the context of Nepal and its development in new ways. The event includes a photo exhibition in Patan Durbar Square, a Mapathon hosted by Kathmandu Living Labs, and a panel discussion and presentations on the use of data for different types of work in Nepal.

Government of Nepal Nepal Rastra Bank, Financial Inclusion Map

MoUD CLPIU M&E Reports, December – January (Poush)

DOCUMENTS & PRODUCTS

Weekly Bulletin Housing Recovery and Reconstruction Platform, Nepal

26 February 2018 Page 10 of 11

HRRP

Housing Reconstruction Progress Maps: based on MoUD CLPIU inspection data as of 22 February. Partnership Agreement Signed between HH and GoN 1st Tranche Received Construction Started Compliance Rate – 2nd Tranche Compliance Rate – 3rd Tranche Construction Completed

Partners Disaster Recovery Guidance Series, Housing and Settlements Recovery, GFDRR and World Bank: this guidance note has been prepared to assist governments confronting the challenge of housing and settlements recovery after a major disaster. It aims to increase the efficiency and effectiveness, and ultimately improve the outcome, of housing recovery programs. Milijuli Nepali, BBC Media Action, Episode 879: this episode includes stories from different Rural Municipalities in Gorkha. The stories cover community members working together to manage water supply as the water resources have dried up after the earthquake, building a resilient house fixing lintels, and the process of applying for the second and the third tranche. The programme also talks about how the houses built in the past used to be different from the houses that are being built after the earthquake. Open Migration Perception Survey #2, January 2018, Accountability Lab Nepal

MigApp – Connecting Migrants, IOM: this mobile application has been developed to provide information for migrants on a wide range of topics (e.g. migration risks, visa regulations, health guidelines, migrant rights, and Government migration policies). The app can also be used to access assistance to migrate safely, for low-cost money transfer, and to access migration services and programmes. The app can be downloaded on itunes here and google play store here.

Weekly Bulletin Housing Recovery and Reconstruction Platform, Nepal

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Corruption Perceptions Index 2017, Transparency International

Media Digest | FAQ | Briefing Pack | Meeting & Events | 4W | Housing Progress | Housing Typologies