ReliefWeb

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The purpose of this review is to examine the extent to which the goal, objectives and expected results of the Comoros Flash Floods emergency operation were achieved in terms of its relevance to the needs of the beneficiaries and its effectiveness and timeliness and assesses lessons to be learned for future operations.

The review provides learning for the Comoros Red Crescent Society (CRCo) to prepare for future emergencies and learning for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in regard to how to provide efficient and timely support to a national society facing a sudden-onset large-scale emergency.

The main tools used to conduct the review included a thorough document research, key informant structured and informal interviews, field research with beneficiaries and community representatives and group and individual meetings with staff of the CRCo.

The review concluded that the CRCo conducted a fast and effective response to immediate needs of the affected population, especially in the areas of rapid assessment, first aid, and evacuation of the wounded and community clean-up activities.

The CRCo quickly moved from rapid assessment to distributions which provided essential relief to 1,600 families, though the distributions could have benefitted from a more detailed follow-up assessment as part of the registration process.

The role played by PIROI in providing immediate technical support along with the supply of NFI for 2,000 families was critical in ensuring a fast relief response to the affected population. The relations between IFRC project managers and the CRCo was not always clearly understood, unaided by somewhat ambiguous job descriptions.

The CRCo distributed Non-Food Items (NFI) provided by the French Red Cross Indian Ocean Platform (PIROI) to 1,600 families as well as distributing World Food Programme (WFP) energy biscuits and UNICEF WASH kits. The CRCo conducted an excellent process to evaluate beneficiary attitudes in regard to the quality and usefulness of the NFI that were distributed which concluded that overall the NFI items were of a high quality and useful, though the distribution of AquaTabs and chlorine sachets should be discouraged in a context where the population is not used to such products.

An estimated 3,300 people benefitted directly from the cleaning and disinfecting of over 300 water cisterns, 56 of which were repaired. The WatSan programme was well designed, well assessed and efficiently implemented by CRCo, supported by one RDRT member.

A total of 85 volunteers were trained in hygiene promotion and Epidemic Control for Volunteers (ECV) and conducted awareness activities for over 23,000 households