Message from the Director - August 2007
Responding to disasters requires rapid action, and helping communities
recover from crisis involves strategic planning that must include the
participation of beneficiaries and other stakeholders to successfully
transition from relief assistance to rehabilitation and recovery.
On a recent trip to Southern Sudan, I had the opportunity to visit Lainya County in Central Equatoria State, where OFDA-funded relief activities are contributing to recovery. Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, OFDA has been working with USAID/Sudan and other development actors to transition relief programs to meet long-term development goals in Sudan.
Throughout Southern Sudan and the Three Areas, OFDA is supporting nearly 350 health facilities in FY 2007. In the coming years, OFDA plans to transition these facilities to longer-term mechanisms of support, including the Government of Southern Sudan, Multi-Donor Trust Funds, and other development donors. In Lainya County, I visited several of ZOA Refugee Care’s OFDA-supported health facilities. Recently, the county health department agreed to assume responsibility for the 11 primary health care units and three primary health care centers by December 2007. The 14 facilities provide life-saving health services to approximately 95,000 people living in the area.
While the challenges of this transition are immense, OFDA works closely with other USAID offices to identify which programs are best suited to receive development funding and which ones can be handed over to local government authorities or community groups. OFDA uses sectoral studies to make evidence-based decisions on program transition and continued OFDA funding. In addition, OFDA emphasizes local capacity building in all projects to enhance the sustainability of water, health, and livelihood projects.
After the crisis ends and media attention wanes, countries emerging from crisis enter a crucial period of moving towards peace and stability and past war and conflict. Across Africa, from Liberia to Uganda, OFDA engages in this transition using the same principles, ensuring that achievements made through relief programs take root and providing beneficiaries with the tools necessary to rebuild their communities.
Sincerely,
Ky Luu
Director
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
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