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Following a decade-long internal conflict, up to 50,000 people are estimated to be displaced throughout Nepal. Since the May 2006 peace agreement, many internally displaced people (IDPs) have returned to their homes to find their houses and livelihoods destroyed, leaving no source of income to support their families. In addition they are faced with very limited and overburdened basic services, and minimal security.
To address this, IRD led the Reintegration and Resettlement for Conflict Affected Populations in Mid- and Far-West Nepal program in collaboration with SAATHI, a Nepali NGO. The IRD Nepal team provided technical and quality assurance support during implementation. The 15-month program, which is funded by USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, concluded in August 2009.
The program facilitated permanent settlement and stabilization by providing critically needed basic services and livelihood opportunities for IDPs, returnees, and the conflict-affected communities in Kailali, Bardiya, and Surkhet Districts. It targeted Village Development Committees (VDCs) in each of the three target districts, with specific focus on the two most vulnerable villages with the highest numbers of IDPs, returnees, and conflict victims. In the 12 heavily affected villages IRD mobilized or remobilized a community users group to ensure full community participation and ownership in all projects. IRD expanded livelihood opportunities for 11,400 people through vocational skills trainings, business development education, and small start-up grants. IRD also rehabilitated or constructed the water systems in 12 villages to provide increased access to potable water for 3,600 people and improve the communities’ hygiene practices.
The program complemented the existing activities implemented by other OFDA partners in the target districts. IRD, Save the Children, and IRC shared a field office base in Nepalgunj, Banke District, which had easy access to the target districts and enhanced the cooperation among all the projects, ensuring effective delivery and increased outputs.