Disaster Management

What are NGOs :-

A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which is organized on a local, national or international level. Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information. Some are organized around specific issues, such as human rights, environment or health. They provide analysis and expertise, serve as early warning mechanisms and help monitor and implement international agreements. Their relationship with offices and agencies of the United Nations system differs depending on their goals, their venue and the mandate of a particular institution.

(http://www.ngo.org/ngoinfo/define.html;10-11-2006)

INTRODUCTION:-

Indonesia Ache :-

Aceh, the northern-most province of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, suffered terribly in the tsunami of December 2004. The water washed over 800km of coastline, killing 169,000 people and leaving 600,000 homeless. In several areas, no buildings, roads, or trees were left standing. Large areas of land were permanently lost. Sumatra was then hit by an earthquake on 28 March 2005, killing almost another 1,000 people on Nias island.

After the disaster the world responded generously and the aim of aid agencies working there was to make life in coastal Aceh eventually better for all, regardless of wealth or gender. In a region afflicted by poverty and conflict this represented an unprecedented opportunity.

[http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/conflict_disasters/downloads/bn_tsunami_twoyears.pdf]

The damage, including long-term economic damage, has been estimated at more than $4.5bn. Across the province 2,240 schools and 2,676 bridges were destroyed and over 100,000 wells were contaminated by salt water or left in need of repair.

A quarter of Aceh's population lost their jobs and the unemployment rate rose from 6.8 per cent to around 30 per cent.10 Small businesses, labourers, small-scale farmers, and fishing communities were worst hit. About 70 per cent of the small-scale fishing fleet was destroyed.

Over 150,000 hectares (1,500 sq km) of agricultural land11 were made unfit for growing crops after being inundated with salt water and mud. Within three weeks rice crops were yellowing in the fields, and, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, up to 15 per cent of western Aceh's agricultural land may be permanently lost

[http://www.fao.org/ag/tsunami/assessment/assess-damage.html ; 15-11-2006]

Operations Management:-

All operations produce goods and services by devising processes which