Armenia

Armenia, Lori region, Koghes community

Introduction:

Armenian Red Cross Society within the framework of \\\"Building Safe and Resilient Communities\\\" project financed by Austrian Development Cooperation (ADA), has initiated implementation of small scale mitigation project in Koghes community. Initialy the Hazard, Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment(HVCA)  has been conducted, and based on HVCA findings meetings with community key persons and residents have been organized in order to prioritize possible mitigation measures. As a result establishement of garbage disposal system have been chosen  as a priority mitigation project for Koghes communtiy.

First activity which was started by entering the community was participatory HVCA, which gave community members an opportunity to raise their concerns and thoughts regarding hazards threatening Koghes community. Based on HVCA findings and as a result of meetings and discussions with community members and key persons the following 7 possible mitigation measures have been identified. 

1. Establishment of garbage disposal system
2. Setting up warning signs in dangerous areas
3. To set up anti-hail networks to protect agricultural crops
4. Renovation and repair of dwellings and bridges
5. Deployment of new technologies (drip irrigation) ensuring reliable climate information.
6. Installation of lightening arresters in risky areas.   
7. Reconstruction of irrigation system, installation of pumps.

It was found out that there is no garbage disposal in community and because of bad road conditions and difficult access to community there is no service in place to implement regular garbage disposal from community. It is worth to mention that community residents were concerned on the issue, understanding and raising that lack of garbage removal system can cause many hazardous situations and risks in community, such as epidemics, mudflow channel cleaning costs, pollution of the environment, etc. As a result of mitigation prioritization meeting and discussions with community, Establishment of garbage disposal system was selected as a priority.

As a result of close cooperation and advocacy efforts it was agreed with Local authorities to implement the SSMP in a following way: community hall is directing the community budget to buy a Tractor, and ARCS providing relevant number of bins to ensure proper garbage disposal of community.                        

Community Municipality has done budget reallocation and purchased a tractor. Besides the community initiated to allocate some space for garbage disposal. As the budget of community was not sufficient for purchasing new tractor, it was agreed to purchase used one with some broken spare parts, and ARCS will provide new spare parts. Therefore, Tractor spare parts, 23 bins and metallic net for fencing garbage space have been purchased and provided to community within the framework of the Project.

By the words of the Mayor of Koghes community “The Project became a trigger for considering disaster risk reduction issues, which are connected to many aspects such as social, health, environment, etc... The lack of garbage disposal system was the main and general issue for community which was a cause for different difficulties and hazards. But now the issue is solved insuring clean and organized community disposal system.”