Disaster risk reduction grant projects implemented in Almaty rgn, UNDP

The requirements to the proposals included a component involving population to the project through the applicant's financial or in-kind contribution, as well as implementation period not more than 1.5 months and a budget of not more than USD 10 000. Three projects have been selected for the grant funding totaling about USD 20 000, in particular project proposals of the Consumer Cooperative Society of Gardeners "Gorniak-Tekeli", Public Union "Association of Single Mothers of Tekeli" and the Youth Public Association "Tekeli Youth", the press service of the UNDP Kazakhstan reports. Objective of the Suburban Society "Gorniak - Tekeli" project "Disaster Risk Reduction on the mountainsides of the Sarnakoy ridge" was prevention of disaster through strengthening landslide slope portion of Sarnakoy near Tekeli. Works on replacing the worn portion of the pipeline irrigation system and strengthening the slope portion with a fracture through planting were carried out during the project. According to the project results 310 meters of the irrigation pipe were restored, 300 seedlings were planted to strengthen the slope, vulnerability of 380 families - about 1,900 people to the disasters was reduced. Upon completion of the Tekeli Youth project "Strengthening slopes, preventing formation of gullies and landslides by planting trees and involving young people in disaster risk reduction at the local level" landslide slope portion of Sarnakoy in Syrymbet was strengthened, vulnerability of 2184 villagers to the disasters was reduced by planting 300 saplings and youth of Tekeli town was involved in the emergencies prevention and disaster risk reduction processes. Works on cleaning the mudflow check channel of the Syrymbet village were performed under the project of the Association of Single Mothers of Tekeli. The project activities were carried out jointly by the local Akimat and local communities. 2 km. of the mudflow check channel was cleaned and the channel walls were strengthened by creating an embankment from the excavated soil during the project. Thus, upon the project completion 2184 residents, 417 households are protected and reduced disaster risk in the Syrymbet village. The main result of all three projects was an integration of efforts in disaster risk reduction and disaster prevention through active involvement of local communities. These projects can serve as an example of a successful partnership of international, governmental and non-governmental organizations in addressing local, social and environmental issues, and in particular disaster risk reduction. The Project "UNDP/EC/MoES RK "DIPECHO VII: Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction in South-East and East Kazakhstan" is funded by the Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection of the European Commission (ECHO), UNDP in Kazakhstan and the Red Crescent Society of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The project implements activities on disaster risk reduction on national and oblast levels, with practical work being carried out in the communities of Tekeli in Almaty oblast, in flood-prone communities close to Semey and in remote mountain communities close to Ust-Kamenogorsk. One of the important directions of the project activities is to raise community awareness of the importance of disaster preparedness and risk reduction activities.