City of Glina and surrounding villages were hardly hit by earthquake. About 5000 people, mostly elderly have been left without long-term help. Due to isolation, lack of knowledge and democratic procedures, they don’t know how to address their needs and demands to the institutions. Through the series of educational activities and establishment of the volunteer teams, people will gain knowledge and tools in order to be able find solutions to their urgent needs as well as for life solutions.

Sisak-moslavina County,10 villages around municipality of Glina most severely affected by earthquake

Sisak-moslavina county is the part of Croatia that was recently (December 2020) hit by the strongest earthquake in the last 100 years (magnitude 6,4). Earthquake had the strongest impact on the people from the isolated areas that have lost their stables, chicken cobs and other infrastructure that was their only source of income. This county was one of the poorest in the Croatia, especially the rural parts, even before this disaster occurred. Now, 5 months after the earthquake, the media attention and humanitarian aid has dropped, but people still live in poor conditions and need long term assistance. Since in these isolated villages live mostly elderly people, they are not capable to properly address their needs to the local municipality, or to organize themselves on the local level.

Target groups:
At least 200 families (250 elderly people) with the lack of basic living conditions in 10 villages around Glina municipality (Sisak-Moslavina County) which will be activated and strengthened through implementation of different democratic tools (local assemblies, panels, work meetings for the creation of public proposals etc.).
At least 30 newly activated local volunteers from the communities. Within our work meetings and plenums, we will target and recruit volunteers, predominantly the expert volunteers who possess different valuable repair skills.
More than 2000 community members from the wider rural area will benefit from the established local volunteer network.

Zamah will start with the need assessment trough field visits in isolated villages. Together with partner CCI and with several local NGO-s we will organize public plenums in communities (villages) as a starting point for the people to publicly express and communicate their urgent needs and problems. Furthermore, trough the series of the community work meetings and educational workshops we will strengthen people's capacities for active participation and their influence on policy making process (writing and addressing of public proposals and demands). Also, we will organize and facilitate meeting with the representatives of local municipality (Glina) where we will open dialogue, present people’s urgent needs and together reach the consensus about the solutions. Parallel with that process, we will establish the local volunteer mobile teams. Recruitment and education of the 'repair volunteers' in order to provide long term help for the people need. Mobile teams will prioritize their support to elderly families, especially those whose houses are damaged. We will start with recruitment of the volunteers at the very beginning of our project, on field visits and on public plenums. Coordinator of volunteers from Zamah will recruit and manage volunteer’s network. Also, we will involve in volunteer network different local stakeholders such as local businesses.

At least 200 people from the isolated communities are socially strengthen and they are able to successfully address their needs to the local municipality and institutions. 7 rural communities within the Glina municipality have developed a constructive dialogue with the local political representatives and institutions in order to solve the urgent problems of the people in need. Citizens of the 7 rural communities are better organized trough volunteer mobile teams in order to provide long term assistance for the people in need (small infrastructure reparations, visits, help with chores etc.). Development of the expert volunteering has amplified the local social capital and has strengthen the local stakeholder network.

Trough series of practical educational activities we will strengthen the participatory capacities of the people in 10 communities. According to the principle of subsidiarity, we will enable the voice of all people in isolated rural communities to be heard, from the bottom to the top. They will be able to clearly and effectively express and address their demands towards municipality and responsible institutions. We will facilitate the process and open a new channel of communication between municipality and people in need. Trough the establishment and the management of the local volunteer teams we will strengthen the partnerships between different stakeholders in the communities (individuals, NGO-s, institutions, etc.).

Our organization was one of the first on the field in the earthquake aftermath. Our team consists out of people who know how to promptly react in crisis. Zamah’s director has more than 20 years of experience in dealing with crisis situations. Expert associate for the community development has a background in political science and has worked in more than 50 rural communities on enhancement of citizens participation. Third person is the volunteer coordinator with high expertise in that field. Right now, we have an excellent chance to change life of people in need. We will strengthen communities severely affected by the earthquake, from the bottom up by activating people on the local level and by using their own resources. Most important is enable a decent life for afflicted people.

-Personnel cost: 19000
-Transportation and maintenance: 3500
-Educational activities and plenums: 3200 - Audio-visual materials and IT , internet equipment: 2500
-Materials for the smaller reparations: 300
Office rent and supply: 1500
Funding requested: 32700

We are always searching for new ideas in order to improve our work. We are especially interested in different experiences of the organizations from other countries that have worked in the communities hit by natural disasters.