On May 3^rd, OFDA officials including Director Ky Luu met with the AVSI team in Kitgum and Pader to discuss ongoing water and sanitation activities in the two districts. Both Lacekocot IDP Camp and the new Barayom site in Pader district were visited.

In Lacekocot, AVSI, thanks to OFDA funds, has installed two motorized boreholes and one ferro, a rainwater-harvesting tank. Regular maintenance and pump operations are maintained by AVSI through OFDA funding.

In nearby Barayom, a new site developed in response to the surrounding population’s desire to be closer to their land, AVSI supplied two urgently needed bore holes with OFDA funding at the end of 2006. Along with AVSI’s ongoing hygiene and water management training, an eleven-member Sanitation Committee will be trained in May 2007.

The team from OFDA showed great interest in the movement process of the population and in particular about the patterns of movement, the role of the Government, and the role of NGOs/international community in supporting the process. There is concern about the poor involvement of the Government in taking over the structures and services provided so far by humanitarian agencies. OFDA will advocate for more involvement of USAID and other development partners in supporting the plans of the local government and in building its capacity.

According to the Director’s view, the agencies should focus on working in the new settlement areas.

Accordingly, the services should not further disrupt the traditional settings of the Acholi and should not influence the decisions of the people to go back home. The provision of
too many services in the new sites, in fact, might keep the people there and slow down
the process of returning home.