You will find here short articles/stories written by community members about their own experience from implementation of Sphere in many different contexts and situations. You will find a lot of hints, insights, practical ideas about how to face challenges of Sphere compliance and Sphere implementation in practice.
You can also write your own article/story and send us your own experience. You have first to login and select "Send Sphere article" from the user menu on the left hand side of your screen. Your article/story will be first reviewed before it is published. Once published, any community member can then comment on it.
Written by: Andy Bastable,
, Watsan Coordinator for Oxfam GB and focal point for the 2004 Sphere Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion chapter
When looking at the impact of Sphere I think it is useful to divide Sphere users into two groups: 1) Old hands who have gone through some sort of Sphere training in the past and have been field workers for at least 2 years and 2) New users who are meeting Sphere for the first time in the field.
Written by: Michael Paratharayil1, Email: , Regional Emergency Officer- Central and South East Asia and Middle East, Christian Aid, London, UK
Christian Aid (CA) has been pro-active in promoting and applying Sphere Standards in humanitarian programmes since the project was launched. It implements humanitarian programmes through 600 national NGOs in more than 60 countries across the world. CA’s approach to implementing humanitarian programmes is to accompany partners in their work and to provide staff in country to work with the partners. Since 1997, CA has ensured that all staff are trained on Sphere Standards and the Humanitarian Charter. Our humanitarian programmes are based on Sphere and monitored and evaluated against them. From an organizational experience, this approach has resulted in greater quality, accountability, co-ordination and the participation of the beneficiaries. We have highlighted 5 examples below, on how CA and partners have applied Sphere Standards and the Humanitarian Charter in different parts of the world.
Written by: Nitin Kenny, email:
, Emergency Management Coordinator, ADRA India
Adventist Development & Relief Agency (ADRA) INDIA has been a partner with Sphere India for the past six years. ADRA representatives have attended the various coordination meetings and workshops organized by Sphere India.
At the heart of AIDMI's response to the December 2004 Tsunami were Sphere Standards. With these in mind AIDMI set about providing quality relief that would increase the living standards of beneficiaries and not create any further hardship.
Recognising vulnerabilities and capacities of disaster-affected populations
In order to maximise the coping strategies of those affected by disasters, it is important to acknowledge the differing vulnerabilities, needs and capacities of affected groups. Specific factors, such as gender, age, disability and HIV/AIDS status, affect vulnerability and shape people’s ability to cope and survive in a disaster context. In particular, women, children, older people and people living with HIV/ AIDS (PLWH/A) may suffer specific disadvantages in coping with a disaster and may face physical, cultural and social barriers in accessing the services and support to which they are entitled. Frequently ethnic origin, religious or political affiliation, or displacement may put certain people at risk who otherwise would not be considered vulnerable.
Written by: Samuel Tadesse, CARE Ethiopia, Emergency Operations Officer,
Experience of CARE in Ethiopia
Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa and is the second most populous nations in the continent. According to the National Central Statistics Authority the total population is estimated to 74 million, of which 85 % are rural residents and predominantly dependent on traditional mode of agriculture based livelihood system. Ethiopia is ranked 170 (of 177) in the 2006 human development index of least developed nations, Natural calamities such as drought induced crop failure, animal and crop epidemics, human communicable diseases and human armed conflicts are major disasters experienced in the past decades. The largest famines in the history of Ethiopia occurred in 1973/74 and 1984/85.
