1. Sept 2009, Kathmandu
Surakshit Samudaya II
Building Disaster Resilient Communities, Nepal
Participatory Vulnerability Analysis
(PVA) Training Report
ActionAid Nepal DIPECHO Project Publication
PROJECT AT A GLANCE Training on PVA for ActionAid and Practical Action DIPECHO Team
Project Area: Participatory Vulnerability Analysis (PVA) This participatory process facilitates to enhance
Banke training is a core activity to capacitate capacity of communities to mitigate hazards and
Sunsari project team in facilitating the disaster risk risks. Action Aid DIPECHO Project has taken PVA
Udayapur
reduction initiatives in the field so as to as an ongoing process rather than one time
ensure effective and efficient project event. While the product s of PVA is used by
Partner NGOs:
BEE Group implementation. members of Reflect centres and DMC, it is also
UPCA Nepal shared with local government for effective
PVA is a powerful and dynamic participatory
NP Nepal planning and targeted response during disasters.
tool applied for understanding and analyzing
Co-Action Nepal
vulnerabilities of the communities. While Training on Participatory Vulnerability Analysis
Beneficiaries: opening the eyes of the disaster vulnerable (PVA) was organized to the project staffs of
13,854 people communities to the root causes of their ActionAid partners during 17-21 August, 2009 in
conditions, PVA also motivates the people to Sunsari and to partners and staff of Practical
Budget: think in terms of reducing their Action DIPECHO project during 25-29 August
Euro 377,095 vulnerabilities, make appropriate plans to 2009 in Nepalgunj. Mr. Ram Prasad Bhattarai
achieve their mission of reducing was the lead facilitator and Dhruba Thapalia was
Start Date: vulnerabilities. the co-facilitator for the second training event.
01 July 2009
Duration:
15 months
Training Objective and methodologies
For more details, contact: Training Objective Training Methodology
ActionAid Nepal
Ph: 01-4436477  Understand basic The training was facilitated
Fax: 01-4419718 principles of Participatory through vanities of
Vulnerability Analysis methodology including
 Understand community’s lecturer, brain storming,
vulnerability context , group discussions, case
“Anyone faced with the causes and effects, and studies, field demonstration
prospect of eating an and practical application of
capacity to reduce the
elephant would be daunted.
effects PVA tools and role plays. A
Too big! Where to start! But
faced with manageable  Enhance capacity to PVA whole day was devoted for
pieces the prospect appears field application in the the field level application
more comprehensible. So community was done for a day long.
with vulnerability – faced  Facilitate community for Overall, training provided
with such a complex concept making action plan to
there seems little prospect
special attention to make
mitigate their participatory learning
of addressing it. But if
vulnerabilities among the participants,
analysed
as a participatory process, community and facilitators.
some specific solutions will
become apparent for any
particular context.”
Roger Yates,
PVA is a participatory methodological approach which allows for the creative, innovative and
combined use of participatory tools like PRA and PLA. It is a multi stakeholder, multi step
analytical and multi level engagement framework. The PVA is concerned with identifying and
Former Head of IECT, AAI
understanding the nature of threats and hazards that poor people face in their daily lives, their level of
(PVA - a step by step guide for exposure to these threats and hazards, which constitute their vulnerabilities, the causes of these
field staff, AAI publication) vulnerabilities, their dimensions as well as the impact of poverty and the denial of rights.

2. Surakshit Samudaya II: Building Disaster Resilient Communities, Nepal
Participants
PVA TRAINING FOR ACTIONAID DIPECHO PROJECT TEAM
Mr. Dillu Ram Ghimire, BEE Ms. Krishna Raut, NP Mr. Bidhyananda Meheta, UPCA
Mr. Ramnibas Yadav, BEE Ms. Nirmala Budhathoki, NP Ms. Anita Gupta, UPCA
Mr. Makbul Ahmad Mukeri, BEE Ms. Sarita K. Chaudhari, NP Mr. Alam Miya, UPCA
Ms. Ajita Godiya, BEE Ms. Manmaya Niraula, UPCA Ms. Radha K. Urau, UPCA
Ms. Ram Kumari Harijan, BEE Mr. Shivahari Khatiwada, UPCA Ms. Ranjana Yadav, UPCA
Ms. Shanti Devi Mourya, BEE Mr. Devnarayan Sharma, UPCA Ms. Parbati Limbu, UPCA
Ms. Hasina Bano Mukeri, BEE Ms. Rita Chaudhari, UPCA Mr. Yash Prasad Subba
Mr. Binod Godiya, BEE Ms. Kamali Chaudhari, UPCA Ms. Khadga K. Magar, UPCA
Mr. Arjun Kumar Katuwal, NP Mr. Khyam Bdr. Dhahal, UPCA Ms. Pratima Shrestha, AAN
PVA TRAINING FOR PRACTICAL ACTION DIPECHO TEAM
Mr. Pankaj Koirala, SAHAMATI Ms. Sunita Km. Yadav, CSDR Ms. Anita Chaurdhary, RKJS
Mr. Bishal Bidari, SAHAMATI Mr. Vinaya Raj Tripathi, CSDR Ms. Chhalkumari Chau, RKJS
Mr. Mukti Adhikari, SAHAMATI Mr. Shiv Prasad, CSDR Mr. Bhesnarayan Tharu, RKJS
Ms. Bimala Upadhyaya, SAHAMATI Ms. Gouri Bohara, CSDR Mr. Ramkishore Tharu, RKJS
Mr. Atma Ram Tiwari, SAHAMATI Ms. Krishna KC, CSDR Mr. Subhas Chand, RKJS
Mr. Loknarayan Pokharel, CSDR Mr. Sagar Gautam, RKJS Mr. Anup Gopal Phaiju, PA
www.dipechonepal.org Mr. Jameel Ahmed Khan, CSDR Ms. Pratima Gaire, RKJS Mr. Debnarayan Bej, PA
(under revision) Mr. Israt Ali, CSDR Mr. Hiralal Tharu, RKJS Mr. Shyam Jnavaly, AAN
Training procedure and outcome
Five days long training initiated discussion, semi-structured
with introduction of participants, interviews, time line, trends analysis,
training objectives and participants seasonal semi-structured interviews,
expectation collection. The daily seasonal calendar, livelihood
review and evaluation was carried analysis, venn diagram, problem
out throughout training period. tree, and cause and effect analysis.
The fourth day was devoted on
In the first day, topics covered were practical works on PVA field
understanding o f disaster application in project areas dividing
terminologies, vulnerability, four groups. In the last day, formats
vulnerability and right based for screening PWD was oriented.;
approach, climate change, poverty also the presentation and feedback
vulnerability and power relations. on field experience was done.
Second and third day were devoted
in PVA process, application of PVA, The five days training ended with
and things to remember while final evaluation. In overall,
doing PVA. The main tools participants were found satisfied on
discussed for PVA were the contents, training methodology
vulnerability, hazard , social and and delivery and opined that the
resource mapping, focus group training achieved its objectives.
ActionAid and Practical Action in Nepal has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on strategic
partnership and collaboration in the DIPECHO V project, wherein Practical Action will provide technical
and material support to establish community based early warning systems in AA project areas while AA
will extend technical and resource support towards providing community mobilization and
empowerment techniques through Participatory Vulnerability Analysis. This report covers the PVA
training provided by AAN to Practical Action team to build their understanding on PVA process and tools.