Local Governance and Infrastructure for Communities in Aceh (LOGICA)

Background

The tsunami's impact at the household and village level has been particularly acute, with devastating economic and social consequences. The loss of family members, homes and livelihoods has left people little to cling to except their land. In addition, the lowest levels of government - at the Sub-District and Village level - to which people and communities should be able to look for recovery, have been seriously weakened by the tsunami. Government structures are ill-equipped to identify or respond to the needs of the communities.

Description

The goal of the program is to make a significant contribution to community recovery and well-being in tsunami-affected areas of Aceh through the rehabilitation and reconstruction of communities and local government services.

The program's main strategy for achieving its goal will be to help local communities, primarily in three districts on the West Coast of Aceh, to decide for themselves, and to manage, what needs to be done to re-build vital local governance infrastructure and services.

There are 3 main components of the LOGICA:

1. Re-establishing land ownership.
   The aim of this program is to help communities undertake their own land-mapping so that land boundaries are recognised and respected, and rebuilding of houses can proceed.
2. Strengthening sub-district governments.
   This program rebuilds and improves structures and systems at the sub-district level in order to increase responsiveness to the needs of local communities.
3. Re-establishing village-level communities.
   This program aims to support local communities in taking control of the rebuilding of their villages through strategic infrastructure and capacity building assistance. The third component focuses on:
   • Rehabilitation and reconstruction of village halls and/or village offices and other community infrastructure
   • Developing a network of community facilitators and cadres to promote community engagement, action and self-reliance in the reconstruction and rehabilitation process
   • Support for communities to produce technically sound spatial infrastructure plans for reconstruction

For each of these components, there are three main forms of assistance utilized: a) providing essential infrastructure; b) helping communities to take and retain control over what is done; and c) capacity building.

Achievements/outcomes to date

As of end December 2006, the Program has completed the following activities:

Component 1: Re-establishing land ownership.

• Total 339 community land maps are completed covering more than 77,000 land parcels across 7 districts affected by tsunami, and underway in 61 villages in the last two districts (Pidie and Bireuen).
• 22 village spatial plans handed over to the communities in Aceh Besar and 60 are nearing completion in Aceh Jaya, Aceh Besar and Nagan Raya.

Component 2: Strengthening sub-district governments

• Sub-district offices - One in Baitussalam is completed and operational. 3 more offices are nearing completion, the final 4 are underway.
• Facilitators are working closely with government officials in 17 subdistrict offices, including training and workshops on sub-district planning, administration and service delivery
• Study trip to Sragen with district and sub-district officials from Aceh Besar, Barat & Jaya to learn better public service delivery.
• Provision, installation and training of population databases and equipment to produce identity cards in 17 Sub District government office.
• Training in basic administrative procedures and public service provision for 60 Sub District government office staff across five Sub districts.

Component 3: Re-establishing village-level communities

• Villlage Halls and Offices - 38 completed, 55 under construction and 84 under tender.
• Over 2,000 community leaders across 200 villages have been trained on leadership, motivation and empowerment. More than 51% are women.
• Grants worth A$4.5 million provided for priority village infrastructure projects and another A$3 million in the pipeline. 75 village development committees are building public infrastructure facilities, with LOGICA technical support and assistance.
• Support and training to 200 villages in basic construction and monitoring

This page was last updated on 25 January 2007

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