In order to ensure community participation in the consultation process during the planning grant phase, meetings will be held in the three communities. Open invitations will be extended to the entire population and person to person invitations will be made to those directly affected and to community leaders. All meetings will be held in a central location and at a time when most people would be available. Transportation will also be provided for those wishing to attend. Should turnout not be as expected, smaller focus groups will be arranged. A consultant will be hired to facilitate community consultations and help plan the project.

To assess the vulnerability in communities the project will conduct UNDP’s Vulnerability Reduction Assessment (VRA) tool, establishing baseline information and recording the changing vulnerability of the communities at mid-term and at the end of the project. The Assessments are essential in the implementation of the project as the tool is
designed to measure the changing perceptions of community members to vulnerability. The VRA consultations will and information gathered can help guide project design and adaptive management