COVID-19 Emergency Response in Somalia

The key objective is to implement preventative measures for vulnerable groups that have limited access to COVID-19 prevention and response actions. This is to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in urban IDP settings. The intervention will focus on the most vulnerable groups: older people – forming approximately 2.7 per cent of the population and the urban poor and IDPs about 75% of the population. Assessments shows these as most vulnerable who are heavily impacted by COVID-19 infection. For this response, IRS seeks to complement the efforts of the government and other humanitarian organisation in Somalia by reaching approximately 40,000 beneficiaries directly and up to 200,000 indirectly. 1. Risk communication and community engagement. The proposed project will support preventative measures to combat the spread of COVID 19. This will include extensive awareness initiatives using multiple media channels to support preventative action of the government and communities. The information/ education and communication is designed to reach the population through print, audio-visual media messages, SMS and community mobilisation using religious/community/group leaders and elders. Display monitors on COVID 19 risks and prevention in local language will be installed at strategic locations such as roundabouts, airports and community centres in IDP camps. 2. Health: Strengthen existing health facilities in the selected IDP camps to combat COVID 19 infection. The proposed project will provide 18 PPE kits to seven health facilities in the seven IDP camps and the three designated COVID 19 referral hospitals. The proposed project will also set up and equip 11 COVID 19 screening centres in the to do surveillance and early detection at the primary health care centres in the IDP camps, provide cleaning and sterilising equipment and supplies to these facilities to limit hospital infections. 3. WASH: Reduce the spread of COVID 19 and decrease morbidity and mortality in the selected districts. The project improve hygiene practices, limiting infection IDP camps.24 hand-washing stations will be built in the IDP camps in Bondhere, Baidoa, Balcad, Gardho and Burtinle. Hygiene kits, containing bath soap, laundry soap, 2 jerry cans, and facemask, will be supplied to 3500 households. Special consideration will be given to female headed household and PWD. 4. Livelihood: Improving livelihoods through unconditional cash transfer of USD 70 for 3 months to 333 households, and USD 70 cash assistance for 2 months to 333 households as livelihoods support. The beneficiaries will be selected using robust selection criteria that targets the most vulnerable and prioritise female headed household. The UCT will be done using mobile money transfer which has the benefit of increased security, convenience, privacy, speed, reduced operational/transaction costs and logistics for the beneficiaries and for Islamic relief. Somalia has large mobile network reach. The choice of money gives the beneficiaries the widest range of transactional capabilities and broad access to basic financial services (such as deposit, withdrawal, person-to-person transfers and e-money transactions with registered traders of goods and service providers). Islamic Relief used mobile money in drought/ flood emergency programme (including WFP Baxnaano programme). The lessons from previous experience which guide the choice of UCT include: - Beneficiaries purchase a more diverse set of goods, had higher dietary diversity, - Beneficiaries depleted fewer assets and grew more types of crops, especially marginal cash crops grown by women. They are able to o restock livelihood assets faster. The reasons for this can be attributed to the lower costs and greater privacy of receiving a cash transfer via the mobile transfer, as well as changes in intra-household decision-making. 5. Establish complaint management and feedback mechanism to the affected population. Through this intervention, IR MEAL unit will ensure that project delivers responses as designed to the affected population. Through an established mechanism of complaints mechanism and feedback channels, the affected population will be made to understand and demand their rights until all is provided to their satisfaction. 6. Build and establish DRR community champions for covid-19 preparedness, response and treatment. The established committee is trained on covid-19 risk reduction management. Their role is to ensure that community members are made aware of the impact of covid-19, where to seek treatment and how to enforce containment measures such as social distancing and use of mask and sanitisers as part of exposure reduction. IRS will lead the implementation. The project will build on existing IRS interventions in health WASH and livelihood sectors and maximise the impact and sustainability