Life-Sustaining Emergency Response for Vulnerable Households in Kabul, Bamiyan and Balkh Provinces

IRW Afghanistan’s strategy for the current Crisis in Afghanistan involves two phases. Phase One is a three month Rapid Emergency Phase and prioritises rapid, life-sustaining emergency distributions, bearing in mind the added challenge of winter from November – March. During this phase, IRW Afghanistan’s main approach is to reach as many households as possible with immediate assistance. Phase Two is the Comprehensive Emergency phase from month four to month nine and it builds on the emergency phase but with added sustainable and protection programming that supports communities with longer-term resilience but still supports the most vulnerable people affected by the various shocks that have affected Afghanistan. As the DEC project will start in the middle of IRW Afghanistan’s first phase, it will prioritise rapid, life-sustaining emergency distributions aimed at reaching as many households as possible. The Key Objective/Impact of the project is improved immediate food security and health and hygiene for vulnerable households in Kabul, Bamiyan and Balkh provinces in Afghanistan. Given the huge percentage of people in need throughout Afghanistan (up to 97% in 2022, according to UN predictions), IRW Afghanistan will target the most vulnerable households with food and hygiene assistance. With the current economic crisis which affects the entire country, coupled with a reduction of movement for females, families are struggling to buy food and basic hygiene items to keep themselves well. IRW Afghanistan will target the most vulnerable households for whom the current situation is particularly difficult. The most vulnerable families in the target area will be identified through a selection committee made up of community leaders (including female leaders where possible), using a selection criterion that considers the following: - Female headed households, child headed households, households with a person with a disability, elderly households - Households with a monthly income less than Afs 5,000. - For the FSL Outcome: Families that cannot arrange full meals for all of their family members IRW Afghanistan M&E staff will verify the selected households and ensure that an accessible CRM is available in the area for any HHs that weren’t selected. IRW Afghanistan is prioritising the most basic human needs of food, water and hygiene items and basic households items for the distribution as these are the items most requested by the community during IRW Afghanistan’s needs assessments. Distributions will take into consideration the logistical needs of the population by ensuring that the distribution site is within accessible distance and the distribution is at a convenient time (e.g. with enough light to allow before to get home). Households will be informed at the registration phase the size/weight of the items and rights holders that require extra support at the distribution will be encouraged to bring support with them (family, friends, neighbours). Outcomes: A. Food Security: Reduced potential for immediate starvation or hunger for 5000 households B. WASH: Reduced hygiene related disease and morbidity for 2000 households C. NFI: Improved access to basic items for 1000 households Outputs Output 1.1 Food Security: 5000 most vulnerable households will have received standard food packages (100Kg wheat flour, 8Kg pulses, 8liter oil and 1kg salt) to provide 2100 Kcal/person/day. This package provides enough amount of protein, micronutrients and fat for a household of 7 members for a month. The most vulnerable HHs in the target area will receive one round of standard monthly food packages. One round has been chosen for the immediate emergency response so that the highest number of households can be reached with an immediate food security response as opposed to a smaller number of households receiving several rounds of implementation. As the funding and logistics situation in Afghanistan is currently so fluid, IRW Afghanistan deems it necessary to support the highest numbers of HHs with immediate food aid whilst monitoring the overall Afghanistan HRP 2022 implementation and in particular the response of WFP to see where gaps emerge as the HRP 2022 begins implementation. Food packages will be discussed with communities and will be in-line with the FSAC guidelines, procured in country where possible (or internationally if necessary), stored in warehouses, sorted into packages ahead of the distribution and then distributed to the rightsholders. Female Headed Households will be consulted on how they prefer to receive the items (e.g. nominating a male family member to receive the items or being prioritised at the distribution so that they can limit time spent at the distribution). PWD and Elderly rightsholders will be supported at the distribution. Monitoring and CFM will take place on site and safeguarding messaging will be visible during the distribution. The most vulnerable families in the target area will be identified through a selection committee made up of community leaders including female leaders where possible, using a selection criteria that considers the following: - Vulnerable households in the target area (Female headed households, child headed households, households with a person with disability, elderly households) who haven’t received formal food aid in the past 1 month - Households with a monthly income less than Afs 5,000 - Families that cannot arrange full meals for all of their family members Output 2.1 WASH: 2000 vulnerable households will have received culturally appropriate hygiene kits (Hygiene Kit items: Antiseptic soap (Dettol) - 125gm 7, Plastic soap-case (for 125gm soap) 1, Laundry Soap (200gm) 7, Plastic Jerry Can (10-20 liters) with a screw-cap 2, Shampoo (300ml, standard quality) 2, Plastic bucket (10-20 liters) 1, Plastic mug / Aftaba (2 LTR size) 1, Soft Cotton Cloth (2 m2 piece) 2, Toothbrush adult 3, Tooth brush child 4, Toothpaste (125gm) 2, Towel (40 x 70 cm) 5, Cotex/Sanitary Pad (normal size) (box of 12) 2). Also included in the distribution will be hygiene promotion IEC materials with key messages on proper hygiene and covid-19. IRA will work with the WASH cluster to identify an area in need of WASH intervention and will aim to compliment the sanitation interventions of other organisations with the distribution of hygiene and water kits. The target community will be consulted on the kit contents and the final kit make-up will be shared with the WASH cluster for harmonization. IRA will conduct house to house registration for the kits unless the cluster recommends blanket distribution in a site which already had residents list. The most vulnerable families in the target area will be identified through a selection committee made up of community leaders including female leaders where possible, using a selection criteria that considers the following: - households not living (owned or rented) in a mud or concrete house (e.g. households living in non-residential buildings, unfinished/abandoned buildings, occupying open space etc) - Female headed households, child headed households, households with a person with disability, elderly households - Households with a monthly income less than Afs 5,000. The final Hygiene and water kits will be designed in consultation with the communities and will be in-line with the WASH Cluster guidelines. Kits will be procured in country, stored in the warehouses, sorted into packages ahead of the distribution and then distributed to the pre-identified and verified rights holders. Female Headed Households will be consulted on how they prefer to receive the items (e.g. nominating a male family member to receive the items or being prioritised at the distribution so that they can limit time spent at the distribution). PWD and Elderly rightsholders will be supported at the distribution. Monitoring and CFM will take place on site and safeguarding messaging will be visible during the distribution. Output 2.2. WASH: 2000 vulnerable households will have received Afghanistan WASH cluster standard water kits (water kits items: Plastic mug 2, Plastic Jerry can (two size) 2, Bucket 1, Soap 7, Instruction leaflet, Water purification tablet 1 pack). Also included in the distribution will be hygiene promotion IEC materials with key messages on proper hygiene and covid-19. IRA will work with the WASH cluster to identify an area in need of WASH intervention and will aim to compliment the sanitation interventions of other organisations with the distribution of hygiene and water kits. IRA will conduct house to house registration for the kits unless the cluster recommends blanket distribution in a site which already had residents list. The most vulnerable families in the target area will be identified through a selection committee made up of community leaders including female leaders where possible, using a selection criteria that considers the following: - households not living (owned or rented) in a mud or concrete house (e.g. households living in non-residential buildings, unfinished/abandoned buildings, occupying open space etc) - Female headed households, child headed households, households with a person with disability, elderly households - Households with a monthly income less than Afs 5,000. The final Hygiene and water kits will be designed in consultation with the communities and will be in-line with the WASH Cluster guidelines. Kits will be procured in country, stored in the warehouses, sorted into packages ahead of the distribution and then distributed to the pre-identified and verified rights holders. Female Headed Households will be consulted on how they prefer to receive the items (e.g. nominating a male family member to receive the items or being prioritised at the distribution so that they can limit time spent at the distribution). PWD and Elderly rightsholders will be supported at the distribution. Monitoring and CFM will take place on site and safeguarding messaging will be visible during the distribution. Output 2.3.WASH: 2000 hygiene promotion session will be conducted in order that 40,000 individuals will have received information about hygiene awareness and COVID-19 mitigation measures through hygiene promotion session. 2000 sessions will be provided by 15 female and male hygiene promotors to groups of females and males of different ages and abilities with female promoters offering sessions to children and youth. Working with the WASH and Health Clusters as well as the APP WG, IRW Afghanistan will produce accessible IEC materials including posters, leaflets and flyers which will illustrate measures that families can take to reduce their risks of COVID-19 and other infections and diseases such as cholera and AWD. Any text will be in the common local language and pictures will be representative of different genders, ages, abilities and will be considerate of cultural norms. Output 3.1 Shelter/NFI: 1000 vulnerable households will have received standard NFI kits (NFI kits items: Blanket Synthetic blankets are made of virgin fibers from polyester or acrylic materials. Some cotton may be included in the yarns. Size: 1.5 * 2 m. Weight: 500 to 850g/m2. Thickness: 5mm minimum. 2; Solar lamp 1; Cooking pot Stainless steel Cooking pot of 7 lit capacity with a frying pan should serve as lid. Two stainless steel handles attached 1; Tea glasses 7; Tea pot 1; Bowl 1; Peeling knife 4; Spoon 7; Match box 1; Big spoon for serving/cooking 1; Jerry can The 10 liters capacity Semi-Collapsible Jerry Can made of food grade LDPE is a container for general household use for carrying and storing drinking water. Weight: 190 – 230 grams 2; Plastic mats Synthetic sleeping mats are used to sleep on and must be waterproof, tear proof and material trim finished. Size: 1.8 x 0.9 meters. Weight: 0.500 Kg / m2 Minimum. 2; Women’s clothes socks, gloves, sweaters, hats 2; Men’s clothes socks, gloves, sweaters, hats 2; Children’s clothes socks, gloves, sweaters, hats 3) IRA will work with the ESNFI cluster to identify an area in need of NFI distributions and will aim to compliment the shelter interventions of other organisations with the distribution of standard NFI kits where possible. The target community will be consulted on the kit contents and the final kit make-up will be shared with the ESNFI cluster for harmonization. IRA will conduct house to house registration for the kits unless the cluster recommends blanket distribution in a site which already had residents list. NFI kits will be designed with communities and will be in-line with the ESNFI guidelines. Kits will be procured in country, stored in the warehouses, sorted into individual kits ahead of the distribution and then distributed to pre-identified and verified rights holders. Female Headed Households will be consulted on how they prefer to receive the items (e.g. nominating a male family member to receive the items or being prioritised at the distribution so that they can limit time spent at the distribution). PWD and Elderly rightsholders will be supported at the distribution. Monitoring and CFM will take place on site and safeguarding messaging will be visible during the distribution. IRA will conduct house to house registration for the kits unless the cluster recommends blanket distribution in a site which already had residents list. The most vulnerable families in the target area will be identified through a selection committee made up of community leaders including female leaders where possible, using a selection criteria that considers the following: - households occupying open space (e.g. schools) - Households with a monthly income less than Afs 5,000.