INTEGRATED FOOD, HEALTH AND NUTRITION SECURITY FOR VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS IN NASSIR, MAIWUT,  PANYIKANG AND ULANG COUNTIES OF UPPER NILE STATE This project responds to critical and lifesaving food security, nutrition, and health and needs of IDP and host communities in Maiwut, Pankyiang Nassir and Ulang Counties of upper Nile state. 

In total, 99,986 people will benefit from this multi-sector response, over a period of 12 months. 

The project will be led by GOAL and implemented in conjunction with local NGOs (UNKEA) and RuCAPD. The three organizations have long experience working in Upper Nile State, responding to emergency and recovery needs among conflict- and climate change-affected populations, as well as longer-term development challenges.

The proposed response aligns with the 2021 HRP priorities, the Food Security and Livelihoods, Nutrition, and Health Cluster Strategies, and the priorities for this SSHF allocation strategy, under Envelope 1.

GOAL believes that the current multifaceted challenges facing people in these two IPC 4 counties require an integrated, coordinated, multi-cluster approach, with strong sectoral integration across FSL, Nutrition, and Health. Activities proposed will meet both immediate and life-saving needs among affected populations, while strengthening local capacity to deliver high-quality services, and contributing to reducing dependencies on food assistance, as well as fostering longer-term behavior change outcomes.

The project will be implemented in Maiwut (Jekow, Jotoma, Kigila, Maiwut, Olang and Pagak payams), Pankyiang (Tonga, Panyikang, Pakang, Panyidwoi and Dhethim payams), Ulang (Doma, Kurmuot, Ulang amp Yomding) and Nassir (Dingkar, Jikmir, Kiechkuon, Kuetrengke, Mading, Maker, Nasir, amp Roam) , which face significant food insecurity (IPC 4) and prioritized by this Allocation Strategy. Activities will include: distribution of critical agricultural inputs, complemented by training, to improve food production and food security integrated preventative and curative nutrition response targeting the most vulnerable groups, including responding to severe and moderate acute malnutrition, and improve maternal, infant and young child feeding practices comprehensive health response in available but overstretched health facilities as well as outreach sites through mobile teams to ensure access to primary healthcare services among targeted groups, with particular focus on maternal and child healthcare, early warning and disease surveillance, and GBV health response services. 

The project will benefit from flexible and adaptive management, informed by evidence-based programming, learning, community voices and feedback, and robust MEAL systems. GOAL, UNKEA and RuCAPD have a long-established partnership in the target areas, and bring added value to this response strategy, through our strong sectoral capacity and expertise, community-centered and conflict-sensitive approaches, long established presence and contextual understanding, and strong relationships with local government bodies and community acceptance. GOAL, UNKEA and RuCAPD have trained staff, offices established, and strong logistical systems. We are well positioned to scale-up in the target areas, for a rapid response and effective project implementation. In line with GOAL's commitment to the localization agenda, GOAL will work closely with UNKEA and RuCAPD to strengthen and leverage their capacities and expertise during implementation. 

Special emphasis will be placed on the inclusion of women, youth, and vulnerable groups such as returnees, female-headed households, and people with disability, with adapted activities to facilitate their social integration in agricultural production activities and ensure their access to timely and quality health, and nutrition. Emphasis will be placed on ensuring access and project participation for households from host, IDP and returnee communities, as a critical element of GOAL and RuCAPD’s conflict sensitivity and do-no-harm approaches.