Winterization assistance for vulnerable populations in Baghlan, Kunduz, Takhar, Balkh and Samangan provinces Through this intervention, ACTED will provide lifesaving winterization heating assistance to 2,275 vulnerable families (15,925 beneficiaries) facing critical climatic conditions during the Afghanistan winter in Baghlan, Kunduz, Takhar, Balkh and Samangan provinces. Due to the extremely low temperatures during winter and the high levels of displacement and poverty across Afghanistan, many households and communities are either living in inadequate or makeshift shelters for the conditions or lack financial resources to provide sufficient heating, therefore exposing them to increased health risks such as respiratory infections, pneumonia and hypothermia, which can be fatal. ACTED is uniquely positioned to provide seasonal winterization support to recent shock-affected households as a priority. Additionally, ACTED aims to build upon the already planned assistance to expand its winterization coverage in the Category 1 provinces of Baghlan, Kunduz and Balkh, and Category 2 provinces of Takhar and Samangan. All proposed provinces are susceptible to extreme cold temperatures, high snowfall, have high numbers of people exposed to snow, and have high gaps of people that remain in need of winterization assistance. ACTED will aim to support recently shock affected households, protracted displaced households, vulnerable host communities and others with high levels of need with a cluster standard winterization package for heating, and will aim to complement existing ERM multi-purpose cash assistance programming.

Through the AHF 6th Reserve Allocation, ACTED will aim to expand its winterization targets, adding an additional 2,275 households. In order to protect the most vulnerable households that are at risk during winter, ACTED will provide standard winterization heating packages, consisting of a one-off 200 USD cash assistance (provided to beneficiaries in Afghani) to cover heating materials for 3 months. Assistance will be provided through unconditional, unrestricted cash (200 USD distributed in AFN currency) in accordance with the ES/NFI cluster standards. When possible, the winterization cash assistance will be linked with and complemented by multi-sector responses, through utilizing ACTED’s MEB-based MPCA packages from ERM funding, as well as responses from other food actors, and targeted assistance from ES/NFI partners, in order to ensure that beneficiaries’ high multi-sector needs are met and addressed during the winter months, and that the unconditional winterization cash assistance will contribute to meeting their winterization needs. In total, ACTED will target 550 HHs in Baghlan (Pul-e-Khumri, Baghlan-e-Jadid, Nahrin and Burka districts), 500 HHs in Kunduz (Aliabad, Chardara, Dashte e Archi and Qala e Zal districts), 425 HHs in Takhar (Rustaq, Ishkamish and Taloqan districts), 425 HHs in Balkh (Sholgara and Dawlat districts) and 375 HHs in Samangan (Ferooz Nakhchir and Khuram wa Sarbagh districts) with winterization assistance.

PDM findings from previous AHF Reserve allocations for similar types of assistance show a strong acceptance of cash as a means of assistance, households will make their own determinations based on their own needs. 

To ensure service provision in a dignified manner, ACTED will ensure implementation is conducted while upholding core humanitarian standards and following with ES/NFI cluster guidelines. This project will have a direct impact on reducing protection risks associated with harmful coping mechanisms, in IDP settlements and displacement areas. ACTED will mainstream protection throughout project implementation to prioritize safety and dignity, and avoid causing harm, and to ensure meaningful access and accountability to affected populations.