Integrated Emergency Response to Conflict Affected Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and Host communities in Lashkargah District, Helmand province, with multi-sectoral and coverage assessments in hard to reach provinces in Afghanistan In line with the HRP 2017 and the 2nd allocation strategic priorities, ACF proposes to launch an intervention targeting the most vulnerable IDPs, host communities and institutions in improving access to services and timely humanitarian response in Lashkargah district, Helmand. ACF aims also to enhance coordinated needs assessments in Afghanistan through integrated multi sectoral assessments in the hard to reach provinces of Faryab, Ghazni, Kunar, Kunduz, Nangarhar, Paktika, Uruzgan and Zabul.
The first part of the proposed action is an integrated WASH, Nutrition, Health, FS and MHCP approach aimed at addressing the underlying cause of child deaths in the area (diarrheal diseases, treatment of acute malnutrition). The overall objective and approach envisioned both fits in ACF mission strategy, which is geared towards reducing morbidity and mortality amongst U5 children, and support integrated programming. The focus on WASH, Nutrition, FS and Protection in addition to aligning with national humanitarian priorities, corresponds to ACF fields of expertise. ACF is internationally recognized for its technical know-how and field experience in successfully implementing integrated projects with specific expertise on Nutrition, WASH, MHCP and FS. In country, ACF is one of the leading members of the WASH and Nutrition Clusters.
In addressing malnutrition ACF directly implement IMAM activities. Two mobile teams will be deployed covering 14 sites, conduct screening of U5 children, and treat SAM children. More over the mobile team activity includes treating of MAM children, IMNCI and Acute Malnourished PLW. The teams will also provide health education, IYCF messages and psychosocial counseling to mothers and caretakers.  
To increase access to safe drinking water, ACF will work in both IDPs, institutions and host communities for the construction of new water points or the rehabilitation of the existing boreholes. ACF will also distribute BioSand Filters to the HH settled in areas to safe drinking water with reported case of diarrhea and the water quality is poor / not respecting the minimum quality standards. ACF will distributed hygiene kits for women and girls reflecting mainstreamed protection principles where distributions are sensitized to minimize risks of GBV. 
With the ongoing conflict in Helmand, many people including children are displaced and have settled in the provincial capital Lashkargah and as a result, many schools are overcrowded. The children are at risk of contracting diarrhea diseases due to poor hygiene and sanitation. For maximum impact on reducing the incidence of diarrheal diseases, the project will also work towards sustainable positive behavior changes in care practices related to personal hygiene with a strong focus on hand-washing with soap. ACF will use various “dissemination stations”, as many entry points for transmission of knowledge on optimal hygiene practices, in a bid to reach out to the largest population. Community leaders will be actively involved in the process to act as “education stations” to support durable behavior change. These dissemination stations will also be utilized as distribution points for GBV messages to generate awareness and link to available community services. 
The proposed intervention seeks to provide FS survival assistance through unconditional cash distribution to food insecure prolonged IDP HH affected by conflict disaster enduring prolonged periods of displacement (6 months to 2 years) and with it, enhanced vulnerability. The cash distribution will be based on guideline on FSAC cluster food basket and the FSAC Cluster HRP guidance. 
The 2nd part of the project aims to support the Clusters and BPHS IPs in addressing current humanitarian data gaps and making informed strategic programming decisions. It shall be done through the conduction of 8 multi-sectoral assessments (SMART – Nutrition, Health, FSL and WASH), 2 Rapid SMART and 2 SQUEAC in the targeted provinces.