Emergency Nutrition Response to Affected Populations of Dollo Zone, Somali Region Back-to-back seasons of poor or non-existent rainfall in 2015, exacerbated by the strongest El Niño phenomenon on record in the same year, led to the worst drought in decades in Ethiopia in 2016 and resulted in high levels of food insecurity and malnutrition. In 2016, the Ethiopian Government and humanitarian partners successfully responded to the large-scale humanitarian impact of the drought assisting at least 10.2 million people with food, and rolling out the largest emergency seed response in the country to at least 1.5 million households. Some 3.1 million children were supported through the school feeding program, 2.7 million people were assisted with clean water, 2 million cases of Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) were supported with Targeted Supplementary Feeding, and more than 320,883 cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) were treated.
The residual effects of the El Niño drought are expected to be felt throughout 2017 and at the same time, eastern and southern Ethiopia are in the grip of a new drought, as a result of failed 2016 spring and autumn rains, caused by the negative Indian Ocean Dipole (La Niña). This drought has left many more people at risk of developing severe forms of acute malnutrition, especially children and pregnant and lactating women who are the most vulnerable segment of the community. 
Further to the hotspot classification released in December 2016, in comparison to the July 2016 hotspot classification, the total number of hotspot woredas increased by 14.6%.

The OTP admission trend in Somali region showed an increase of 44% from December 2016 (3,817) admissions to 5,492 in January 2017. Looking at the increase in OTP admissions, it is clear that the situation will likely further deteriorate with services being overburdened if timely support is not in place. Dollo Zone where GOAL Ethiopia is also proposing to respond exhibited an increase in admissions by 251.8%, from 299 in December 2016 to 1,052 in January 2017. 

Through this grant GOAL will implement CMAM in four woredas of Dollo Zone: Warder, Bokh, Danote and Galhamer. The intervention will cover the entire woredas. Under this grant GOAL Ethiopia will implement the full components of CMAM: OTP, SC, TSFP (funded by WFP) and Community Mobilization. GOAL will also establish Mobile Health and Nutrition Team (MHNT) in order to provide mobile health care package including the following services: health promotion, screening for malnutrition, expanded programme of immunization, deworming, and referral.) for targeted Woredas. There is a public health emergency due to AWD, exacerbated by drought and a lack of water. 

To carry out TSFP, GOAL Ethiopia will enter into a field Level Agreement (FLA) with WFP to implement TSFP in the four targeted woredas. This FLA will include food commodities as DIK, and funding for TSFP-associated operational costs.  

Through on-the-job and off-the-job training, GOAL Ethiopia will build the capacity of Health Extension Workers and Health Workers on the management of acute malnutrition and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices (IYCF). A total of 111 HWs and HEWs will receive training. 

Through this grant GOAL will establish 33 OTP, and 4 Stabilization centers providing a service to approximately 856 severely acutely malnourished children under five. TSFP will be implemented (through WFP funding) for 6,025 moderately acutely malnourished children and 2,897 pregnant and lactating women. Approximately 1,376 caregivers will receive nutrition education. 

OTP will be established as follows:
Warder 11, Danot 8, Bokh 10, and Galhamer 4 
SC will be established as follows:
Warder 1, Danot 1, Bokh 1, and Galhamer 1
TSFP sites (funded by WFP) will be established and linked to OTP sites as follows 
Warder 11, Danot 8, Bokh 10, and Galhamer 4