Emergency Nutrition Response for Drought Affected People in Bidu, Megale, Koneba, Korri, Afanbo,  and Millie Woredas, Afar Regional State. The Government of Ethiopia’s January nutrition hotspot classification has identified 463 districts nationwide as priority areas for humanitarian response in 2018, of which 216 are Priority 1 (P 1), 161 Priority 2 (P2) and 86 Priority 3 (P3). Considering the compounded effects that sustained drought since 2 to 3 years back in Afar region as well as the current food insecurity situation and its prospect, TFPs (Target Feeding Programs) admission trend in the target woredas through the coming months is anticipated to be higher than what was reported last year.

Moreover, all these project target woredas being classified as the top priority 1 recently, and therefore, this emergency nutrition response project is designed through active participation, coordination and networking of all key local actors, Government authorities, NGOs and UN Agencies in order to avoid duplication of efforts and wastage of resources, as well as to ensure coordination and alignment with the national strategic response Under Pillar 2 of Ethiopia Humanitarian and Disaster Resilience Plan (HDRP), Plan International will provide SAM amp MAM treatment in the target districts in Afar region. The primary target population of this project are children under five year and PLW(Pregnant and Lactating Women) in the target woredas 5233 PLW with MAM 1724(897girls)  under five children with SAM, 8283(4307girls) MAM under five children, of which, around 15% are globally estimated living with some kind of disability. Even if we do not have and/or planned direct interventions for persons with disability and elderlies, the planned training on age and disability inclusion is to enhance the overall awareness about vulnerability of this particular group, and therefore, they are going to benefit from this project indirectly.   Under Pillar 1 of HDRP, Plan International Ethiopia (PIE)will provide micro nutrition supplies and routine drugs including Vitamin A, Iron and deworming drugs for district health office.   Under Pillar 3 of HDRP, this project will also indirectly address/benefit around 132,075 persons (69,588 female) in the target woredas through providing intensive local capacity building support, such as:

	Strengthening Health Extension Workers and Health Workers capacity in managing SAM cases.  
	Provision of logistical support on basic Community based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) supplies and routine drugs.
	Enhance proper hygiene and sanitation as optimal Infant and Young Children Feeding (IYCF) practices for caretakers in the target districts. 
	Conduct capacity building trainings on: Age and Disability Inclusion in Humanitarian Action the Sphere project approach – Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards.
	On top of the routine orientation and refresher trainings, cross-cutting issues focused orientation – Volunteer Food Distribution Agents, Health Extension Workers, Health Workers and PIE’s Field Level Nutrition Workers.

This project also will integrate protection focused local capacity building training, such as age and disability inclusion in humanitarian action, to improve understandings of the needs and capacities of vulnerable persons through collecting evidence on more inclusive practices. Thus, Plan International Ethiopia will ensure that the most vulnerable population groups in the target Woredas not further affected by serious level of acute malnutrition mainly through a full CMAM approach that is Integrated with IYCF-E.

This project is planned for six months from May 15  to Nov 14 2018. The overall project management and coordination will be led by Plan International Ethiopia (PIE) Country Office through its Senior Emergency Response Team (ERT) as well as through its Field Emergency Response Team based at Semera, Afar Region Capital.