Emergency Food Assistance to communities affected by COVID-19 in Kot and Batikot Districts of Nangarhar. In line with the priorities of the AHF 5th Reserve Allocation 2020, revised HRP 2018-2021 SO1 (lives are saved in areas of highest needs), and FSAC outcome 1.3 (shock affected people (IDPs, returnees, refugees, natural disaster affected, people affected by COVID-19 and seasonaly food insecure IPC phase 3 and 4 people) of all ages have a minimum household food consumption score of above 42.5), Cordaid and partner RRAA propose cash for food to 2,620 HH (18,339 people) from communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in Kot and Batikot districts of Nangarhar. Cordaid will leverage the requested AHF grant with US$29,300, enabling Cordaid to cover 320 additional HH (2,300 HH covered by AHF grant and 320 HH by Cordaid private funds). The target beneficiaries are those who have experienced multiple resilience eroding shock in the past 6 months, and those subject to recent COVID-19 pressures, including lack of employment. They will receive cash for food. Following FSAC guidelines, assistance is half a food basket for a period of 2 months (US$90 in local currency) distributed in one instalment. The proposed unconditional cash assistance ensures continued, regular access to food for acute food insecure people in Kot and Batikot where people were already severely acute food insecure prior to the pandemic, but their situation has worsened by COVID-19
The proposed response is designed based on needs and gaps identified by the FSAC and 5th reserve allocation, and confirmed by recent assessments (annex A): 83% of the respondents have a poor food consumption score, 82% is applying high coping strategies. To address the acute food needs Cordaid proposes cash distribution to complement existing food stocks. Cordaid ensures that the most vulnerable people are included in the assistance, with a focus on female headed HH, HH with PWD and or where the primary breadwinner has lost employment due to COVID-19, as unemployment in the target areas is very high (71%). Beneficiary Selection Committees (BSC) will be established, conducting door-to-door assessment using the FSAC recommended tool. Markets assessments confirmed market functionality and available food, and prices are monitored. Based on cluster vulnerability criteria (household food stocks, current income, poor food consumption scores and use of more than one food-based emergency coping strategy), the most food insecure and vulnerable households will be identified by the BSCs, using the food consumption score card and rCSI. Selected beneficiaries will receive a token and will be fully informed about the assistance and how to access complaint and feedback systems, incl. Awaaz Afghanistan. Pre-distribution monitoring will be conducted as an extra verification to ensure eligibility of the beneficiaries and beneficiary lists will be shared with other actors for cross checking and avoidance of duplication. Cash will be provided through Hawala as dominated FSP in these districts. After each distribution, post distribution monitoring (PDM) will be conducted. PDMs will include questions related to risks associated with cash distribution. Cordaid/RRAA follow the FSAC guidelines for cash for food and the safer cash guidelines. Risk assessments for cash programming will be conducted and relevant risk mitigation measures will be taken to facilitate inclusive, safe and secure access of all beneficiaries (women, children, PWD, elderly) to cash assistance. Cordaid has tailored its response to a range of specific needs accounting for gender, age, disability, households headed by women, and families with specific protection needs. COVID-19 Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) will be carried out as a cross cutting theme. Cordaid is committed to the Grand Bargain: in addition to participation, the use of cash and transparency (ReportHub IATI), Cordaid implements jointly with RRAA as part of its localization efforts and will strengthen RRAA’s capacity through training, coaching and funding