Winterization Assistance for Vulnerable Households in Daykundi and Samangan According to the Joint Winterization Strategy (dated July 2020) and ESNFI cluster data, 504,000 people in Daykundi and 448,000 people in Samangan will be exposed to harsh winter weather in the coming winter season. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to widespread illness and mortality, a deep economic recession, and starkly reduced income opportunities in these provinces, which in turn has depleted productive assets and reduced communities’ capacity to cope with shocks. Afghanaid’s recent needs assessment (Annex A) found that the vast majority of households in both provinces are unable to cover their basic needs and require urgent assistance. 

In line with ESNFI cluster priorities detailed in the Joint Winterization Strategy, Afghanaid proposes to provide crucial heating and blanket assistance to 2127 vulnerable households in Aybak and Hazrat-e Sultan districts of Samangan, and Sang-e Takht, Khedir and Ishterlay districts of Daykundi, which are all prioritized by the ESNFI cluster under this allocation. Based on communities’ preference for cash transfers and a recent market assessment (Annex B) confirming community access to well-functioning markets, Afghanaid proposes cash as the modality for heating assistance. In line with cluster preferences, cash assistance will be complemented with in-kind assistance 25% of the most vulnerable targeted households (187 in Samangan and 359 in Daykundi) will also receive in-kind blanket packages. 

In Samangan, the intervention will provide 280 households in Aybak and 468 in Hazrat-e Sultan with a standard 3-month heating package of US$200 per household, and 187 of these households will also receive an in-kind blanket package consisting of three double-sized blankets in line with cluster standards. In Daykundi, Afghanaid will provide 500 households in Sang-e Takht, 500 in Khedir and 379 in Ishterlay with standard 4-month heating packages of US$260 per household, and 359 of these households will also receive an in-kind blanket package. In Sang-e Takht and Khedir, the proposed winterization response will be complemented with a FSAC-funded cash for food intervention, ensuring that vulnerable households’ multiple needs are met in these areas of great need.

Afghanaid will establish participant selection and distribution committees including representatives from local communities (e.g. CDC and DDA heads), government (e.g. ANDMA and DoRR) and Afghanaid. Participants will be selected according to ESNFI vulnerability criteria to ensure the most acutely in need are targeted, including IDPs, women-headed households and households with a large number of dependent children.

The project team will work with a reliable saraf in each province to distribute the heating cash from central distribution points in a single tranche to ensure that assistance reaches the participants as soon as possible. Participants with limited mobility will be brought to the distribution point or receive the assistance at home. 

Afghanaid is well placed to implement this project, with several years of presence in Daykundi, current operations in the target district and excellent access and strong relationships with communities as well as district and provincial authorities. Afghanaid has extensive experience in humanitarian programming, with current and recent humanitarian assistance projects in multiple provinces including Daykundi, funded by AHF, WFP, FAO, and ECHO. The projects include emergency food, livelihoods, winterization, and shelter assistance, using both in-kind and cash modalities.

This intervention will provide 14,889 vulnerable men, women, boys and girls with crucial heating and blankets, reducing illness and mortality and increasing participants’ capacity to rebuild their livelihoods by avoiding the sale of productive assets, so that they are more resilient against future shocks.