Improved access to Integrated Child Protection and Education Interventions for flood-affected populations in Beletweyne district, Hiraan Region. The proposed 6-month intervention will scale up access to quality basic education through integrating child protection services in IDP and Host community schools in Beletweyne. The project will seek to improve the retention of already enrolled children living in flood-affected areas into the quality and inclusive basic education in a safe and protective learning environment. 

The project will target and support 8,750 children (40% girls) in 20 schools, the most affected schools will be selected in coordination with regional coordinators will receive light rehabilitation and furnishing of desks and chairs, provision of teaching and learning materials to 8,750 learners from 20 schools, provision of dignity kits to 2000 adolescent girls to enhance their daily school attendance, provision of recreational materials to 20 schools that are tailored to the needs of children, Provision of community-based psychosocial support in schools, the establishment of 20 temporary child-friendly spaces (CFS) that will support the provision of PSS, recreational activities and non-formal education activities. On the protection front, the project will identify specific protection needs, inform service provision and serve as an entry point for specialized service provision with boys and girls. Targeted psychosocial support, psychological first aid, case management, and emergency referrals will be provided to child survivors of rights violations, Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC), and children who show signs of trauma. 500 children will be targeted for IDTR and PSS provided, of which 30% expected to be reunified with their families. 

The proposed intervention will create synergies with existing programs focusing on child protection. The caseworkers and monitors in the present proposal will act as a reference for the referral pathways aiming at connecting services in the communities. Before starting the implementation, HIWA will coordinate with Shelter, protection, WASH, and CCCM to ensure complementarity and reinforcement of the project approach. HIWA has a strong experience in child protection in emergency and in resilience context and has previously implemented child protection programs funded by UNICEF in Beletweyne and Buula Burte, through this experience HIWA has established linkages with community leaders, local authorities and camp leaders making access and acceptance easier in the target locations. HIWA will coordinate with the regional education cluster during the implementation of the project. Coordination with WASH cluster will be essential in implementing the project, HIWA will work closely with Wash partner who will carry out hygiene promotion in schools and also ensure the water sources in the schools are safe.

Opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration within and beyond the HIWA education and protection sectors will be sought. The collaboration will include emergency operations with cluster partners to ensure a comprehensive approach and view of education and child protection. HIWA will use the strength of its relationship with the regional education and protection clusters to share information and collaborate in service provision to avoid duplication of activities in the selected schools. Before implementation starts, HIWA will liaise with the regional coordination structure to identify schools that have not been targeted by other partners. HIWA will also closely work with Relief International and Qatar foundation on hygiene promotion and other WASH interventions. Referrals will be directed to them where WASH needs are identified in different schools.