Provision of life-saving shelter and non-food items to IDPs and affected populations in Rubkona and Koch Counties, Unity, and Yei, Central Equatoria, South Sudan 2019 Since the signing of R-ARCSS in 2018 there have been improvements in security in former Unity and Central Equatoria states, but there continues to be high levels of SNFI needs due to cumulative impacts of years of conflict, destruction of livelihoods and localised insecurity resulting in new and protracted displacement. Concern’s SNFI response will provide lifesaving SNFI assistance to populations with the highest level of SNFI needs through: 1) improving access to safe, dignified and appropriate emergency shelter and life-saving NFIs to newly displaced and vulnerable populations in secondary displacement and 2) improved living conditions for vulnerable protracted IDPs, returnees and host communities unable to meet SNFI needs in Rubkona and Koch, Unity and Yei, Central Equatoria. The response will support 9,500 (4,950 female, 4,650 male) with lifesaving SNFI assistance and is aligned to Strategic Objectives 1 and 2 of the 2019 HRP. 

Concern’s teams will implement mobile SNFI responses in Rubkona and Koch in Unity, and semi-static responses in Yei, Central Equatoria. Due to the volatility in the targeted locations, there are no static partners present and mobile responses are necessary if there are alerts of displacements. Concern will collaborate with national NGOs, Coalition for Humanity in Unity and ARD in Central Equatoria to access populations in need, as well as other partners such as PAH, Titi Foundation, and LCED who are planning similar activities. Mobile responses will provide access to SNFI assistance through distributions of SNFI materials from the pipeline and the composition of the shelter materials and NFI kits will be designed based on assessments with communities so the assistance is appropriate to the needs of women, men, girls and boys and PSNs. Individuals (female, male) in Rubkona, Koch, Yei will be targeted for this component. 

Due to the congestion in Bentiu PoC, IDPs have continued to resettle in Bentiu and Rubkona towns and have relocated from insecure locations. There are also returnee arrivals transiting through Bentiu and Rubkona towns. Bentiu and Rubkona towns were destroyed during the conflict, there are limited rehousing opportunities and SNFI needs remain high. In Yei, IDPs are in protracted displacement from other locations due to continuing conflict in the area. There are also returnee arrivals. Concern will continue the approach of CBIs conducted in previous SSHF allocations. Concern’s market assessment in Unity and Yei have found some demands for shelter materials can be met by suppliers with potential for market recovery particularly in Yei. Concern will focus more on CBIs in more stable locations. In Unity, Concern will identify and train fabricators to produce mats for roofing and beneficiaries will use vouchers to purchase these at fairs. In Yei, Concern will provide vouchers to beneficiaries to purchase shelter materials and if feasible NFIs. For shelter materials and NFIs that cannot be provided at fairs, these will come from the pipeline. In Yei, Concern will contract a local NGO, ARD, to implement activities that focus on resilience with beneficiaries including fuel efficient stove and briquette production, environmental protection, hygiene promotion and reducing GBV that will complement SNFI assistance. Concern will continue to be State SNFI Cluster focal point in Unity and in SNFI Cluster focal point in Yei. 

Concern will follow “Do No Harm” principles to reduce community tensions by targeting the most vulnerable returnee and host communities as well as IDPs as vulnerabilities is not exclusive to only IDP households. Beneficiaries will be targeted using community defined criteria to ensure women’s, men’s, girl’s and boy’s needs are met as well as PSNs. Concern will prioritise the most vulnerable such as female-headed households, households with the large numbers of children under 5 child-headed households vulnerable people with disabilities, elderly, widows and orphans.