Winterization Support to Vulnerable Families in Bamiyan ActionAid is working in Bamiyan for more than 12 years and is currently implementing food security programmes in all the Districts of Bamiyan including the 3 proposed Districts of Bamiyan center, Saighan and Shiber. While our current presence gives us significant knowledge about Districts and current situation in the districts, we have also drawn on findings from the WFP 11 round food security update, the third RA strategy of AHF and the ICCT winter prioritization document to prepare this proposal. 

During the course of our work, we have consulted the project participants (primarily the vulnerable wage earners) and the consultation with wage earners in Saighan and Bamiyan center over the last several months have made us learn that there has been significant reduction (60%-80%) in wage labour opportunities due to failed agriculture for 2 consecutive years and cessation of most business activities. While people in Bamiyan center reported about 60% reduction (from 5 days a week to 2 days a week), in Saighan the wage workers reported reduction of wage work by up to 80% from 3 to 4 days a week to 0 – 1 days a week as compared to the pre-August 2021 situation. In the current context throughout the country significant challenges are being faced by women, girls and women headed households. With the prerequisite of a Maharam for any movement for women outside their homes, families without an adult male have significant difficulty to earn any livelihood. Though not relevant to this project, the girls are also unable to attend schools above grade 6 and thus confined to homes. 

The WFP 11th Food Security Update of July 2022 is revealing, and it finds that with approximately 90% of the Afghan population is having insufficient food, high inflation of food materials during the last year also created further destitution in the families as up to 95% of the family's income is being spent on food alone leaving very little cash in their hands for anything else other than food that itself is insufficient. The situation is worse for the women headed households. The report also finds that ‘8 in 10 female headed households are reducing their number of meals consumed in a day’ which is much higher than a male headed household. The WFP report further predicts that with significant reduction in income, food security situation may worsen. With the current food insecurity situation among the families, it is unlikely that the families will be able to afford for their winterization needs unless they get specific support for this. ActionAid would transfer cash in two tranches, the 2nd one after verification by ActionAid Staff. 

The project is being proposed for 3 Districts in Bamiyan province, viz. Bamiyan Center, Shiber and Saighan. The three districts have been decided by the cluster based on severity of weather conditions, extent people are exposed to the elements and number of people exposed to the elements. ActionAid will provide cash support to a total of 1,693 households for winterization package consisting of Heating assistance, winter clothes and Blanket. While the total number of households are the highest in Bamiyan center (as per NSP data), there is also the possibility for people to get some wage labor in this district. The Districts of Shiber and Saighan have less opportunity of wage labour or any form of income other than agriculture. In view of this, ActionAid has distributed the proportion of families as follows: Bamiyan center: 45% (738 families), Shiber: 30% (492 Families) and Saighan: 25% (409 Families).