Provision of emergency shelter and NFI assistance for IDP households in Ghor and Samangan The ICCT Spring Disaster Contingency Plan (dated March 2021) details a complex set of needs among vulnerable populations. Intensifying conflict, the onset of drought in various parts of the country, and the Covid-19 pandemic have 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 (attached as an annex) 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 Spring Contingency Plan, Afghanaid proposes to provide crucial shelter and NFI assistance to 1700 IDP households in Ferozkoh, Ghor, and 250 IDP households in Aybak, Samangan, both of which are prioritized under the contingency plan. Based on communities’ preferences and a recent market assessment, Afghanaid proposes cash as the modality for the shelter assistance, and in-kind NFI kits as the modality for NFI assistance. The participant selection criteria will follow the priorities of the Spring Contingency Plan, focusing specifically on displaced households, as well as other vulnerability criteria (e.g. women-headed households and people with disabilities) which will be agreed on by the participant selection committee detailed below.

In Ghor, the intervention will provide 1700 IDP households in Ferozkoh with a ESNFI cluster standard NFI kit with a value of US$105 per household, and 700 of these households will also receive cash for shelter assistance totaling US$225 per household covering three months of rent as well as any minor repairs required. In Samangan, Afghanaid will provide 250 IDP households in Aybak with cash for shelter worth US$225 per household, which will cover three months of rent.

Afghanaid will establish participant selection and distribution committees including representatives from local communities, such as the leaders of Community Development Councils (CDCs) and District Development Assemblies (DDAs), representatives of the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) and the Deportment of Refugees and Repatriations (DoRR), and Afghanaid. Participants will be selected according to ESNFI vulnerability criteria to ensure the IDP households most acutely in need are targeted, including women-headed households and households with a large number of dependent children.

The project team will work with Etisalat’s established mHawala service in both provinces to distribute the cash for shelter from central distribution points in two equal tranches. 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 over 19 years of continuous presence in both provinces, current operations in both target districts 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 Ghor and Samangan, 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 13,650 displaced men, women, boys and girls with crucial shelter and NFI assistance, helping target households meet their basic needs, 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.