Winterisation support in Bamiyan and Ghor The objective of this intervention is to ensure winterization support in Bamyan and Ghor provinces for 1103 households – 7721 persons (1853 men, 1776 women, 2084 boys and 2008 girls). After conducting community meetings, AAA will assess appropriate and realistic gender and age disaggregation for the target population, prioritizing vulnerable women and girls and striving to reach 50% female and 50% male where possible. As per cluster recommendations, as well as our own humanitarian signature, the project will ensure that at least 32% of the targeting population are pregnant and lactating women. Based on cluster recommendation we will coordinate with the nutrition partner in the given districts to identify PLWs. During intervention and beneficiary selection, ActionAid will make conscious efforts to ensure that people living with disabilities, elderly, and children without adult care are not left behind.

ActionAid’s winterisation support will be achieved through AAA staff presence in the distribution site when the Sarafa distributes cash. The support will be US$ 200 per household for heating and US$ 40 per household for blankets. The amount envisaged is in line with cluster guidance. In Ghor a total of 518 households will be supported and in Bamyan 585 households. This comes up to a total of 3626 people in Ghor and 4095 people in Bamyan. 

Cash has been chosen as opposed to in-kind distributions based on AAA’s market assessment and  beneficiaries’ preference during the needs assessment, AAA’s recent positive experience in the country distributing cash as opposed to in-kind and on ESNFI Cluster recommendations for the area. Cash distribution will also allow beneficiaries to chose the kind of heating mode that they prefer rather than ActionAid deciding what kind of heating instrument and fuel they will use, this will also provide a boost to the local economy. Cash is an empowering and dignifying method of transferring beneficiary entitlement, it also reduces procurement timelines thereby ensuring that beneficiary entitlements reach the beneficiaries quickly. 

Cash distribution will be achieved through using the services of Sarafa with whom ActionAid already has a contract. Due to changes in context, cash liquidity is a serious challenge for everyone in the country. Banks are still not operating fully, in the districts targeted by AAA even in the past there were no adequate banking services since they are hard to reach areas. Thus, using Sarafas is the best way to ensure cash is available for the beneficiaries. AAA has already contracted a Non-Banking Finance Service provider (Sarafa) after due diligence and they have the ability to transfer cash to the district centers for the beneficiaries based on our requirements. The dates for distribution will be determined after beneficiary selection is complete and after notifying the beneficiaries through distribution of tokens. A senior ActionAid staff will vet all payments and all distributions will be done in coordination with relevant stakeholders and will be followed by PDMs.

With the cash distributed, the targeted population will be able to choose what sort of heating means they purchase. Based on our needs assessment, we expect most people will choose Bukharies. 
Furthermore, to ensure we are mainstreaming protection concerns, the project will aim to increase knowledge amongst the targeted vulnerable households on existing referral pathways and protection services for survivors of SGBV, unaccompanied children and people living with disabilities in the two provinces. 

Operational, security, safety and financial risk and the corresponding mitigating measures will be in place risk registers will be regularly updated and communicated a detailed monitoring and evaluation plan will be implemented measuring indicators, applying lessons learned and documenting recommendations and sustainability/handover strategies will be explored for the project’s duration.