Improving Living Conditions of the Conflict-affected Population in Northwest Syria through NFI and Winterization Assistance. This project aims to respond to the needs of conflict-affected IDPs and the most vulnerable people of the host community (70% IDPs and 30% host community) in Idleb and Afrin districts, by providing life-saving NFI and winterization assistance through the following components: 

a) providing vulnerable 1000 households (5000 individuals approx.) in Afrin and Janderes sub-districts with in-kind essential Non-Food Item kits that will include the following materials chosen based on the S/NFI Cluster guidance: plastic sheets, jerry cans, solar lamps, sleeping mats, blankets, and hasira/carpet. The procurement of the NFI kits will be done in Turkey, and this will avoid impacting the local markets and any potential increase of local prices. This component will mainly target IDPs who have not received any similar assistance during the last displacement. This component will be implemented during the first three months of the project (distribution, including procurement, to take place in July-September period). 

b) distribution of restricted vouchers for heating fuel needed during the winter season in 2020 in Afrin, and Janderes in Aleppo governorate and Kafr Takharim, Armanaz and Maaret Tmisreen in Idleb. Winterization activity will target 2800 HHs (14,000 individuals) of both IDPs (70%) and HCs (30%) with 2 restricted vouchers for two rounds during winter months (December 2020 and January 2021) total value of the vouchers will be 120 USD (two vouchers: each with 60 USD value). This was determined based on the SNFI winter guidance and coordination with and preference of the SNFI Cluster, where the average need per household in NWS is 4 L of fuel daily, or 10 kg of coal per day for continuous 60 days minimum. This will ensure reaching more beneficiaries during the harsh winter season. Shafak will conduct an assessment in the targeted locations to identify the type of stoves the targeted beneficiaries are using to determine the suitable type of heating fuel (diesel, or charcoal), and contract with suppliers accordingly. As for voucher printing, it will be procured from Turkey, and transferred to Syria (transfer of goods to the final delivery point, Shafak office in Bab Al-Hawa, will be a condition in the contracts with the printing vendors, who use commercials border crossings - Shafak already has experience in such procurement). The modality of restricted vouchers has been chosen to ensure that targeted beneficiaries will use the vouchers only for intended assistance (fuel/charcoal for heating). 

c) Distribution of soap bars (six pieces - 125g each) to enhance beneficiaries' prevention against COVID-19 these items will be distributed along with each of the above components.

In total, this project intends to reach 3800 households (19000 individuals:  4,470 men,  4,886 women,  4,470 boys, 5,175 girls) focusing on IDP sites such as unfinished buildings, collective centers and informal settlements. Shafak selected these communities based on the following: a) IDPs movement tracking, b) accessibility, c) safety and d) needs identified by Shafak. Shafak will prioritize the most vulnerable groups (e.g. women-headed HHs, HHs with members with chronic diseases, elderlies, ...etc. refer to the attached selection criteria. 

The beneficiaries will be selected based on a set of vulnerability criteria with a focus on the newly IDPs who left their hometowns during the last displacement and are in dire need of winterization and NFI assistance.