ACT Alliance demonstrates its value as the leading faith-based alliance in humanitarian response by working with faith and humanitarian actors at the global, regional, national, and community levels. ACT harnesses the combined strength of its members in delivering humanitarian response at scale and with considerable reach through joint programming approaches.
We commit to an effective ecumenical response that saves lives and maintains dignity, irrespective of race, gender, belief, nationality, ethnicity, or political persuasion. Humanitarian needs define our priorities and the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence guide our actions. We remain committed to strengthening the resilience of affected communities and to being accountable to people and communities affected by a crisis. The ACT Alliance Secretariat is certified against the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability and is committed to the Sphere Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response.
Through its national, regional and sub-regional forums ACT Alliance provides humanitarian and emergency preparedness support to local communities helping them during a crisis and to become more resilient.
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The Rapid Response Fund is an innovative funding mechanism designed to put local communities at the centre of decision-making and is recognised as one of few such funding mechanisms across the sector. The RRF provides valuable opportunities to demonstrate the niche of faith actors in humanitarian response as we work closely with local ACT members and their community networks. On average, the RRF funds 20 emergencies annually and responses are implemented within six months.
The primary mechanism for large scale or global emergencies, including protracted crises: ACT Alliance raises an appeal to its membership with both requesting and funding members co-owning the process. Appeals are open for funding during their entire project period and accessible to both national and international ACT Alliance members.
Consortia represent a new funding mechanism for ACT Alliance. As part of Emergency Preparedness planning, consortiums are established before a disaster strikes and consortium members share a vision and strategic focus. Members self-organise and develop their own financial management models and programme strategies supported by the EPRP process and tools.
Emergency preparedness and response planning is integral to the strengthening of ACT Alliance’s capacity to respond effectively in emergencies through joint programming.
ACT national and regional forums develop emergency preparedness and response plans (EPRPs), working collaboratively to understand potential disaster risks and plan how to respond to emergencies quickly and effectively. Forum EPRPs are accessible by members through an online platform, which can be viewed by other members who may be interested to support them. ACT Forums use specific ACT guidelines and tools to support the process of developing an EPRP which is reviewed regularly.
As part of the holistic and integrated approach to humanitarian response, development and advocacy, ACT’s emergency preparedness and humanitarian response is supported by stronger humanitarian coordination and advocacy with stakeholders and duty bearers.
In the current strategic period our advocacy focuses on three banner commitments to the Grand Bargain at the World Humanitarian Summit where ACT has made significant investments and where member engagement is quite strong: the localisation agenda and the primary role of national/local members and local faith actors; demonstrating the important role of faith actors in humanitarian response; and strengthening of cash-based programming across the humanitarian sector.
In South Sudan, at least 7.3 million people are threatened with hunger and urgently need help (UN,2020), as they have increased humanitarian needs. People continue to suffer in various ways from needs brought about by protracted conflict, floods, desert locusts, and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that has brought economic shocks. All these are likely to exacerbate the severity of acute food insecurity and have contributed to an extended and complex humanitarian crisis. The complex humanitarian situation reveals that about one-third of the total population in South Sudan is estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2021 according to the findings reflected in the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO,2021). ACT South Sudan members, Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), Christian Aid (CA), The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Finn Church Aid (FCA), and Presbyterian Relief & Development Agency (PRDA). SSD211 South Sudan Response to Humanitarian Crisis
Tropical cyclone Seroja carried heavy rains and strong winds that triggered flash floods and landslides in Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) on Sunday, 4th April 2021. The Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) reported 138 people died, 61 missing, and up to 1,114 destroyed or damaged houses. Residents lost their homes due to being submerged by water, mud, and soil as well as public facilities and infrastructure damaged by the disaster, such as bridges, roads, and airports being submerged by water. Areas affected were East Flores, Malacca, Lembata, Ngada, Alor, East Sumba, Sabu Raijua, Rote Ndao, Timor Tengah Selatan, Ende, and Kupang City. Access and communication to affected areas have been difficult as roads and communication facilities were damaged. The response with a budget of USD60,966, will be led by PELKESI, will give assistance to 3,500 affected people (700 households) providing health services, food, shelter materials, and household items. The forum is planning to respond in East Sumba District , Kupang City and Malaka District that were directly affected by the disaster. It also aims to build the capacities of two local churches for humanitarian response. RRF 08 2021 Indonesia NTT Flash Floods
The Covid19 pandemic highlights and foster inequalities. Women's pregnancies have increased in the department of Grand Anse. Reasons for this are: lockdown allows risks of sexual assault sometimes forcing victims to live with their aggressor, the closure of schools and reduction in livelihoods forcing women to engage in free unions or early marriages, lack of sexual and reproductive education, lack of access to contraceptives. A year after the Pandemic is evident the strong need to tackle issues related to women and reproductive health, access to Livelihood and Water and Sanitation, a traditional women-assigned task within the communities and strongly link with stopping the propagation of the virus. This proposal aims at tacking this context revealed in a specific area of the country (Haute Voldrogue, department of Grand Anse, Commune of Jeremie) traditionally neglected and with high levels of vulnerabilities. The activities will run for a period of 6 months, with constant monitoring aiming to update the context and work for adaptative and longer-term strategies, linked with the gender component. 07 RRF 2021 Haiti Gender and Covid19 FV
A long-standing political disagreement between the Ethiopia Federal government and the northern regional state of Tigray’s regional government led to an outbreak of hostilities on 4th November 2020. This was characterized by military action resulting in general insecurity in the region, internal and external displacements, and a disruption of livelihoods. The 2021 Humanitarian Needs Overview launched by the humanitarian community on 5 March estimates that approximately 4.5 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance in Tigray. Changes in ETH201 revised appeal include the addition of Norwegian Church Aid as a requesting member, a focus from livelihood to life-saving interventions, the inclusion of GBV protection, and COVID-19 prevention. Based on information from recent need assessment, the appeal now focuses on central and East Tigray from southern Tigray. Four ACT Ethiopia members, Ethiopia Orthodox Church Development Inter-Church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC), Ethiopia Evangelical Mekane Yesus Church (EECMY-DASSC), Lutheran World Federation (LWF), and Norwegian Church Aid are responding to this crisis. Ethiopia_Tigray-Conflict-response Revised Appeal ETH 201
Tropical Cyclone Eloise made landfall in central Mozambique on 23rd January at around 2 a.m., near the coastal city of Beira. It came with winds of 140 km/h and heavy rainfall of 250 mm within 24 hours. After landfall, Cyclone Eloise downgraded to a moderate tropical storm with a maximum wind speed of 83 km/hr. The weather system continues to move in a westerly direction, bringing high amounts of rainfall in its wake. Other areas were already flooded ahead of Eloise’s landfall, especially surrounding places including Buzi and Nhamatanda resulting in thousands of displaced people. At least 13 people have died and many have been injured.The cyclone also caused severe flooding in the same area that was just recovering from two similar cyclones in 2019. CEDES, ACT member in Mozambique are responding to affected communities. Mozambique_Response to Cyclone Eloise (RRF)
As the Syria crisis entered its tenth year, civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict with an estimated 6.1 million internally displaced person and 1.4 million returnees. The impact of the conflict which is large and growing pushed millions of people into unemployment and poverty. The international sanctions especially the Caesar Act that took effect on 17 June 2020 are tightening the stranglehold on Syria’s economy and increasing the suffering among the Syrian people first and foremost and making the plight of ordinary Syrians even more desperate. On top of all these, the COVID-19 pandemic still poses serious public health risks and caused more loss of the Syrian economy, worsening the impoverished situation of the most vulnerable people. Syria ACT forum members LWF and MECC will respond to the humanitarian crisis with an appeal to raise USD 2,991,360 to build the resilience of the affected communities and continue addressing the most pressing multi sectorial basic needs in Syria. SYR211 Appeal -Syria Crisis
In November 2020, following presidential elections in Ivory Coast, the Northern and southern parts of Liberia received thousands of Ivorians refugees fleeing clashes between opposition and pro-government supporters in Ivory Coast. To date approximately 20,651 Ivorian refugees have fled to Liberia according to reports from UNHCR and Liberia Refugees Repatriation and Resettlement Commission. The refugees have found themselves in a desperate situation with many unmet vital humanitarian needs such as:
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit the districts of Majene, Mamuju, and Polewali Mandar in West Sulawesi, Indonesia on 15 January. This was preceded by a 5.9 magnitude earthquake in the same area a day earlier with several aftershocks. The earthquake left more than 30,353 persons in the affected districts living in temporary shelters. The earthquake has also resulted in the disruption of electricity, communication, water supply, transportation access (by air, sea, land), and there is also security issue like road blockage due to landslides and looting of relief aids in some locations. The COVID-19 pandemic has also put the disaster in a complicated situation. The Indonesian government has started to deploy rescue teams and assistances to the affected areas. Based on the results of a quick assessment from BNPB, the governor of West Sulawesi Province has declared the state of emergency in the province. ACT Indonesia Forum through Pelkesi and Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU) will be supporting about 5,000 households with food, shelter materials, medical services, and drinking water, with funds from ACT Alliance's Rapid Response Fund. Indonesia West Sulawesi Earthquake RRF 032021
The São Paulo State is home 45 million people ranging from very vulnerable communities to well structure urban and rural areas. From the beginning of the pandemic, it is the epicentre of the COVID-19 in Brazil, with around 1.5 million cases and 47,768 deaths until this day. By December 2020, the summer storms season started, bringing great damage to the poorest areas of São Paulo. From 2016 to 2020, more than 75 people died from floods, 35 only in 2020. In the São Paulo Municipality, the most affected districts are in the East, the Northwest and the South. The Jacuí and Jardim Santa Helena neighbourhoods are in an area that follows the river course of the Rio Tietê. The Grajaú district has many poor communities living in the shore of the city’s larger reservoir in informal settlements. Outside of the metropolitan area, in the coastal area known as Baixada Santista, there are urgent situations in the municipality of Cubatão, by the Pilões River. In this year, an area greatly damaged by the floods is the Vale do Ribeira the poorest region in the state, home of large quilombola1 and indigenous communities, and many conservation units (protection areas).02 RRF 2021 Sao Paulo Floods FV
In early November 2020, the Ethiopia region (Tigray) was affected by incidents of armed conflicts due to the military and political confrontation between federal and regional forces in Tigray region. Eastern Sudan has received many refugees through various border points. Sudan has received over 52,200 new Ethiopian refugees as of December 20th. Act Alliance in joint collaboration with Caritas Internationalis, with respectively the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and CAFOD acting as lead agencies, is launching the Humanitarian Response to Ethiopian Refugees in East Sudan, aiming to reach a total of 30 000 individuals (12,900 females and 17,100 males) with a total budget of € 1,579,578, targeting WASH, Energy and Environment, Integrated GBV and psychosocial support sectors. ACT-Caritas Appeal-SDN201
A long-standing political disagreement between Ethiopia Federal government and the northern regional state of Tigray’s regional government led to an outbreak of hostilities on 4th November 2020. This was characterized by military action resulting in general insecurity in the region, internal and external displacements, and a disruption of livelihoods. In Tigray region at least 855,000 persons are currently in need of humanitarian assistance of which include non-displaced persons, Internally Displaced persons, returnees, and over 96,000 Eritrean refugees. Three ACT Ethiopia members, Ethiopia Orthodox Church Development Inter-Church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC), Ethiopia Evangelical Mekane Yesus Church (EECMY-DASSC) and Lutheran World Federation (LWF) are planning to respond to this crisis. Ethiopia_Tigray Conflict response
It is estimated that 1.3 million Syrian refugees live in Jordan today. Approximately 85 per cent of them lives in the host communities, while more than 139,000 lives in two main camps, Za’atari and Azraq. According to UNICEF, 86% of Syrian refugees outside camps in Jordan live below the poverty line. While poverty and unemployment rates were already high prior to the onset of COVID-19, Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians face even greater challenges in earning a livelihood, covering basic needs such as food, protection and accessing key services as healthcare. Jordan ACT forum members DSPR, ELCJHL, LWF and MECC will respond to the humanitarian crisis with an appeal to raise USD 1,849,233, to build the resilience of the affected communities and continue addressing the most pressing basic needs of the health, food security, NFI’s, protection and livelihood sectors. JOR211 Appeal_Multi-sectorial Response
In the evening of Tuesday 19th January 2021, at 7.30 p.m. local time, the region of SAVA in Madagascar, was affected by an intense tropical cyclone from the Indian Ocean named ELOISE (Meteorological department Madagascar). Tropical cyclone Eloise came with winds reaching up to 100 Km/hour, touching the south of Antalaha district. The cyclone has also brought heavy rains of 100mm over 24 hours to several districts in the North West coast of Madagascar. Homes have been damaged and agriculture land destroyed leaving a high possibility of landslides. The intense tropical storm is foreseen to pass the Region of Analanjirofo, Sofia, Boeny and Melaky. The dire situation is further compounded for the cyclone affected people with vulnerabilities and those belonging to a lower cast. Affected households are living with limited food stocks. ACT Madagascar forum member SAF/FJKM (The Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar) is ready to respond, by providing basic immediate needs to the affected persons in the coming weeks. Madagascar_Cyclone Eloise
In the evening of Tuesday 19th January 2021, at 7.30 p.m. local time, the region of SAVA in Madagascar, was affected by an intense tropical cyclone from the Indian Ocean named ELOISE (Meteorological department Madagascar). Tropical cyclone Eloise came with winds reaching up to 100 Km/hour, touching the south of Antalaha district. The cyclone has also brought heavy rains of 100mm over 24 hours to several districts in the North West coast of Madagascar. Homes have been damaged and agriculture land destroyed leaving a high possibility of landslides. The intense tropical storm is foreseen to pass the Region of Analanjirofo, Sofia, Boeny and Melaky. The dire situation is further compounded for the cyclone affected people with vulnerabilities and those belonging to a lower cast. Affected households are living with limited food stocks. ACT Madagascar forum member SAF/FJKM (The Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar) is ready to respond, by providing basic immediate needs to the affected persons in the coming weeks. Madagascar_Cyclone Eloise
A 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit the districts of Majene, Mamuju and Polewali Mandarin in West Sulawesi, Indonesia on 15th January, 2021. This was preceded by a 5.9 magnitude earthquake in the same region. Recent reports from UN OCHA and BNPB said that it caused damages to 300 houses, 1 bridge, 2 hospitals, 1 port, 1 hotel, 2 government offices, landslide on 3 spots, 242 casualties, 189 people with serious injuries, 637 people with minor injuries, and around 15,000 people are in evacuation centers where they will . The number of casualties is predicted to increase as reports from local authorities will come in. The earthquake has also affected and disrupted the community' activities such as health facilities (including hospitals), offices, marketplaces, shops, and religious facilities. The disaster has also resulted in the cut-off of electricity, communication, water, transportation access (by air and land), and lack of food security. Indonesian government has started to deploy rescue and assistance to the affected areas. ACT Indonesia Forum plans to give assistance to 5,000 people affected by the earthquake through ACT Alliance’s Rapid Response Fund. They plan to aid and support the disruption of health services, household items, protection for vulnerable groups, shelter materials, WASH services and materials, and assistance to support the disruption of livelihoods. ALERT Indonesia West Sulawesi Earthquake
Alert 01 2021 Brazil Summer Floods Sao Paulo
The break out of the Syria crises has already entered its tenth year, civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict with an estimated 6.1 million internally displaced person and 1.4 million returnees. It is estimated that 11.06 million people in need of humanitarian assistance including 4.65 million people in acute need. While more than 90 % of the Syrian people live below the poverty line, WFP estimates that an additional 2.2 million people are at risk of food insecurity. The impact of the conflict is also large and growing pushed millions of people into unemployment and poverty. The international sanctions especially the Caesar Act that took effect on 17 June 2020 are tightening the stranglehold on Syria’s economy and increasing the suffering among the Syrian people first and foremost and making the plight of ordinary Syrians even more desperate. On top of all these, the COVID-19 pandemic still poses serious public health risks and caused more loss of the Syrian economy, worsening the impoverished situation of the most vulnerable people. Syria ACT forum and through its LWF and MECC is preparing an appeal to respond to the needs of the affected communities. Alert - Syria Conflict
Since the morning of Monday the 2nd November 2020, Liberia border with Ivory Coast has been occupied by thousands of Ivorian refugees. This is the outcome of political clashes between opposition and pro-government supporters in Côte d’Ivoire’s Central and West-Central regions. It is highly probable that many refugees will remain in Liberia for the foreseeable future until it is safe for them to return home. ACT Liberia Forum member, Lutheran Development Services is conducting a rapids needs assessment and plan to respond to some of the refugee needs. Liberia_Ivorian Refugees
Since the morning of Monday the 2nd November 2020, Liberia border with Ivory Coast has been occupied by thousands of Ivorian refugees. This is the outcome of political clashes between opposition and pro-government supporters in Côte d’Ivoire’s Central and West-Central regions. It is highly probable that many refugees will remain in Liberia for the foreseeable future until it is safe for them to return home. ACT Liberia Forum member, Lutheran Development Services is conducting a rapids needs assessment and plan to respond to some of the refugee needs. Liberia_Ivorian Refugees
It is estimated that 1.3 million Syrian refugees live in Jordan today. Approximately 85 per cent of them lives in the host communities, while more than 139,000 lives in two main camps, Za’atari and Azraq. According to UNICEF, 86% of Syrian refugees outside camps in Jordan live below the poverty line. Most Syrian families rely on humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs at a time of aid cuts and economic downturn compounded by the coronavirus pandemic. Due to COVID-19, many refugees and local Jordanian lost their jobs. This had impact on lack of food and make a high pressure on the families in Jordan, and many of the host communities lost their jobs. The total number of positive tested people in the country are 198 thousand, with 2,442 associated deaths. While poverty and unemployment rates were already high prior to the onset of COVID-19, Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians face even greater challenges in earning a livelihood, covering basic needs such as food, protection and accessing key services as healthcare. Alert-Humanitarian crises in Jordan
The protracted humanitarian crisis in Iraq remains one of the largest and most volatile in the world. The COVID-19 outbreak hit a country already facing a humanitarian crisis, further deepening vulnerabilities and disrupting on-going efforts to deliver aid to the most vulnerable people in acute need of humanitarian assistance. The people most in need of such assistance continue to be those directly affected by the conflict against ISIL and recently affected by the pandemic compromising of (Internally displaced people, “approximately 1.4 million, 70 per cent of whom have been displaced for more than three years”, Syrian Refugees approximately 253,000, Returnees and host communities in and out of camps). Call-4-Action_Iraq_Humanitarian_Crisis
In the evening of Tuesday, 3 November 2020, reports indicate that Tigray regional special force attacked the northern command base of the Ethiopia Federal army. As a result, Ethiopia Federal military was deployed to restore law and order. The conflict has erupted and is ongoing and even escalating to affect Eritrea. According to unconfirmed reports from OCHA, the conflict has already resulted in massive internal displacements. According to UNHCR, more than 30,000 refugees from Tigray have already crossed the border to Sudan and their numbers are continuously increasing. The ACT Ethiopia Forum stands in solidarity with all affected, and calls for a peaceful resolution, and the immediate stop of the fighting. In collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, ACT Ethiopia Forum further calls for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to allow relief operations and the protection of all civilians and humanitarian aid workers. Ethiopia_Tigray Conflict.
In the evening of Tuesday, 3 November 2020, reports indicate that Tigray regional special force attacked the northern command base of the Ethiopia Federal army. As a result, Ethiopia Federal military was deployed to restore law and order. The conflict has erupted and is ongoing and even escalating to affect Eritrea. According to unconfirmed reports from OCHA, the conflict has already resulted in massive internal displacements. According to UNHCR, more than 30,000 refugees from Tigray have already crossed the border to Sudan and their numbers are continuously increasing. The ACT Ethiopia Forum stands in solidarity with all affected, and calls for a peaceful resolution, and the immediate stop of the fighting. In collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, ACT Ethiopia Forum further calls for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to allow relief operations and the protection of all civilians and humanitarian aid workers. Ethiopia_Tigray Conflict.
During the night of Friday the 13 November 2020, the town of DabeibaViejo in Colombia , was affected by High Precipitations that caused a great landslide in Dabeiba, western Antioquia. The emergency has so far left six dead and 16 missing persons, as confirmed by the National Unit for Risk Management, UNGR. The evacuation of the nearly 600 families in the affected zone was one of the actions prioritized by the authorities, the precipitations are forecast to continue for the next 10 days in the area. Alert Landslide Colombia Nov 2020 Final version
Head of Humanitarian Affairs
Global
niall.orourke@actalliance.org
Geneva, Switzerland
Regional Humanitarian Officer
Africa
Caroline.Njogu@actalliance.org
Nairobi, Kenya
Humanitarian Operations Manager
Global
Cyra.Bullecer@actalliance.org
Bangkok, Thailand
Humanitarian Programme Advisor
MENA
Amman, Jordan
