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.
Response and recovery due to impacts of the Hurricanes ETA & IOTA in Honduras and Nicaragua Honduras and Nicaragua have been hit by 2 consecutive Hurricanes in a 15 days period starting in November 1st and ending by the 18TH of November. The hurricanes were named Eta and Iota. Nicaragua,was the entry point for both hurricanes. On November 3, Hurricane Eta hits between Bilwi and Haulover in the northern Caribbean, as a category 4 hurricane. On November 16th Iota made landfall, affecting areas that remained flooded due to the first event. In Honduras Hurricanes ETA & IOTA affected the north-western and Atlantic coast between the first and third week of November 2020 .750,000 families in the most vulnerable areas have been affected. The Valley of Sula was highly affected and remained isolated. This is the economic core of the country. In a region already hit by protracted crisis such a migration and the recent economic and health impact of Covid 19; this Appeal aims at the response and recovery in both countries and will focus on the following sectors: Shelter, Non-food items, Food Security, WASH, protection and Psychosocial wellness, Cash transfer. The requesting Members are: CASM ,OCDIH, ASONOG (Honduras), ILFE, CIEETS, CEPAD, Federación Luterana Mundial (Nicaragua). The Appeal Target is :$ 1,172,360 Appeal Honduras and Nicaragua Hurricanes Eta and Iota CAM201
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. More than 1.77 million people have acute humanitarian and development needs according to the Iraq Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO, 2020). IDPs in and out of camps, returnees, and Refugees experienced partial or full collapse of living standards and disrupted access to basic goods and services, exhausting their capacities to cope and frequently resorting to negative coping strategies. ACT Iraq Forum members LWF and CA will respond to the prolonged crisis with an appeal to raise USD4,977,126 over two years. IRQ211_ Iraq Appeal
As a result of the intense rainfall caused by the last 2 hurricanes (ETA and IOTA) that hit the Colombian Caribbean and the La Niña phenomenon from the Pacific Ocean: The rural area of the Antioqueño municipality of Dabeiba, in 4 of its villages: Dabeiba Vieja, Botón, Mohán and El Cajón,suffered a landslide of large proportions leaving more than 200 families without their homes, their belongings, their crops and their farmyard animals. On the morning of Sunday, November 15, DAPARD (Administrative Department of the System for the Prevention, Attention and Recovery of Disasters) reported that of the 16 people who were missing, eight were found alive "and they are in the five shelters that the municipality has set up for the affected people." Thus, the current tally of casualties of the torrential rains according to the Unified Command Post (PMU), is of 3 deceased and eight missing persons. Likewise, there are 497 affected people from 201 families, 20 injured, 67 homes destroyed and 104 damaged, 3 educational centers affected, as well as 5.5 kilometers of road affected.RRF14 2020 COL Dabeiba LandSlide
The armed conflict has put Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh in a state of crisis. According to the preliminary assessment of needs 100,000 spontaneously arrived people need food, shelter, clothing, including for cold season, footwear, blankets, pillows, bedding, sanitation and hygiene items, stationery for schoolchildren, technical means for on-line classes, cash for payment for utilities, medicament, and other essentials. Spontaneous arrivals are staying with hosts, guest houses, hotels, resorts, in public buildings such as schools, kindergartens, community halls. The onset of cold winter weather makes the provision of suitable shelter and NFIs, such as blankets and warm clothes crucial. Pre-existing economic and food security vulnerabilities in Armenia limit coping capacity in areas currently receiving high numbers of spontaneous arrivals. ART, a national member of ACT Alliance will assist the most vulnerable 2,000 individuals for 3 months to meet their essential needs: food, hygiene and sanitary items, bedding, household appliances, payment for utilities. ART is currently developing ACT Appeal to scale up the response. RRF_132020_Armenia_Armed conflicts in Nagorno Karabagh
Barely recovering from Typhoon Goni that made landfall on 1st November, 2020 and displaced more than 500,000 people, Bicol region and CALABARZON in the eastern part of Luzon braced for another typhoon Vamco (Ulysses) on 11 November which brought violent winds, massive flooding in the eight regions within Luzon, and torrential rain-triggered landslides. Typhoon Vamco was the deadliest cyclone to hit the country this year with 67 confirmed casualties and several people missing. Tens of thousands of homes in low-lying areas in the NCR were submerged in roof-level floods. In Northern Luzon, Cagayan and Isabela provinces experienced the worst flooding in decades as the Cagayan River overflowed, partly due to the release of water from Magat Dam, and inundated low-lying municipalities. It exacerbated the already dire situation of those severely affected families by Typhoon Goni and affected another 1,110,910 persons, of which, 306,340 persons temporarily residing in evacuation centers. On top of all these, the COVID-19 pandemic still poses serious public health risks and caused the Philippine economy to contract by 7.3% further worsening the impoverished situation of the most vulnerable and poorest Filipino families. ACT Philippines Forum will respond to the disaster with an appeal to raise USD1,154,820. APPEAL Philippines Typhoon Goni and Vamco PHL202
As per assessment report conducted by the One UN Provincial Program Team Sindh, 2.2 million people have been directly or indirectly affected by the monsoon rains with 77,337 houses fully damaged and 137,007 partially damaged. An estimate 1.9 million acres of crops have been affected and 45,961 of livestock were lost. Mirpurkhas is among one of the worst affected districts in the province where huge loss to standing crops, property, livestock and infrastructure has been reported. People have taken refuge on the elevated places due to their damaged or flooded houses. They have reportedly lost food stock, savings and other precious household assets. The areas remained under the impact of drought, locust, COVID-19 which has already weaken their economic and livelihood situation while the recent floods will add up to their miseries. Community World Service Asia will respond through ACT Alliance's Rapid Response Fund. RRF 092020 Pakistan Sindh Floods
UN OCHA estimated 2 million people were affected by the typhoon Goni as it traversed across northern and southern Philippines, of which 1.1 million are poor. The Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) reported about 517,172 people are staying in government evacuation centers or with friends and family and estimates 27,750 houses damaged. Several municipalities still do not have power and water supply as supply lines have been destroyed by the typhoon. Photos from the affected areas particularly Catanduanes, Albay, and Camarines Sur show that houses have been destroyed by strong winds or flooded. Typhoon Goni affected the same area as typhoon Molave (local name: Quinta) a week before. Some areas will also be affected by tropical storm Atsani (local name: Siony) that entered the Philippine area of responsibility right behind Goni. Philippines has also one of the highest cases of COVID-19 infection in the world with more than a thousand new cases daily that containment measures are still in effect. ACT Philippines Forum plans to respond to the disaster. RRF 082020 Philippines Typhoon Goni
Since September 1, 2020, news of a migrant caravan (which refers to a considerable number of migrants who take refuge in the protection offered by traveling in a group in their journey to the United States) circulated on social networks, the caravan left from San Pedro Sula Bus Station the 30th of September. The local press did not mention the event, but this event was highlighted by the international press. According to OCHA reports, between 3,500-4,000 people were in this group. On the same day, the Guatemalan government deported 50 people. Despite the efforts of civil society organizations[1]to demand respect for the human rights of migrants in this new exodus, Guatemala issued a new “Early Warning in Border Zones” protocol, which empowers the civilian population to monitor and report migrants, exacerbating xenophobia, discrimination, and abuses. In addition, on October 1, the president of Guatemala decreed a State of Prevention in all border departments from the Petén to the Pacific and ordered security forces to detain the Honduran migrants, return them to the border, and turn them over to the authorities in Honduras. Guatemala justifies these measures due to the current health emergency of COVID-19; however, behind this is its alignment with the anti-immigration policy of the United States, in part expressed in the Safe Third Country agreements, which included the immediate militarization, repression, and criminalization of the migrant caravan. [1]Such as the Franciscan Network of Migrants, Pop Noj and Volunteers of Casa Peregrina de Guatemala, Pastoral de Movilidad Humana (PMH), FONAMIH and Radio Progreso de Honduras in Central America and Mexico RRF 07 2020 HND Migrant Caravan
ACT Alliance is pleased to announce launching a total of 16 Sub-Appeals under the Global ACT Appeal for the COVID-19 Pandemic (ACT201). In addition, 17 Rapid Response Fund proposals have also been approved. The following Sub-Appeals are now available for consideration by ACT members and potential funders/donors: 1. Afghanistan/Pakistan: Humanitarian Response to COVID-19 affected Communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan – ACT201-AFG/PAK. Budget Approved by the Steering Committee to be funded by ACT201: USD1,000,000; Budget Requested: USD3,702,121. 2. Bangladesh: COVID-19 Response to Refugees and Host Communities in Bangladesh – ACT201-BGD. Budget Requested: USD998,638 3. Cameroon: Reduced morbidity and mortality of COVID 19 pandemic and increased preparedness and resilience of communities through public health interventions and community engagement in Cameroon – ACT201-CMR. Budget Requested USD132,149 4. Caribbean Region: COVID-19 Response in the Caribbean – ACT201-CRB. Budget Requested: USD749,683 5. Central America: Inclusive and safe access to humanitarian assistance, by strengthening livelihoods and promoting alternatives to water and basic sanitation (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene); improved conditions of vulnerability through Community-Based Psychosocial support (CPSA) and awareness about gender-based violence in its different manifestations. Central America COVID-19 Regional Response - ACT201-CAM. Budget Requested: USD936,103 6. Democratic Republic of Congo: Preparedness and response to primary impacts of COVID-19 on IDPs, returnees, hard to reach and vulnerable populations in North Kivu and South Kivu, DRC – ACT201-COD. Budget Requested: USD300,879 7. Greece: Emergency support to the most vulnerable Greeks and Refugees suffering from the COVID-19 Pandemic – ACT201-GRC. Budget Requested: USD498,151 8. India: Humanitarian Assistance to vulnerable and affected communities of the COVID –19 Pandemic – ACT201-IND. Budget Requested: USD856,702 9. Jordan: ACT Response to Refugees and Jordanians impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic –ACT201-JOR. Budget Requested: USD844,690 10. Palestine: ACT Response to Refugees and Vulnerable communities Impacted by COVID-19 in Palestine and Israel – ACT201-PSE. Budget Requested: USD718,000 11. Somalia: ACT Multi-Sectoral and Integrated COVID-19 Response in Somalia – ACT201-SOM. Budget Requested: USD1,000,000 12. South Sudan: South Sudan Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic – ACT201-SSD. Budget Requested: USD994,793 13. Southern Africa: To contribute to prevention, management and stopping the spread of COVID-19 through provision of healthcare services to targeted community members in Zambia, Malawi and Madagascar – ACT201-SARF. Budget Requested USD570,000 14.Tanzania: COVID-19 Response in Tanzania - ACT201-TZA. Budget requested USD989, 066 15. Ukraine: Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ukraine – ACT201-UKR. Budget requested USD 355,000 16. Venezuela: Improve protection and assist populations that are most vulnerable to the pandemic, thereby especially addressing needs of IDP’s, migrants and host communities ACT201-VEN. Budget Requested: USD600,000 17. West Africa: Preparedness and response to primary and secondary impacts of COVID-19 on IDPs, Returnees, hard to reach and vulnerable populations in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Sierra Leone ACT201-WARF. Budget Requested: USD971,000 Total Sub-appeals Funding Requested: USD 12,514,854 Rapid Response Fund proposals approved 1. Afghanistan: Community World Service Asia (CWSA) will provide cash to 580 at risk households to support their basic needs, as well as 200 PPE kits for 2 health facilities. 2. Armenia: Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) will provide food assistance to 2545 households and health services to older people in remote areas. 3. Bangladesh: Christian Commission for Development (CCDB) in Bangladesh will provide food and hygiene supplies to 5000 households of daily workers who have lost their livelihoods during the lockdown. 4. Brazil: Coordenadoria Ecumênica de Serviço (CESE) will provide food packages to 4200 indigenous households in the Amazon region, Mato Grosso do Sul and Rio Grande do Sul. 5. Cuba: Cuban Council of Churches (CIC) will provide protection kits for health personnel from 2 isolation centres, 880 people with personal hygiene kits, food to 140 patients at an isolation centre, and psychosocial support to 2000 people. 6. Egypt: The Bishopric of Public, Ecumenical and Social Services (BLESS) will provide hygiene kits and food to 3000 households, and will work with local faith leaders to disseminate key messages on infection prevention and good hygiene, as well as reducing fear and stigma. 7. Ghana: The Presbyterian Church in Ghana- Relief Services and Development (PRS&D) will provide food to 1500 households, handwashing stations in 10 communities, and protective equipment to vulnerable households and three health centres. 8. Haiti: Service Chrétien d’Haïti (SCH) will engage in a community-led response to raise awareness of COVID-19, encourage families to take appropriate steps to prevent the disease, and provide food to support 420 families losing their daily wage income during lockdown. 9. Honduras: Comisión de Acción Social Menonita (CASM) will provide biosecurity kits to 40 medical staff in 10 primary health units, cash transfers for food purchases to 1650 families, and COVID-19 prevention and anti-stigma information to 7000 people. 10. Indonesia: Pelkesi, Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU) and the Centre for Disaster Risk Management and Community Development Studies will provide PPE and psychosocial support to staff at five COVID-19 referral hospitals, and will reach 10,000 with an information campaign about prevention and mitigation of COVID-19. 11. Lebanon: Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees of the Middle East Council of Churches (DSPR-MECC) will target 440 households including Syrian families living in the camps for cash grants that will be utilised for food, drinking water, medicines, hygien kits, and rent subsidies. 12. Malawi: Christian Agency for Rural Development (CARD) and Evangelical Lutheran Development Service (ELDS) will provide an awareness campaign to reach 2.4 million people with accurate information about COVID-19 and its prevention, and will work with local faith leaders to provide psychosocial support to affected families. 13. Peru: Diaconia Peru will provide free virtual counselling to 12,000 vulnerable people in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia, with an emphasis on the prevention of gender-based and family violence. Local faith leaders will be trained in GBV prevention and pastoral responses to illness and bereavement. Additionally, 600 vulnerable families will receive food and PPE support. 14. Philippines: The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) will provide food packs, sanitation and hygiene kits, and unconditional cash grants to 1500 vulnerable families. 15. Serbia: Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization (EHO) and Philanthropy- The Charitable Fund of the Serbian Orthodox Church will provide food packages to 3000 people, hygiene packages to 4300 people, PPE for frontline workers, shelter for homeless people, psychosocial support to 130 people (focusing on gender), and engagement with faith and religious leaders and groups to provide awareness raising. 16. Tanzania: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), through its network of hospitals and local health facilities, will provide PPE for 480 frontline medical professionals, work with 50 bishops and high-level religious workers on information and awareness messaging, and medical interventions for 25,000 high-risk people to reduce new infections and allay fears and anxiety. 17. Uganda: Church of Uganda will provide food assistance to 50 households and communicate to the communities the risk of COVID-19 and its infection prevention. The Church will also engage faith leaders to raise awareness on GBV and provide psycho-social support. Please communicate all pledges and/or funding opportunities to the Head of Humanitarian Affairs, Alwynn Javier (alwynn.javier@actalliance.org), with copy to the Finance Officer, Marjorie Schmidt (marjorie.schmidt@actalliance.org).
While Lebanon is already struggling from the financial crisis, economic contractions and the USD devaluation, and hosting large number of refugees. A warehouse at the Beirut Port containing large quantities of ammonium nitrate exploded on 4 August 2020. After an initial explosion, a subsequent blast caused widespread damage, with reports of damage more than 20 km from the port area. Hundreds of buildings including grain silos storing around 85 percent of the country’s grain, and numerous residential places have been damaged or destroyed, including many healthcare facilities and several major hospitals in the Greater Beirut area, due to the blast. Official reports estimate that more than 160 people were killed, over 5,000 injured, and more than 300,000 people left homeless in the Greater Beirut area/Mount Lebanon. LEB201-Lebanon Emergency Response
The worst desert locust outbreak in decades is underway in East and the Greater Horn of Africa. According to experts, this is the worst outbreak in over 25 years in Ethiopia and Somalia and the worst observed in over 70 years in Kenya (The Guardian, April 2020). Already, over 11.9 million people in the region are already experiencing severe acute food insecurity due to erratic/poor rains, floods, conflict, and the effects of border restriction brought about by COVID-19 pandemic within the five countries. The desert locust crisis poses an additional potential threat to the food security of another 20.1 million (FAO, January 2020). Recent floods across the Horn and East Africa have created favourable breeding conditions for the desert locust. These conditions have allowed breeding to continue until July 2020 and the favourable conditions could lead to 500 times more locusts (according to FAO. ACT Forums in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda have consolidated a regional appeal in response to the Desert Locust Invasion. Horn & East Africa_ Desert Locust Response (HEA201)
The Government of Lebanon declared a two-week state of emergency in Beirut after the Port explosion on August 4,2020. While Lebanon is already struggling from the financial crisis, economic contractions and the USD devaluation, and hosting large number of refugees, this explosion came to deepen the crises and put extra pressure on both the Lebanese population, the Lebanese government, and the refugee communities. The explosion at Beirut Port caused widespread damage reaching more than 20 km from the port area. Official reports estimate that more than 250 people were killed, around a 100 still missing, over 5,000 injured, and more than 300,000 people left homeless in the Greater Beirut area/Mount Lebanon. RRF06- Beirut Explosion
In the evening of Saturday the 7 November 2020, the region of Gedaref state in Sudan, reported receiving thousands of civilians who were fleeing from conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The Tigray regional special force attacked the northern command base. ACT member NCA (Norwegian Church Aid-Sudan) is extremely concerned about the worsening crisis in Gedaref/Kassala as the number of refugees continues to grow. As of 16 November, over 27,600 refugees had crossed the border since 7 November with reports indicating that there are over 2000 refugees crossing the border every day. Most of the refugees are mainly women and children and they are arriving in bad physical and health condition. There is a shortage of housing, food, water, medicine and other equipment as well insecurity and lack of protection against Gender-Based Violence. The refugee camps in Kassala and Shagarab can help but are not equipped to cope with larger arrivals. Sudan_ Tigray Conflict (Alert)
By Monday, November 2nd, the National Disaster Authorities for both Nicaragua and Honduras, reports that, given the characteristics of its movement and speed of its winds, ETA has become a Category 4 Hurricane before touching land, by November 4 it has been degraded to Tropical Storm but keep influencing both countries. The public advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center, in November 2, ETA presented an eyewall of an extremely dangerous hurricane, moving around onshore along the coast of northeastern Nicaragua and Honduras. It is expected to bring life-threating STORM SURGES, CATASTROPHIC WINDS, FLASH FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES. Even after degrading to Tropical Storm Alert Nicaragua and Honduras _Hurricane Eta
On the morning of Sunday the 27 September 2020, Azerbaijan army attacked the region of Nagorno Karabagh using heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft and missiles. Towns and villages were bombed, including the capital city of Sepanakert. This conflict put country in the state of crisis. 47 civilian is death and 135 wounded, while 90.000 people has to seek refuge. The military operations may expand beyond the conflict zone, resulting in serious atrocities and a humanitarian crisis in the region, exacerbated by the situation related to the coronavirus outbreak. This situation is undermining regional security and peace, significantly raising the risks of a full-fledged war. 90.000 affected people are currently hosted in hotels, camps, vacant buildings and families with many unmet vital humanitarian needs such as access to: food, shelter, clothing, including for cold season, footwear, blankets, pillows, bedding, sanitation and hygiene items, stationery for schoolchildren, technical means for on-line classes, and payment for utilities. ART, a national member of ACT Armenia forum intends to support displaced persons, predominantly women and children with shelter, food and non-food items. Alert_Armenia_Armed conflicts in Nagorno Karabagh
Super typhoon Goni made landfall in Bato, Catanduanes on the early morning of 1 November, 2020. The category 5 typhoon considered as the world's strongest typhoon this year, had maximum sustained winds of 225 km/hr and gustiness of up to 280 km/hr and moving at 25 kph affecting 372,716 families or 1.4 million people in five regions across Central and Southern Luzon. Last week a weaker typhoon, typhoon Quinta affected the same areas while another one, typhoon Atsani, has entered the Philippines right behind Goni on a slightly different path. Philippines is still experiencing high number of COVID-19 cases which makes the situation complicated. ACT Philippines Forum has convened and plans to raise an appeal to support their response. The members have been coordinating with other humanitarian actors especially through faith-based networks, NASSA/Caritas Philippines and the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches - PhilRADS, ALERT Philippines Typhoon Goni
During the night of Wednesday the 30 September 2020, the city of San Pedro Sula in Honduras was the meeting point for approximately 2000 people who organized themselves via social media to leave Honduras in an effort to reach the United States. This is the first Caravan (the name these massive migration efforts are given by media) since the Covid19 outbreak and since Guatemala has become part of an agreement as a third-safer country signed with USA in 2019. In consequence transit in Guatemala and Mexico is riskier due to reinforced security measures and an increased rejection towards migrants in these countries. CASM expects that in the following days, returnees will massively arrive to San Pedro Sula. This alert is to provide assistance for a dignified and secured return.Alert Honduras Migrant Caravan
In the afternoon of Tuesday the 5 October 2017, the province of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique, recorded the first armed attack carried out by fundamentalist terrorists, leading to the outbreak of armed conflict that persists to this day. Over the past three years, monitoring groups say more than 1,500 people have been killed and at least 10,000 households have been displaced. Reliable casualty reports have not yet come through, but they are expected to be significant and it remains unknown how many civilians have died (The Guardian, ReliefWeb Aug 2020). Insurgents have also captured a strategic port in the restive province of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique. Government forces in Mozambique are fighting to regain control of a remote area in the north causing alarm that fighting in Mozambique could destabilize the region. CEDES a national member of ACT Mozambique forum intends to support displaced households with food and non-food items. Mozambique_Conflict
On August 4, 2020 a catastrophic explosion at Beirut Port caused widespread damage for hundreds of buildings including grain silos storing around 85 percent of the country’s grain, and numerous residential places have been damaged or destroyed, including many healthcare facilities and several major hospitals in Greater Beirut area, due to the blast. Official governmental reports estimate that more than 135 people were killed and over 5,000 are injured, and more than 300,000 people left homeless in the Greater Beirut area. Beirut's governor estimated the damages costs ranging from $3-5 billion, and calls for international aid to Lebanon. ACT Lebanon forum is in discussion on submitting a funding proposal to the ACT Secretariat to provide assistance in Shelter rehabilitation/ NFI, food assistance, hygiene items, and cash for work to ensure that the affected persons’ basic needs are met with regards to their needs. Lebanon Alert- Explosion
The desert locust is considered the most destructive migratory pest in the world as it is highly mobile and feeds on large quantities of any kind of green vegetation, including crops, pasture, and fodder. In February 2020, the government of Somalia declared the locust upsurge a national disaster. Currently, various UN and government agencies are conducting post-event assessment /spraying. The region is now seeing the spread of swarms of desert locusts that may eat crops in many countries before the main harvest from July to September. FAO currently projects that an additional 1.5 to 2.5 million people could become severely food insecure as a result solely of locust outbreaks. ACT Horn and East Africa Regional forum are planning to submit a Regional appeal on cash transfer, seed and livestock feed emergency stocks. Requesting members in the regional appeal will include Christian Aid in Ethiopia, LWF, NCA in South Sudan, DCA, CoU in Uganda and CWS, ADS in Kenya, among others. All interventions will be conducted within WHO guidelines on prevention of COVID-19. Horn and East Africa_ Desert Locust Infestation.
The desert locust is considered the most destructive migratory pest in the world as it is highly mobile and feeds on large quantities of any kind of green vegetation, including crops, pasture, and fodder. In February 2020, the government of Somalia declared the locust upsurge a national disaster. Currently, various UN and government agencies are conducting post-event assessment /spraying. The region is now seeing the spread of swarms of desert locusts that may eat crops in many countries before the main harvest from July to September. FAO currently projects that an additional 1.5 to 2.5 million people could become severely food insecure as a result solely of locust outbreaks. ACT Horn and East Africa Regional forum are planning to submit a Regional appeal on cash transfer, seed and livestock feed emergency stocks. Requesting members in the regional appeal will include Christian Aid in Ethiopia, LWF, NCA in South Sudan, DCA, CoU in Uganda and CWS, ADS in Kenya, among others. All interventions will be conducted within WHO guidelines on prevention of COVID-19. Horn and East Africa_ Desert Locust Infestation.
ALERT El Salvador San Salvador, May 31st. 2020
| SITUATION |
| On May 31st. 2020 the Tropical Depression 2-E has been reclassified as Tropical Storm AMANDA, and is located just off the coast of the Pacific, between El Salvador and Guatemala. The Tropical Storm Amanda, has brought so far between 371-400 millimeters of rain in 48 hours, equivalent to the 10% of the yearly rainfall which may increase; as it is expected that rain to continue for 72 hours . Relief Organizations, like the Red Cross, Life Saving Commands, Green Cross, among others, have been active since the Executive branch issued a yellow alert on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. This Sunday morning, the 31st of May, the Government of El Salvador announced red alert at national level. According to preliminary official data, the following damage has been reported: 15 deceased people, 7 missing persons 154 emergency shelters enabled, and 7,222 evacuees and 18,622 families directly affected. Approximately 900 homes have been damaged and the water service is cut in the department of San Salvador. Many communities have no electricity due to fallen trees over electric wires and structures. Needs assessment may reflect the real damaged in the next hours Some reports by users of social media are attached and a link to representative images is provided here (LINK) According to community sources where members of the ACT Forum have a presence: People and authorities have requested churches, community centers and cultural houses to be used as shelters. All over the country shelters are set to receive people affected by this event. Most of these emergency shelters have been improvised and can exponentially increase the cases of COVID19 as there are no appropriate protocols and some of them even combined evacuated and quarantined population. Seasonal crops (bananas, plantains, corn, beans and vegetables) in general are heavily damaged and in some cases totally lost; further depriving families of food and income sources to face the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. You can directly access the latest information available from official sources through the following link: https://proteccioncivil.gob.sv/ |
| NEEDS |
| Food, WASH, Shelter, psychosocial support, health services, and cash transfers for immediate emergency response and support livelihood’s recovery. Needs assessments would also be a challenge in the first days of the emergency, because municipal and departmental committees are not fully activated or coordinated with the central level. This is a result of the President´s decision to dismantle the national committee of civil protection and to delay the appointing of departmental governors; nonetheless, the communities are organizing to collect the necessary information and support, through their local organizations. So, at this stage working at local level is essential to set a link with the immediate needs. It is hoped to pay attention to the subsequent recovery stages in the most affected territories, providing necessary resources and rehabilitation mechanisms. |
| STAKEHOLDERS |
| The main stakeholders that lead monitoring, evaluation and rapid response in the country are the following institutions: The Civil Protection System through, Municipal and Community Committees, the Humanitarian Country Team, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [UN-OCHA]. The National Civic Protection System, which includes the national and military police, along with humanitarian and relief agencies are mobilizing, food, clothing, wash, hygiene and sanitation. While Churches are liaising with shelters, communities, and requesting humanitarian assistance, mainly for food, WASH, hygiene and sanitation. |
| The members of the ACT Alliance in El Salvador are currently active, monitoring the development of the Tropical Storm and are in contact with authorities, partners and other NGOs in preparation to respond. Staff are preparing to submit a funding proposal to provide a rapid humanitarian response. Additional information on the ACT Forum member agencies is available on the: https://actalliance.org/about/forums/ Any planned response will be led by the ACT El Salvador Forum integrated by the Lutheran World Federation, Christian Aid, Sinodo Luterano, and ALFALIT. In addition to life-saving assistance, the ACT Alliance will strive to integrate DRR, preparedness, climate change mitigation and advocacy into its response. After the issuance of the alert, the Forum and the ACT Secretariat will issue concept notes and status reports based on the needs assessments. Please notice that due to the COVID19 current situation we will set activities aligned with the duty of care towards our beneficiaries, volunteers and staff. |
Since the beginning of the long rains (March-May), the Horn and East Africa region has been faced with extreme rainfall and widespread flooding, directly affecting 1.26 million people (ERCC) May 2020. The floods find the affected countries in the region at a time of already unprecedented threat to food security, aggravated by the worst Desert Locust upsurge in over a generation, which will affect at least 12.5 million people with food crisis at emergency levels. Increased border restrictions brought about as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19, already exacerbates the vulnerability of the people into need further. ACT members in Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda have recently launched appeals in response to the flood emergency while Uganda Joint Council of Churches will submit an RRF. Horn and East Africa Floods Alert
Cyclone Amphan made landfall near Sagar Island in West Bengal, India, close to the Bangladeshi border around 5 p.m. local time with sustained winds of 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph), according to the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Storm surge up to 5 meters (17 feet) is likely to occur along the coastline as Amphan continues to push inland across eastern India and Bangladesh. Heavy rain is also likely to lead to flash flooding across the region through Thursday morning. Once the storm pushes inland it will weaken significantly and is expected to dissipate by Friday. Disaster Alert estimated that about 6,483 people will be severely affected and about 10 million moderately affected. About 43 million people are exposed to the cyclone. Reports estimate that 3 million people have been evacuated before landfall in India and Bangladesh. Some people have been reluctant to move to the emergency shelters for fear of infection from COVID-19. By landfall, 12 people have died in India with expectations that there could be more as communications and electricity had been cutoff. Migrant workers, particularly those trying to go back to Odisha, have been affected as transportation systems have stopped. In Bangladesh, one man has died when a tree fell on him while another one went missing after his boat capsized. In India, CASA and LWSIT are planning to respond while CCDB in Bangladesh are already providing services to the affected communities. ALERT Bangladesh India Cyclone Amphan
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
