By October 12, 2018 the exodus from Central America to the United States has grown in complexity and continues to pose grave risks for the people on move, coming mainly from the north triangle (Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador) to reach the Mexican-USA border, to seek asylum due to social and political violence, drought and lack of economic opportunities given the high inequity and poverty in their countries. People on the move are growing in number, and the threat for their lives and properties have become severe brought on by gangs and traffickers.  The situation at each border, Guatemala, Mexico or USA, is more challenging due to the tightening of border control measures (e.g. at the Honduras-Mexico border), leading to cases of mass refoulement (migrants returned in huge numbers). For those that entered the United States are usually caught by border patrols and children are from their parents and sent to detention camps without any specific plans for reunification.

The purpose of this appeal is to initiate a humanitarian component to help meet the needs of people on the move, to promote legislation and policies that are in accordance with states’ human rights obligations, transparent, and to solicit the support from international community through the pertinent bodies of the United Nations. In addition, this measure seeks to guarantee the safety and physical integrity of migrants, especially minors, the elderly and women, and to prevent people from being deceived by international criminal organizations engaged in migrant smuggling, which endangers their lives, trying to have the families together and communicated. In this context, collecting information about rights violations, and providing evidence of CSO activities will be crucial for influencing a rights-based implementation of the Global Compacts for Migration and on Refugees in Central America and Mexico.

ACT Alliance North America members, ELCA, CLWR and CWS, are collaborating with members of the Central
America ACT Alliance Forum, CASM, CEDEPCA, SLS and LWF, for an 18-month humanitarian assistance initiative to assist Central American families and vulnerable individuals who are seeking asylum in the US.

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On 3 June 2019 five districts in Serbia (Moravica, Rasina, Sumadija, Pomoravlje and Ras, namely central and western Serbia) were affected with flash flooding caused by massive rainstorms and heavy showers that exceeded 100l/m2. The Serbian Ministry for Internal Affairs declared a state of emergency in these five districts. In all listed districts both rural and urban households are affected. Affected areas are localised, but heavily damaged. As high temperatures have been forecasted for the following days, there is a high risk of spreading contamination and infections, both among humans and animals. Water supplies are compromised. Several thousand hectares of agricultural land are destroyed as well as roads and more than 20 bridges.

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In the evening of Wednesday the 6 March 2019, the district of Same, Kilimanjaro Region in Tanzania was hit by unexpected heavy rains accompanied by storm and heavy winds.

On the night of 8th March 2019, a heavy rainstorm accompanied by strong wind also hit the district of Morogoro (Morogoro region) in Tanzania where 226 households were affected.

In both locations villages were badly affected, residential houses, business houses, food reserve items and livestock were adversely affected.

The disaster also affected and destroyed classrooms, teachers’ houses/offices, directly affecting schools.

According to the reports received from the assessment teams (government and Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service -TCRS), there are still gaps in the response that the ACT RRF can support.

TCRS proposes to provide most affected households especially those who are still hosted by community members (neighbours, friends, and relatives) with food assistance.

Tanzania_ Rainstorm Emergency (RRF)

The Rapid Response Fund (RRF) is a global fund of the ACT Alliance administered by the ACT secretariat. Funds for the RRF are provided by ACT Alliance members and non-members on the basis of an annual appeal, and is intended to be accessed exclusively by ACT national members in pursuit of the localization agenda and in recognition of their distinct advantage of being at the forefront of emergency response in their own localities.

ACT Alliance has the privileged position of being a network of local, national and international actors committed to partnerships amongst each other. This commitment enables international and global members of ACT to enhance the capacity of local and national actors, through resources, training and/or other support, allowing for first response in the beginning of a crisis or disaster to come directly from the community itself.

The requested amount for GRRF19 Appeal is 2,689,435 USD. This year, in light of the priorities set by the new ACT Global Strategy 2019-2026, including inter alia the continuing strengthening of the ACT Humanitarian Mechanism, the full rollout of the digitalized Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning (EPRP) process, and improving adherence to the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Sphere. In addition to funding RRF projects of national members, the Secretariat proposes to utilize 7.5% of RRF funds resource parallel mechanisms that will strengthen the humanitarian mechanism and primarily benefit the RRF. As in the 2018 GRRF, the Alliance continues to recognize the challenges that remain so that we are able to deliver high-calibre and accountable humanitarian response, and there remains a strong need to address issues around quality, capacity and preparedness especially in the work of national members.

GRRF19 Appeal

In the afternoon of Saturday 16 March 2019, the district of Jayapura in Papua was hit by flash floods around 19.30 PM (+9 GMT) that wiped out some areas in Jayapura District. The flood badly damaged most sub-districts in Jayapura District, especially in sub-District Sentani. The affected sub districts are as follows : Dobonsolo, Hinekombe, Hobong, Ifale, Ifar Besar, Keheran, Sentani Kota, Sereh, and Yohbe. According to data released by BNPB on Wednesday, March 20, there were approximately 104 casualities, 79 persons missing, 60 persons injured, and around 9,691 IDPs. The flood has also damaged villagers’ houses, public infrastructure and facilities including health facilities. The number of displaced people increased as the floods spread widely. People had to evacuate to 18 relief camps.

The national government declared a state of calamity in the areas most affected by the floods. Assessments made by ACT member PELKESI/ICAHS indicated that affected individuals need food, shelter assistance provision of health services, drinking water and access to clean toilets.  Household items have also been damaged. Most vulnerable are women, children under five, elderly persons, and persons with disabilities.  The national government has been inundated with other recent disasters, specifically Lombok and Central Sulawesi earthquakes, and this response is necessary to augment government support.

RRFs Indonesia_Flash Floods in Jayapura Regency, Papua-No.RRF04_2019

On October 2018, a month after Typhoon Mangkhut, Typhoon Yutu (Rosita) made landfall in the Municipality of Dinapigue, Isabela province, just a few hundred kilometres south of Typhoon Mangkhut’s path. With 150 km/h maximum sustained winds, Typhoon Yutu exacerbated the impact of the previous typhoon and hampered the response and recovery efforts in the region. These two successive typhoons likewise affected 1,098 barangays within 100 kilometer radius along paths of both typhoons that resulted in repeated displacements in six provinces. (UN OCHA Report as of November 9, 2018)

The estimated cost of damages to agriculture rose to USD 553.8 million making the recovery more difficult for the poor farmers, indigenous people, and vulnerable sectors in the hardest hit communities.

Through the continuing assessment made by the ACT implementing members, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines decided to revise the appeal (PHL 181) to accommodate increased need and additional number of affected families by the Typhoon Mangkhut and Yutu and implement project activities jointly with Christian Aid.

Appeals_Philippines_Super Typhoon Mangkhut-PHL181 (revised)

Mozambique

Heavy rains caused by powerful tropical Cyclone Idai hit the central and northern regions of Mozambique on 14^th March 2019, leading to massive floods and leaving more than hundreds of people dead and hundreds of thousands affected. The cyclone then barreled on to southern Malawi and eastern Zimbabwe. The death toll has continued to rise with current figures putting the death toll to 518 in Mozambique alone. The situation is likely to deteriorate as forecasts predict heavy rainfall in Sofala and Manica provinces and at least 350,000 people are at risk (OCHA Flash Update, 19 March). Most of the affected population are in the provinces of Zambezia and Sofala.

Zimbabwe

The flooding caused by the Tropical Cyclone Idai weather system since 15 March 2019 continues to cause destruction in Zimbabwe, although rains have begun to dissipate in Manicaland and Masvingo provinces.  At least 415 deaths and over 200 injuries have been officially reported, mainly in Chimanimani and Chipinge, and at least 217 people are reportedly still missing. These figures are expected to rise in the days ahead as the full extent of the damage and loss of life becomes known. At least 16 000 homes have been destroyed in Chimanimani, Mutasa, Mutare, Chipinge, Buhera, Chikomba, Gutu and Bikita districts and family members displaced. In Chimanimani alone, eight bridges have been destroyed. In Buhera, the Marowanyati dam has overflowed and many families are displaced. People living along the Mwerahari River have been advised to be on high alert. The Tongogara refugee camp in Chipinge has been affected by flooding, and 49 households have been relocated within the camp.

Malawi

More than 922,900 people have been affected by Tropical Cyclone Idai on 5 March 2019, including more than 75,900 displaced, with 56 deaths and 577 injuries reported by the Government of Malawi. The heavy and persistent rain led to severe flooding across some districts in southern Malawi.  Fourteen districts have been impacted. Nsanje (18,000 households), Chikwawa (16,000 households) and Phalombe (22,848households) recorded the highest number of displaced persons. Nsanje district recorded the 17,400 people or 3,867 households IDPs. Phalombe recorded 22,848 households (102,816 people) affected and 1,228households (5,526) people displaced. In 2015, Malawi was also affected by floods with close to 147,000 people were in IDP centres with an estimated 26,000 IDPs located outside centres/in hard to reach areas. The same districts, Nsanje, Chikwawa, Phalombe and Zomba were the most affected.

The three ACT Forums have long presence in the response countries and had been actively responding and closely coordinating amongst members since. The Forum builds on decades of ACT Alliance members’ experience in the region in providing humanitarian response to all people in need, without discrimination.  ACT members will continue to work collaboratively in the countries as well as in coordination between the 3 forums to ensure maximum benefits and coordination. The responding members of the forums have extensive knowledge and experience in responding to emergency situations, and responses in the sectors such WASH, Protection and Psychosocial support, health and nutrition, CASH, livelihood and early recovery.

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