Ukraine and Russia: Emergency response to the crisis affected civilians in conflict zone, IDPs and refugees – UKR171 (Follow on appeal)
The humanitarian situation in Eastern Ukraine remains difficult and continues to deteriorate. This is due to the fighting clashes, which began in April 2014 between militia-armed groups in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, and the forces and armed groups under the central government in Kiev.
Because of active hostilities, hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees continue to flee to the neighbouring regions of Ukraine and Russia. A total of 1,583,827 IDPs were registered in Ukraine as of April 25, 2017, and over 1.2 million refugees are in Russia. In Ukraine, 3.8 million people are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance due to the conflict. The civilian population in the conflict regions of Eastern Ukraine is in dire need of humanitarian assistance, suffering from the ongoing hostilities, lack of access to basic services and financial resources, and the destruction of local social, communal and economic infrastructure.
ACT Alliance members Russian Orthodox Church -Department for External Church Relations (ROC/DECR) and Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) plan to continue their humanitarian support to IDPs in Ukraine, refugees in Russia and vulnerable war affected civilians in the war regions of Eastern Ukraine to contribute to the alleviation of their suffering by addressing their most pressing needs in the sectors of Food Security, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Health/Psychosocial support and Shelter and Non Food Items. The ACT Appeal UKR171 follows on the response to the ACT Appeal UKR161.
Kenya’s President, Uhuru Kenyatta on 9th February 2017, declared an on-going drought in Kenya a national disaster already affecting 23 out of 47 counties reported to be at alarm stage. The current drought situation affects an estimated 2.7 million people with children, pregnant women, new mothers and the elderly bearing the brunt of the calamity thus necessitating the urgent plea from government and community leaders to respond to immediate emergency and early recovery needs.
Causes of drought are attributed to a late start of short rains between Oct-Nov 2016. These rains were also very brief and inadequate. As a result, there has been a persistent and widespread deficit of water and food for humans and scarce water and vegetation for livestock resulting in livestock mortality rates of 5%. In addition, poor 2016 short rains, affected proper growth of marginal crop producing regions which have predicted crop failure of up to 70 % (compared to a 5-year average)already resulting in an increase in food prices. Most affected populations being pastoral communities residing in Arid and Semi-Arid counties of Northern Kenya.
ACT Alliance Kenya forum through its members Christian Aid, Church World Service (CWS), National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK), Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Finn Church Aid (FCA), Anglican Development Services (ADS) and Lutheran World Relief (LWR) are responding and intend to scale-up interventions in WASH, Food Security, Early Recovery and Livelihoods restoration and Peace Building and Conflict Transformation through the ACT Appeal.
Peru: Emergency response to the floods and mudslides – No.RRF 04/2017 (Rev.1)
The worst flooding since 1998 is scouring the arid landscape of coastal Peru. This Phenomenon has been affecting the country since January 2017. In February, there were damages due to the same reason in other geographical areas affecting 800 people, and an RRF of 59,072 USD was granted by ACT Secretariat to respond to the emergency (RRF04/2017, issued on 17.2.17). The situation in Peru has kept worsening since then. The current situation has exceeded the local capacity to respond, the affected population have increased to 863,000 persons. The ACT Secretariat has approved to add 90,880 USD to the RRF.
Humanitarian needs are wide-ranging. Thus far it is estimated that 29,000 houses and dwellings have been destroyed or collapsed, affecting at least 120,000 people who are in immediate need for alternative shelter and other types of assistance such as water, sanitation and hygiene as well as protection. There is concern that levels of personal hygiene and sanitation are low, increasing risks of disease outbreaks, including acute diarrhoea, dengue and Zika virus. The State of Emergency is in effect in 11 of the country’s 24 departments and one constitutional province, and a Health Emergency has been declared in 8 departments, affecting 655 districts. According to the National Office of Meteorology and Hydrography (SENAMHI, Spanish acronym), the emergency situation is expected to continue until the end of April. In the town of Piura, in Piura region, which is one of the most affected areas
South Sudan: Emergency response to the Famine Crisis – SSD171
Monday 20th February 2017 marked the most historic declaration of famine in parts of South Sudan, affecting mostly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who are dispersed and the host communities already affected by the on-going conflict. Across South Sudan, more than 3 million people have been forced to flee their homes and nearly 7.5 million people need humanitarian assistance and protection, as a result of multiple and deepening crises, including conflict, inter-communal violence, economic decline, disease, and climatic shocks, which have led to displacement, distress, destitution and death.
South Sudan ACT Forum members CA, DCA, FCA, ICCO-Cooperation, LWF, NCA and PRDA are planning to respond jointly. The key response sectors are Food Security & Livelihoods, Nutrition, WASH and NFIs, as well as Education (EiE) & Psychosocial Support. This intervention will be targeting at least 180,000 severely crisis affected people across South Sudan, with a target of 9,161,771.54 USD.
Madagascar: Emergency response to the Tropical Cyclone Enawo – No.RRF 06/2017
On 3 March 2017, Tropical storm Enawo formed in the southern Indian Ocean. The cyclone hit landfall in Madagascar on 7 March at around 10:30 am local time. Enawo is currently equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane. On 8 March, Enawo weakened from an “intense” to a “moderate” tropical storm. The remnants of Intense Tropical Cyclone Enawo exited Madagascar on the morning of 10 March. The storm traversed nearly the length of the island over two days, affecting communities from north to south across Madagascar’s eastern and central regions. The northeastern Sava region has sustained significant damage to housing and agriculture. Antalaha port is inaccessible and more than half of the city’s homes have been destroyed. Farahalana commune is flooded by Lohoko River, with half of all housing under water. In the Analanjirofo region, more than 10,000 people are displaced (IFRC, 8 March 2017).
The data collection continues and the floods are generalized through the island. The most recent Sitrep of the National Office for the Management of Risks and Crises (BNGRC) of 15th March 2017 – 06:00 pm gives the following preliminary impacts: 18 dead, 18 disappeared (peoples missing), 250 injured, 424,801 disaster victims, 246,842 displaced persons, 79,071 without shelter identified.
ACT Madagascar Forum members, SAF/FJKM and Malagasy Lutheran Church (MLC) in collaboration with the National Office of the Risks and Disasters Management (BNGRC), is planning to respond to assist with:
Somalia: Emergency response to the Drought – SOM171
Somalia is in the grip of an intense drought, induced by up to four consecutive seasons of poor rainfall. In the worst affected areas, poor rainfall and lack of water has wiped out crops and killed livestock, while communities are being forced to sell their assets, and borrow food and money to survive. The latest food security and nutrition analysis from the FAO-managed Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) issued on 2 February 2017, reveals that the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has increased from 5 million in September 2016 to 6.2 million between February 2017 and June 2017. The drought situation is compounded by protracted conflict which is causing displacements, seasonal climatic shocks as a result of most extreme El Niño phenomenon in 50 years, and disease outbreaks.
Preliminary forecasts indicate that below average to near average rainfall is expected to prevail across most parts of Somalia during the forthcoming 2017 Gu season (April-June). As a result, only minimal improvements are expected during this time and in some areas further deterioration in food security is possible. This sets the stage for a possible famine in 2017, if the humanitarian assistance does not reach the beneficiaries in time.
ACT Somalia Forum members through NCA, FCA, LWF, Diakonia Sweden and DKH plan to respond by providing Food Assistance, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene facilities and services, Education(school-feeding programs), Health and Nutrition, Cash based interventions, Livestock interventions, as well as Early recovery and Livelihoods support to the affected populations in various Districts in Puntland and Somaliland states.
While Ethiopia continues to pull through from the impact of the El Niño phenomenon-induced drought that left 10.2 million people in need of emergency assistance in 2015/16, the country is facing a new drought, due severe weather conditions – the cumulative effect of the negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and La Niña weather phenomena, causing the failure of the Hageya/Deyr rains (fall rain) in south eastern and eastern parts of the country.
The drought has mainly resulted in severe water shortage and livestock deaths due to lack of pasture and high rate of animal disease. The drought has endangered lives and livelihoods of millions of the pastoralist households in southern and south-eastern lowland areas of the country. It occurred when people and livestock were still suffering from the effects of insufficient March 2016 rains.The Ethiopian Government with its humanitarian partners have issued the Humanitarian Requirement Document (HRD) in mid-January 2017 and declared that a total 5.6 million people are in need of urgent assistance.
A total of USD 948 million has been requested.Members of the ACT Alliance Ethiopia Forum are currently responding to the 2015-16 El Niño-induced drought and are mobilizing additional resources and/or diverting scarce resources to meet urgent needs. CA, EECMY-DASSC, EOC-DICAC, HEKS/EPER, IOCC, LWF and NCA plan to carry out the following proposed preliminary activities: WASH (including provision of drinking water to persons and livestock, provision of water treatment chemicals, maintenance and rehabilitation of water supply infrastructure, as well as hygiene and sanitation promotion), Food Security, Nutrition, Education and Livelihood (including livestock health support and feeding).
Zimbabwe: Emergency response to the drought in the Midlands, Masvingo, Matabeleland North and South Provinces- ZIM161 (Rev.1)
The ZIM161 Appeal has been both revised and extended (for 6 additional months), for the following reasons: i) there are indications of additional funding for the appeal, ii) late receipt of pledged funding for the appeal. iii) an expected peak in the need for food in March-April as people await yields. The proportion of people in need of urgent assistance has increased to 42% of the rural population (ZimVAC, 2016) which is well above the initial projection of 30% used at the planning stage of the appeal. This makes assistance more urgent and critical in the new proposed intervening period of the appeal.
On top of the drought, the crisis started in 2015/16, the incessant rain that Zimbabwe is receiving is already resulting in flash floods that are affecting the logistical movement of grain and foodstuffs. The rains are also disrupting normal agronomic practices such as timely weeding and fertiliser application which might lead to reduced yields. In some areas, the crops have also been affected by armyworm and Agritex reports that in the Matabeleland North Province, 50-70% of the crops have been affected and likely to result in decreased yields.
In Zimbabwe, food security has extremely been compromised by erratic rains in the 2015/16 season. This has put 4.1 million people at risk of starvation during the lean season period of January-March 2017. Highest levels of food insecurity are in the Midlands, Masvingo, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North provinces. As the 2016/17 lean season approaches no additional assistance has been received from the government, WFP and other aid agencies.
The ACT Zimbabwe forum through DanChurchAid (DCA), Christian Aid (CA) and other local implementing partners have responded to the 2015/16 El Nino induced drought since March 2016. To date, DCA has reached 12 090 and CA 5360 beneficiaries. They will continue contributing to immediate assistance to 27 955 beneficiaries through cash transfer programme to enable households to buy food. Early recovery activities will also be mainstreamed throughout the extension period.
Malawi: Emergency response to the floods – No.RRF 05/2017
Malawi is experiencing La Nina weather phenomena since onset of the rainy season and many districts have received above normal rainfall triggering flash floods in some of the Districts. Between the 4th and 10th February 2017, heavy rains caused the worst flooding in 4 Traditional Authorities (Ndindi, Pemba, Kambwiri and Maganga) in Salima district. A total of 35,304 people have been affected; of which thousands are displaced and currently dwelling in school blocks. A total 1,827 hectares of agricultural land (crops: maize, rice, cowpeas, cassava and sweet potato) has been washed away together with livestock such as goats and chickens. Household belongings such as food stocks, clothing and kitchen utensils have also been washed away.
To date, no human casualties have been reported however there have been significant reports of injuries caused by the flooding. The displaced population have no food, shelter, sanitary materials, clothing, blankets and kitchen utensils. School children are also affected as their school materials and food rations were damaged.
ACT Alliance Malawi Forum members(Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD)and Evangelical Lutheran Development Service (ELDS) will respond through Rapid Response Funds mechanism by providing life-saving support to 5,016 affected people in Salima District through provision of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), household Non-Food items (NFIs) and nutrition for under-five malnourished children.
Ukraine: Emergency support to cold snap affected people from East region – RRF 03/2017
The beginning of 2017 entailed arctic cold, which brought a record breaking low temperature and paralyzed some parts of Ukraine, Russia and the whole of Eastern Europe. The temperature in the region dropped to -30°C, resulting in transport collapse and damage to communal infrastructure, disruption of heat and electricity supply, frostbite of hundreds of people and a rapid growth of influenza and other disease rates in many places in Ukraine and Russia. According to official data to date, in Ukraine 40 people have died from the extreme cold conditions and about 900 have sought medical help; and in Russia several thousand people were affected.
The frosts damaged heat systems and led to disruptions of heat supplies. Harsh weather has led to a drop of temperature in the places where Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and non-displaced conflict affected population live in Ukraine, as well as for Ukrainian refugees in Russia. This is especially true in villages in Ukraine, where houses almost never have proper insulation, which means that the temperature inside houses can be around +7 to +9°C. According to the meteorological forecast, Ukraine and Russia expect new bursts of cold weather in February, with temperatures that can plunge down to -20°C.
