- Executive Summary
Overall Project/Program Status:
In the first half of 2013, Niger was involved in the implementation of activities mainly related to Complex emergency appeal food security, nutrition, WatSan, risk reduction, recovery and resilience building for the affected population as well as supporting the national society in assisting Malian refugees. More than 10 cereal banks were constructed and provided with 100 ton cereal; two vegetable gardens created, and food distributed to more than 20’000 refugees in Tillabery and Tahoua region. Nutrition activities are being carried out in more than 49 health centers in Dosso and Diffa regions. An additional community garden is planned in Diffa, while 4 additional banks cereal banks are being constructed in Tillabery region. In Tillabery, 250 heads of livestock will be distributed to the identified vulnerable families. Hygiene activities including community mobilisation, rehabilitation of water points and public latrines are being conducted in Niamey and Tillabery regions.
Key Issues: Security challenges in the region and in Niger in particular hampered and delayed the implementation pace of the emergency appeal activities. With limited funding to the appeal, some recovery activities may not have been implemented had it not have been for the additional funding that Niger Red Cross received from Japanese Red Cross. This funding will enable the National Society implement the activities that contribute to strengthening community resilience as well as monitor the activities. Though there was assistance from the Movement and other stakeholders in Niger, food security remains a big challenge and just like last year, there is a likelihood of heavy rains that may cause floods and epidemics in the country and this would worsen the situation.
Key Accomplishments: Thanks to emergency appeal intervention, significant achievements have been registered during the first half year. Relief assistance and recovery activities have been implemented including establishment of two community gardens for women associations benefitting a total of 130 women who were trained in commercialization and conservation of vegetables. Ten cereal banks were built and each stocked with 10 tons of cereal and 150 women trained in management of the cereal banks. A total of 2,500 farming families in 14 villages (17,500 beneficiaries) have received 37.5 tons of improved seeds of millet and niebe (local bean). From January to May 2013, over 63,500 malnourished children in 230 villages in the Diffa and Dosso regions were screened and over 3,000 children were identified and referred to health centers suffering from severe acute malnutrition and mild acute malnutrition to receive ready-to-use therapeutic food through the nutritional programme. A total of 150 families released from CRENI centers have received food parcels. These achievements will be maintained and reinforced in the next half of the year, at the same time RC volunteers will continue monitoring and coaching the beneficiaries.