- +93787786602
- info@wadan.org
- Afghanistan, Kabul , Darul-Aman
The Welfare Association for the development of Afghanistan
Winterization Assistance
WADAN is pleased to present a comprehensive project proposal aimed at providing critical winterization assistance to vulnerable households in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan. The project is part of the AHF 2023 1st Standard Allocation and has been designed to support 1528 households (over 10,696 project participants) who face critical climatic conditions during the harsh Afghan winter.
Shelter
Khuja Bahaddin district, situated in Takhar Province, is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, particularly landslides. Over the years, the district has experienced multiple natural calamities, leading to a significant portion of the population being forcefully displaced.
Food Security
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains dire, and the upcoming winter season is expected to exacerbate the already severe challenges facing vulnerable populations.
Winterization Assistance
Badaskhshan
WADAN is pleased to present a comprehensive project proposal aimed at providing critical winterization assistance to vulnerable households in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan. The project is part of the AHF 2023 1st Standard Allocation and has been designed to support 1528 households (over 10,696 project participants) who face critical climatic conditions during the harsh Afghan winter.
Badakhshan is one of the most challenging regions in Afghanistan – with extreme temperatures, high levels of displacement, and widespread poverty. Many communities and households are living in inadequate or makeshift shelters without sufficient heating, making them vulnerable to severe health risks such as respiratory infections, pneumonia, and hypothermia. To address this need, WADAN will provide seasonal winterization support to households affected by recent shocks in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. The proposed project will target the districts of Shaki, Yawan, Khwahan, Kohistan, and Raghistan, known for their harsh climatic conditions, high snowfall, and vulnerable populations. WADAN’s winterization assistance package includes a cash assistance program for heating/fuel, Blankets, and Winter clothing.WADAN’s initial assessments will be carried out based on need analysis and vulnerability scores, ensuring that the assistance is targeted at the most vulnerable households and communities. The organization aims to reach between 305 and 306 households in each of the targeted districts, depending on their needs and vulnerability. The cash assistance will be a one-time payment of $200 in Afghanis (approx. 15,600 Afghanis) through local MSPs. Beneficiaries will have the flexibility to purchase heating materials of their choice such as firewood, coal, kerosene, gas, or any other necessary item that helps keep their homes warm during the winter months.
The distribution of blankets and winter clothing to all project participants will be a one-time payment of $131 ($57 for blankets, and $74 for winter clothes). This winterization assistance package will help empower the project beneficiaries by offering them a choice in terms of the type and size of Blankets and winter clothing. The provision of cash assistance will also improve the economic well-being of the project’s beneficiaries by reducing their reliance on harmful coping mechanisms during extreme weather conditions.
WADAN will also conduct community mobilization and awareness campaigns to encourage project beneficiaries to make optimal use of the provided winterization assistance and prepare themselves fully for the harsh winter conditions. The objectives of this project are to provide winterization assistance to vulnerable households, reduce the protection risks associated with harmful coping mechanisms in IDP settlements and displacement areas, enable vulnerable households to better prepare for the harsh winter conditions, and reduce the risk of hypothermia, pneumonia, and other respiratory infections among the project’s beneficiaries.
WADAN will engage with the cluster, community organizations, community leaders, host communities, and government institutions such as ANDMA, MORR, MOEC, and relevant provincial directorates to implement the project in the region. WADAN’s technical staff will work closely with these stakeholders to identify the most vulnerable households and communities in the region and ensure that the assistance is delivered in a timely and efficient manner.
In conclusion, WADAN’s proposed winterization assistance project promises to support the most vulnerable households and communities in Badakhshan Province and contribute to their economic and health well-being during extreme winter conditions. The project adheres to high professional standards and best practices in the implementation of humanitarian assistance projects, making it both competitive and successful.
Food Security
Currently implemented in Laghman & Herat
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains dire, and the upcoming winter season is expected to exacerbate the already severe challenges facing vulnerable populations. A multitude of factors, including economic instability, outstanding debts, reduced remittances, flood-related disasters, the lingering impacts of consecutive droughts, elevated food prices, and diminished food assistance and livelihood support, have collectively contributed to alarming levels of food insecurity among many Afghans. The impending winter season, coinciding with the country’s lean period, traditionally intensifies the food security crisis. Severe winters and heightened livestock diseases are commonplace during this period, with reduced pasture availability threatening the livelihoods of those reliant on agriculture and livestock. Wheat, Afghanistan’s primary staple crop, faces significant risks due to seasonal planting constraints. It is projected that approximately 19.1 million people will find themselves in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Emergency (IPC Phase 4) food insecurity categories (ICCT, Winterization Prioritization, 2023)
Immediate action is imperative to save lives and safeguard livelihoods, especially among populations most susceptible to Emergency and Crisis levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 and 4). Therefore, providing timely assistance is critical, particularly in provinces severely affected by harsh winters. The risks of severe hunger, illness, and loss of life are substantial, compounded by reduced funding for support to vulnerable households and restricted access due to severe winter conditions, especially in high-altitude regions such as the central highlands and parts of the northeast.
As per the IPC report, Forecasts for the period between November 2022 and April 2023 indicate a further deterioration in the situation. It is anticipated that 24 provinces will experience worsening conditions, with Urban Kabul and 33 out of 34 provinces likely falling into IPC Acute Malnutrition Phase 3 or 4. By 2023, an estimated 4 million vulnerable individuals may suffer from acute malnutrition.
In response to this situation, WADAN aims to provide essential assistance in two provinces: Laghman and Hirat. Our focus will encompass two districts in each province, specifically Alishang and Alingar in Laghman and Injil and Guzara in Hirat, all identified as priority areas by both the Afghanistan ICCT Winter Prioritization 2023 and FSAC (Food Security and Agriculture Cluster) prioritization. Our intervention will involve the distribution of food (in-kind) assistance to households falling within IPC Phase 3. The one food basket (in-kind) price is estimated $37.5 as per the FSAC recommendation. WADAN would distribute these food baskets to 4,680 HHs in three rounds in Dec, Jan and Feb. The monthly price per food basket would be $175,500 where the total price of the food baskets would be $526,500.Throughout the project, WADAN aims to reach 4,680 households, each with an average of seven members, resulting in a total of 32,760 beneficiaries. This effort will target 1,170 households in each of the selected districts, prioritizing the most deserving and vulnerable individuals in close collaboration with regional cluster, local Shuras, civil activists, and influential community figures. Additionally, a robust oversight structure will be established to ensure accountability and responsiveness to beneficiary feedback and stakeholder needs. To address the specific challenges faced by women, girls, and gender minorities in the targeted communities, WADAN will integrate gender-sensitive considerations into project planning and implementation. Training will be provided to project staff and community members in areas such as protection, preventing sexual exploitation and abuse of humanitarian assistance (PSEAH), child protection (CP), and reporting mechanisms.
Shelter
Badakhshan & Takhar
Khuja Bahaddin district, situated in Takhar Province, is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, particularly landslides. Over the years, the district has experienced multiple natural calamities, leading to a significant portion of the population being forcefully displaced. In November 2022, a joint assessment conducted by the NFI/Shelter Cluster identified a pressing humanitarian need for more than 260 households in the area. The assessed households contained females, children, overaged elders, and disable persons among them. Some of the members of those in need households were people with low vision, hearing issues, overaged, mentally depressed, amputees and other forms of disabilities
These households urgently require essential items, including food, non-food items (NFIs) like shelters, hygiene kits, and medicines, to cope with the aftermath of the disasters. Moreover, Raghistan and Yamgan districts in Badakhshan province are facing an imminent risk of landslides, further exacerbating the vulnerability of families in the region. As confirmed by the Cluster’s joint assessment in April 2023, the settlement in question is situated on a precarious terrain characterized by unstable rocks, extensive fissures, shattered cliffs, and dislodged boulders. This hazardous environment poses a serious threat to the safety and security of its inhabitants. The joint assessment report further highlights the extreme susceptibility of the residents of Khuldosk village (Seepa Qishlaq) in Raghistan district, Badakhshan Province, to multiple natural hazards, with landslides and avalanches being particularly perilous to this community.
In response to these critical challenges, WADAN proposes the “Construction of Transitional Shelter for 280 families with overwhelming needs across Badakhshan and Takhar provinces.” The project aims to address the urgent shelter needs of 147 vulnerable households in Raghistan and Yamgan districts of Badakhshan Province, as well as 133 vulnerable households in Khuja Bahaddin district of Takhar Province. The project will target vulnerable beneficiaries which will include both host community and IDPs. This project has been prioritized based on comprehensive assessments conducted by the Cluster, which serve as a foundation for our humanitarian response. The primary objective is to construct transitional shelters for 280 families identified as the most vulnerable in the two participating districts in Badakhshan and one participating district in Takhar provinces. Through this intervention, WADAN seeks to alleviate the impact of natural disasters on hazard-affected households by providing safe and dignified shelter solutions to the badly affected districts in the two target provinces. The project will concentrate on addressing the shelter needs of 147 households at high risk of landslides in Raghistan and Yamgan districts of Badakhshan province. Additionally, it aims to support 133 households who have been forcibly displaced and recently allocated land in Khuja Bahaddin district.
Our priority is to provide immediate relief to vulnerable households who have not yet begun constructing shelters, ensuring their safety and well-being during this critical period. The joint assessment reports conducted by the Cluster will serve as essential references, guiding our project implementation and aligning our interventions with the identified priorities and urgent needs of the affected communities.