Joint Multi-Cluster Initial Rapid Needs Assessment in Bulagadud. Background

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1 Joint Multi-Cluster Initial Rapid Needs Assessment in Bulagadud Background On 11 January 2018, a joint mission including 3 UN agencies, 9 INGOs and 5 NNGOs led by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA) conducted a rapid needs assessment in Bulagadud, a riverine location approximately 30 Kilometers North of Kismayo on the main road to Mogadishu with a population close to 10,000 people mainly Somali-bantu community. Majority of the inhabitants are agro-pastorlists communities that depend on agricultural production from the Juba river for livelihoods. In the aftermath of recent armed clashes between the Jubaland army supported by allied forces and non-state actors, more than 10,000 additional people are believed to have fled to Kismayo earlier and may return at any time depending on the situation. In addition, the ongoing drought situation has led to crop failures and death of livestock. More than 80 percent of affected people are women and children and the trend of displacement is likely to continue due to the ongoing military operations and effects of drought. Despite the volatility of the security situation in parts of Lower Jubba, few humanitarian agencies have delivered humanitarian assistance with the support of the security escort from either the Jubaland police or the Jubaland forces (Darwish) albeit in a low-profile manner. During the trip, the assessment team did not observe any obstructions or incidents that would affect travel other than check points manned by Jubaland forces and other Jubbaland security agencies that could prolong the time spent travelling Kismayo and Bulagadud. However, Police Officers were observed working out manning road check points and stations thus providing security cover to the assessment team. Objectives and Methodology of the assessment The rapid needs assessment was designed to improve the understanding of the needs of people affected among the communities living in Bulagadud, Gobweyn, Khamkham and Yontoy, settlements that were recovered from non-state actors over the past year. The assessment relied on interviews with key informants as well as observing the conditions of people during transect walks through the town and visit to key facilities. However, the assessment team could not see farmland located along River Jubba in the area because insecurity. It is expected that findings from the assessment would be utilised to guide humanitarian agencies and federal state institutions plan their response. On the other hand, the assessment lacks quantitative data. It will not be representative of the needs of various social vulnerable social groups. General Findings More than 70 percent of the respondents interviewed stated that Food, Health, non-food items (NFI), shelter and safe drinking water were their main pressing needs. Similarly, 80 percent stated that irrigation, health facilities, schools and agricultural repair as the four main recovery needs for the community in Bulagadud 1 P a g e

2 Majority of the community members are women, children and elderly persons. 44 percent of the community find it difficult to take care of family members with food and water services. More than 90 percent of people do not have access to information on security, health advice and market information When asked about any issues in the delivery of humanitarian assistance, respondents stated receiving les assistance which did not meet all their needs Children, women and the older people are the most affected social groups (70 percent of the population) Findings by cluster Protection 41 percent of respondents mentioned armed attacks, bombing, destruction of livelihood assets and grazing areas has led to the death and injuries of civilians accruing within their community and surrounding villages 31 percent of respondents mentioned displacement from natural disasters such as drought and conflict, 20 per cent mentioned clashes between the community, while 6 percent and 2 percent said armed violence and land mines respectively when asked about prevalence of protection incidents when asked about law enforcement in the area, 86 per cent of respondents mentioned the police, 14 per cent the Somalia National Army(SNA). 14 percent of respondents stated having experienced separation from family and household members as household members leave homes in search of work in towns or travelled to other areas in order to access water and pasture. 49 percent of respondents stated observing people moving from rural areas towns while 65 percent of respondents believed migration of people is in progress and has not diminished. Respondents stated that the new arrivals lived among host communities and in IDP settlements. IDPs living with relatives acknowledged reasons for living with relatives was attributed to lack of space for shelter, absence of basic services and insecurity. Most IDPs would not return to their homes of origin due to insecurity, absence of basic social services and livelihood opportunities. Provision of urgent basic services such as water, food and medical services Awareness creation on the impact of family separation services, Identification, Documentation, Tracing and Reunification (IDTR) and protection services. Capacity building of the police force to improve security and law enforcement. SHELTER/NFIs The shelter conditions of 97 percent of assessed communities is poor. Observations indicated that most people lived in collective makeshift temporary shelters or traditional shelter consequently exposing them to heat, rains and colds as well as gender based violence. In most cases, people lacked building materials and basic household items and utilities. Distribution of non-food Items(NFI) to the new arrivals Provision of emergency shelter support for the newly displaced people Provision of other emergency shelter packages apart from non-food items 2 P a g e

3 Water Sanitation and Hygiene(WASH) Nearly all respondents accessed unsafe water from unprotected shallow wells 1 or fetched water directly from River Jubba thus exposing people to waterborne diseases. Most respondents did not know or possess knowledge on how to treat water at the household level. Most water points were manged by the community (55 per cent) and a small number was managed by private individuals (2 percent). However, 43 percent of respondents acknowledged that no one managed their water system. A significant number (82 per cent) of respondents stated communities did not have access to latrines 45 percent of respondents acknowledged an increase in acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) in the last two weeks, 48 percent stated not observing AWD and 7 percent did know about AWD. Advocate for funding and response to mitigate diseases outbreaks of diseases Protection of surface water sources through rehabilitation and water treatment at household level and at source. Capacity buildings to enhance behavioural change in the following practices; safe water handling, food and safe excreta disposal. Construct latrines to reduce open defecation Establish and train Water Management Committees to manage community water points. Distribute hygiene kits, enhance water storage and treatment Food Security and Livelihoods(FSL) Most community members were hungry, sick and did not have access to three meals in a day. Bulagadud and nearby villages do not benefit from programmes on food security and livelihood 90 percent of community members have lost livelihoods assets following a ban on charcoal trade by non-state actors and loss of farms to seasonal floods. Fewer families have returned to their original homes despite assurance of safety by federal state authorities and the police A significant (90 percent) of respondents do not have access to basic needs and income generating opportunities. For instance, Bulagadud community have not received any food assistance for the last six months. Provide food security and unconditional cash to vulnerable members of the community (children s, pregnant and lactating mothers and the elderly) Create employment opportunities through cash for work interventions; support income generating activities. Construct and equip a Skill Training Centre in Bulagadud to impart valuable skills among the youth and other vulnerable social groups. Provide farm inputs to increase and rebuild livelihoods of the host community living most of whom live along River Jubba Health There are no functioning health facilities in Bulagadud village and all emergency cases are referred to Kismayo General Hospital, a town located 30 kilometres away from Bulagadud. communities have not been targeted with Immunizations services for a long time. Another option is for patients to travel to 1 88 percent river water and 12 per cent shallow wells 3 P a g e

4 Gobweyn, a town located 18 kilometres away from Bulagadud to access services of mobile health clinic and team that comes from Kismayo once a week. The most common diseases affecting peoples in Bulagadud are malaria, measles chicken boxes and a fever, whose name is unknown to the community. Scale up health awareness campaign and strengthen outreach health services through mobile clinics. This would involve extending mobile clinic services from Gobweyn to Bulagadud. Mass distribution of mosquito nets. Enhance public awareness on preventive and demand creation for health services; Intensify social mobilization and communication activities and Capacity building for community members Nutrition A mass screening of children indicated that 28 percent of children were moderately malnourished while 3 percent were severely malnourished. Similarly, 29 per cent of screened pregnant and lactating mothers were malnourished. 62 percent of the population believed there was evidence of malnutrition among women and children 63 percent of the population were also of the opinion that the drought situation in 2017 was the same as that of the previous years. 96 percent the population cannot access nutrition program centres due to unavailability of nutrition centres in the area and its environs. Recommendation Implement nutrition/health education and awareness programs and Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTP) and therapeutic supplementary feeding progarmme (TSFP) programs to reduce malnutrition and prevent hunger and starvation. Scale up nutrition interventions in lower Juba region and other remote areas in Kismayo district, including Bulagadud, Yontow and Qamqam Promote infant and young children s feeding practice to prevent acute malnutrition for children under the age of 2 years. Implement multi-sectoral and integrated intervention in WASH, Nutrition, Food Security and Health. Education There is no existing school infrastructure in Bulagadud despite the presence of over 1,000 children of school going age children in Bulagadud and surrounding villages. The old government primary school (shown in the picture below) is in a bad physical condition. The nearest school is located in Gobweyn which is 18 km away from Bulagadud. It takes half a day for learners to travel to and from school. All learners attend Quranic madrasa schools as there is no any formal secular education in Bulagadud. Most youth under 18 years of age were born during the years of war and did not have an opportunity to attend formal education. Establish temporarily learning centres in Bulagadud and surrounding villages. Sensitize communities on the importance of education. Recruit and train teachers for the old government school Establish school feeding program to cushion school going children from hunger 4 P a g e

5 Participants 1. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(UN-OCHA) 2. United Nations World Food Programme(UN-WFP) 3. UN Migration Agency/International Organization for Migration(IOM) 4. American Refugee Committee(ARC) 5. Norweigian Refugee Council(NRC) 6. Adventist Development and Relief Agency(ADRA) 7. Lutheran World Federation(LWF) 8. Secuors Islamique France(SIF) 9. Save The Children International(SCI) 10. Agency for technical Cooperation(ACTED) 11. Skills Active-Forward (SAF-UK) 12. Mercy Corps International(MCI) 13. Social-life and Agricultural Development Organization(SADO) 14. Himilo Foundation(HIMFO) 15. Socio Economic Development and human Rights Organization(SEDHURO) 16. Somali Aid 17. Jubaland state Ministry of Health(JMOH) 18. Jubaland state Ministry of Gender and Human rights(jmoghr) 19. Jubaland state Ministry of Interior(JMOI) 20. Wamo Relief and Rehabilitation Services(WRRS) Photos; Figure 1: Old government school Figure 2: Damaged shelters Figure 3: Assessment team s initial address 5 P a g e