BHAKARI June Monthly Update

Emergency Response efforts focused on Cash for Work (CfW) schemes, which were deemed safe to proceed with given the rains and local COVID-19 regulations. Out of 33 identified schemes, 27 were implemented, providing access to cash for 1,029 drought-affected households. The start of CfW implementation was delayed due to COVID restrictions, and the early onset of the monsoon hindered progress. Additionally, 58 labor-poor households who were unable to participate in CfW due to household head vulnerabilities, physical illness, and/or disability will be supported through Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) in coordination with the ward and palika-level disaster management committees. The program has considered the effect of COVID-19 into its participant selection criteria and has agreed with the local government for the selection of CfW participants. Market Price Monitoring was deployed in major market hubs at the Palika-level to collect information on the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on market prices and availability of essential food and non-food items. The market price monitoring will provide information on market trends to design and adapt interventions and justification to make decisions of transfer value based on the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB). Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) efforts focused on Light, Search and Rescue (LSAR) material support to Community Disaster Management Committees (CDMCs). LSAR materials were provided to 120 high-risk communities, with the objective to enhance disaster preparedness and response capacity of communities and enable the LSAR taskforce to act as first responders. The COVID-19 lockdowns delayed the delivery of LSAR materials to the remaining 132 communities, which are now to be completed in July 2021. District level Disaster Preparedness and Response Plans (DPRP) were being prepared/updating by BHAKARI with technical support to District Disaster Management Committees (DDMCs). The Surkhet district DDMC has already endorsed the DPRP, while draft DPRPs in Dailekh, Achham, Mugu, Jumla, and Kalikot are currently being finalized. Structural mitigation measures were being implemented to mitigate the risk of soil erosion, flooding, land cutting, and landslides. BHAKARI has been providing technical support across its target districts, with the target number of structural mitigation reduced from 63 to 54 due to lockdowns. Of the 54, the design and estimate for 35 of these sites have been prepared, and implementation of nine schemes has started. Virtual orientations were held with media personnel and Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs) on Monsoon Preparedness and Early Warning System (EWS) Information. The early warning information is crucial to save lives and property of highly vulnerable communities that have been impacted by flooding and landslides. Local media are the best medium to disseminate the early warning information to communities. BHAKARI has developed PSAs and collaborated with one FM Radio in each district to disseminate the Early Warning System Information. As per the FM radio stations' estimates, their radio networks will reach more than 1 million people in Karnali and Sudurpaschim province in Nepal. Virtual training was organized for Local Emergency Operation Centers (LEOC) Focal People on the Initial Rapid Assessment (IRA) and BIPAD portal. The orientation facilitated the LEOC focal persons to access and use the IRA platform and send information using the IRA tool. BHAKARI program was nominated as District Lead Support Agency (DLSA) in Achham, providing greater opportunities to influence and advocate for DRR and emergency work in the district. A total of 1,200 home isolation kits were distributed in response to COVID-19.