Responding to Earthquake-Affected Communities and Households in Nepal (REACH) Quarterly Program Report

The program, funded by the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), aimed to provide emergency response interventions in the sectors of Shelter and Settlements and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) to help affected households and communities recover from the effects of the earthquakes. The program focused on providing necessary temporary shelter materials to affected households through the distribution of kits with non-food relief items (NFRI), as well as a one-time $75 cash transfer to enable households to meet their individually prioritized needs. In addition, Mercy Corps and implementing partners built latrines for vulnerable households and raised awareness about proper hygiene through the distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials, combined with improved access to sanitation facilities where appropriate. During the second quarter, Mercy Corps completed distributions of NFRI kits and unconditional cash to 17,500 people, supported 800 schools and vulnerable households with materials and training to rebuild latrines, and conducted hygiene promotion activities that reached 9,978 individuals in the targeted area. All distributions were carried out in collaboration with local partners and local government agencies. The program set up involved establishing agreements with Village Development Committee (VDC) level officials and requesting endorsements from the Chief District Officers (CDO) to initiate activities in Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha. Mercy Corps also identified Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCOs), banks, and vendors to conduct the cash transfers. The emergency response distributions of consolidated NFRI kits and unconditional cash, as well as implementation of all WASH activities, were carried out by district-based Mercy Corps staff in collaboration with local partner organizations. Partner coordination was critical to the program's success, with Mercy Corps working closely with the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) chapters and Healthy Nepal Development Centre (HNDC) across Mercy Corps' target VDCs to plan distributions, coordinate with community leaders, and facilitate the cash transfers, kit distributions, and implementation of WASH activities. The NRCS played a key role in Mercy Corps' longer-term recovery strategy, which includes building access to financial services and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies to foster long-term resilience among target communities. The program's progress was monitored through regular attendance at Shelter, Cash, and WASH cluster coordination meetings, adherence to reporting requirements, and sharing of activity updates with all partner NGOs. Mercy Corps team members also regularly participated in meetings with government officials at the district, VDC, and ward level to coordinate relief efforts and share the project's progress. The REACH program's efforts will leverage Mercy Corps' ability to transition into a longer-term recovery strategy, which includes building access to financial services and DRR strategies to foster long-term resilience among target communities. The program's success will be measured through the impact on the lives of affected households and communities, including improvements in shelter, sanitation, and hygiene, as well as increased access to financial services and DRR strategies.