Projects

Short Description:

Overall goal

Vulnerable populations in semi-urban centers and remote rural areas of three target provinces (Kabul, Herat, Nangarhar) impacted by crises have met their most essential livelihood, health, mental health and psychosocial needs. (This project contributes to SDGs 3, 4, 5 and to the EU GAP III 1,2 and 3).

Expected results

Output 1: Essential Health Care Services (81,760 men, women and children): Improved safe and equitable access of vulnerable populations to essential primary health care in the project’s target areas.

Output 2: Inclusive and Gender-Sensitive Protection, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (93,051 men, women and children): Vulnerable populations receive protection, mental health and psychosocial support services, timely and relevant to their needs.

Output 3: Livelihoods and Income Generating Interventions (520 women): Vulnerable women receive skills development and support to establish sustainable livelihoods and access to food.

Target group / Beneficiaries

The proposed project will target a total of 93,571 individuals as direct beneficiaries in Afghanistan, rural districts of Kabul, Herat and Nangahar Provinces: 58,218 are women and girls and 35,353 are men and boys. Target beneficiaries include the most vulnerable in the population, such as single-mother- or widow-headed households, people with disabilities and mental health issues, individuals displaced due to economic circumstances or those suffering from acute or chronic health issues. The project will be implemented with the local project partners Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) and Danish Red Cross (Dansk Rode Kors, DRC).

Activities

Activities include:

Provision of essential health services to populations in hard-to-reach areas by trained Mobile Health Teams (MHTs); training of community health committees and Grandmother committees; Training of female ARCS health volunteers; awareness sessions in communities by ARCS health volunteers; training of MHT personnel in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Psychological First Aid (PFA); training of community volunteers in MHPSS, child protection, child-friendly spaces (CFS); mental health and PSS services and community-based psychosocial activities; refurbishment of 2 community centers with CFS; sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and community engagement and accountability (CEA) community awareness sessions; training of volunteers (ToT) on life skills and livelihood programming including adaptation with a specific focus on vulnerable women and persons with disabilities; assessment to define business opportunities and development of individual business plans based on opportunities, skills and interest; vocational and business management training; networks for peer exchange and support.

Context

Afghanistan is facing one of the world’s most complex and prolonged humanitarian emergencies. The main contributing factors to the crisis are a multi-year drought, the suspension of non-humanitarian funding, the parallel freeze of several billion USD in Afghan Central Bank assets as well as the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These have resulted in staggering inflation rates, record unemployment and food insecurity. Additionally, the health system has all but collapsed with only an estimated 17% of health facilities being fully functional. Afghan women and girls are disproportionately impacted by the growing humanitarian crisis, as two thirds of females are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Therefore, the project aims to support the most vulnerable populations, especially women, to meet their most essential needs in the areas of health, mental health and psychosocial support as well as livelihoods.