Final Performance Report Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281

INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE CAMEROON PROGRAM

Final Performance Report

Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon

Agreement No: 720FDA18GR0028

Reporting period: September 1, 2018 – August 31, 2019

Presented to: THE USAID OFFICE OF FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE

Collaborating Partner: Agency Headquarters: International Rescue Committee Cameroon International Rescue Committee c/o Hannah Gibbin, Country Director c/o Amelia Hays, Regional Program Officer Tel: +237 651.26.28.56 Tel : 212.551.0954 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Date submitted: December 5, 2019

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281 I. Contextual Update According to the 2019 Humanitarian Response plan, Boko Haram’s incursion into the Far North region of Cameroon from northeastern Nigeria over the past several years has left 50% of people living in the Far North (1.9 million) in need of humanitarian assistance. The security situation in this region continues to deteriorate. Following large scale displacements in August 2019, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that there are nearly 428,289 displaced people in the Far North. Newly displaced people in the region (both internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Nigerian refugees) are highly vulnerable given the loss of property, limited access to services and general mistrust and stigmatization of them by community members due to suspicions of affiliation with Non-state Armed Groups (NSAGs). During the last six months in particular, the situation in Cameroon has worsened, especially in the Logone et Chari Department. In January, 2019, more than 35,000 people were displaced from the Nigerian city of Rann into Goura in Cameroon. Despite the official announcement of this population’s return to Nigeria, more than 15,000 displaced persons preferred to settle in the surrounding communities in Cameroon.

Recurrent attacks by NSAGs have been ongoing during the project implementation, sometimes leading to the suspension of humanitarian activities. The longest halt occurred from April 6 to June 9, 2019, due to an attack by on a convoy of Cameroonian security forces on the Fotokol-Sagme axis. Some humanitarian actors, including the IRC, temporarily suspended activities in and around the affected area for the safety of personnel and equipment.

Another challenge during implementation was the prolonged and heavy rainy season, which affected access to and activities in program sites. From August to October, 2019, heavy rains caused major floods in the Far North, resulting in population displacement and the isolation of several villages – affecting 23 localities in total. The floods have caused severe damage to dwellings, and have left inhabitants homeless.

II. Summary of overall performance The proposed project was implemented by the IRC to provide support to people in the Far North region of Cameroon who had been affected by the Boko Haram crisis, and to tackle the interconnected and widespread challenges they face. Through this intervention, the IRC provided life-saving activities to 24,819 beneficiaries by reducing safety risks in communities, helping beneficiaries meet their basic needs, and providing support services when they experienced harm. Activities were provided across the sectors of Protection, Health, Economic Recovery and Market Systems, Agriculture and Food Security, Multipurpose Cash Assistance, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

To best meet project objectives and ensure they were rooted and applicable to the local context, the IRC integrated various community structures (e.g. leaders, women, IDPs, host communities, government structures and services) in the project design as well as in discussion about the methodologies to apply and implementation throughout the project. Through the protection component specifically, the IRC fostered community discussions to better identify safety issues, identify available protection services, report abuse, and combat reticence, and raise awareness on the prevalent culture of impunity and intolerance facing the most vulnerable beneficiaries, mainly women and girls.

To strengthen the economic conditions of communities, the IRC supported 120 households to access non- agricultural income generating opportunities, and 600 households to access agricultural income generating activities. The IRC also provided multipurpose cash assistance to 720 households – 5,924 individuals – to enable them to meet their basic needs. To address environmental health needs, the IRC led activities to improve access to safe water supply and sanitation, and to ensure good hygiene practices in communities. While the IRC planned to reach 20,000 people, 24,819 people were supported through sensitization on hygiene practices, distribution of soaps, kettles and flashlights, and improvements to sanitation through the construction of 150 emergency latrines and 150 emergency showers, the establishment 10 garbage pits and the rehabilitation of 20 previously non-functional water points.

III. Activity Summary Goal: Vulnerable conflict-affected people in Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone et Chari face fewer risks to their safety, are able to meet their basic needs, and receive support services when they experience harm.

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281

Total number of People Targeted (Individuals): 32,230 beneficiaries (with overlap between sectors, as some beneficiaries may have received services from multiple sectors); 17,500 with no double counting Number of IDPs Targeted: 18,384 with overlap between sectors, 9,600 with no double counting

Total number of beneficiaries reached during the implementation period: 49,119 beneficiaries; 24,819 with no double counting Number of IDPs Targeted: 30,676 with overlap between sectors; 14,892 with no double counting

A. Sector 1: PROTECTION

Objective: Increase access to quality protection services for survivors of GBV and persons with special needs to support their recovery and healing from violence

Number of people targeted: 8,627, including 6,883 IDPs Number of people reached since September 1, 2018: 7,373 individuals, including 4,532 IDPs

Geographic areas of intervention: Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone et Chari departments, Far North region

1. Sub-sector 1: Prevention and Response to Gender-based Violence a) Reduce GBV risks through a community-based approach From December 2018 to August 2019, the IRC’s Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) Manager led eight coordination meetings with 26 community leaders (including 11 women) in Mozogo and Igawa. These meetings focused on educating community leaders on their role in preventing Gender Based Violence (GBV), how they could become more involved in community protection activities and hold discussions on security issues. During the project implementation period, the 15 IRC staff working as community mobilizers sensitized 3,099 people, including 1,405 women, 708 men, 566 girls, and 420 boys on the causes and consequences of GBV, available services related to GBV case management at the IRC’s safe spaces, and the advantages of accessing psychosocial services in a timely manner. These sensitizations also focused ways to break the silence and fight against impunity, physical abuse, management of menstrual and body hygiene, and tolerance in the community, the consequences of harmful traditional practices, and available services at the IRC’s safe spaces. Following community mobilization activities carried out by community volunteers, 93% of the 330 women and girls interviewed were able to identify at least three available services.

During the project period, the IRC participated in the celebration of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence”, an event that took place from November 25 to December 10, 2018, and the commemoration of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2019 in Logone et Chari, Mayo Sava, and Mayo Tsanaga. During the commemoration of these events, the IRC conducted several activities to promote gender equality and the importance of empowering women and girls, including sensitization sessions on GBV and advocacy with community leaders on the promotion of women’s rights. On June 16, 2019, the IRC celebrated the African Child’s Day at the Centre de Protection de la Femme et de Famille of Mora with humanitarian actors including Intersos, Plan International, International Mercy Corps and ALDEPA on the theme of “Humanitarian Action in Africa, Children Human Rights foremost”. These events enabled 21 new women and girls to be integrated in socio-recreational activities organized by the IRC. These events enabled the women and girls who usually participated in safe spaces activities to showcase their sewing, baking, basket weaving, and other products. Additionally the teenage girls engaged in the IRC’s activities sensitized their communities about the GBV services available in their community, the consequences of early marriage and the importance of education for girls.

b) Distribute 500 dignity kits In April 2019, the WPE team distributed 500 dignity kits to women and girls (134 women and 96 girls in Mayo-Sava and Mayo Tsanaga, and 68 women and 202 girls in Logone et Chari) who had been selected in November 2018.

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281 Kits included: buckets, household soaps, loincloths, panties and washcloths. The selection of beneficiaries was based on the following vulnerability criteria: girls of reproductive age, pregnant women, breast feeding mothers, widows and teenage mothers. At the end of the distribution, a Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM) revealed that all the women and girls had received their kits. Satisfied beneficiaries expressed their wishes to receive diversified items such as mats, shoes, toothpaste and even cash in order to meet their food needs. The IRC will take this feedback into account moving forward.

c) Conduct Safety Audits The IRC conducted three safety audits (November 2018, March 2019, and May 2019) in Afadé, Kousseri, Mozogo and Igawa, focusing on areas with large concentrations of IDPs. These safety audits assessed protection risks faced by community members, in particular GBV risks, as well as the availability of protection services provided by other actors such as Intersos, Médecins Sans Frontières, Association de Lutte contre les Violences Faites aux Femmes, and Plan International, amongst others. Overall, these safety audits revealed that women, men, girls, and boys are at risk in the areas of intervention, related to the following factors: - While the population as a whole faced the risk of attacks from NSAGs, the risk is particularly acute for women and girls, especially when they are forced to sleep outdoors after fleeing attacks on their homes. - Protection risks are heightened when women and girls walk long distances in search of firewood and water, especially in Igawa, where displaced girls have reportedly been attacked by men at the water points; - Shelter conditions of displaced women and girls are not safe because they don’t have doors, potentially exposing them to GBV. In addition, Igawa is an insecure area without military forces to ensure the security of the population. - Women and girls in Afadé and Igawa IDP camps have to travel long distance because of the lack of latrines in the camps, which is a serious protection risk. - The lack of lighting in IDP camps at night exposes women and girls to the risk of GBV when they use latrines.

To mitigate these risks, the IRC worked with the communities and organized several meetings with community leaders to discuss peaceful coexistence between host communities and displaced persons. Also, the IRC took into account gender concerns with the construction of latrines and showers by separating cabins with opposite doors for men and women and designing door signs indicating whether each for women or men. The IRC also worked with the different protection and GBV clusters that involved actors in protection services in order to sustain the approach and avoid the duplication of services. Finally, the IRC developed vocational activities that will enable women and girls to become autonomous and generate income from their activities (see further explanation below).

d) Provide direct case management services During the project, the WPE team provided psychosocial and case management services to 365 GBV survivors in the IRC’s safe spaces and through IRC’s mobile response team. Amongst these survivors, the IRC registered 23 cases of rape, among whom 17 were medically supported with PEP treatments (six others had already received support by their own means and so did not require medical support). In addition, the IRC registered six cases of sexual assault, 132 cases of physical violence, 21 cases of early marriage, 64 cases of psychological violence, and 119 cases of denial of resources, opportunities or services. Four cases among these survivors were men who were victims of physical and psychological violence. The IRC referred 91 survivors to health centers for medical care.

In March and August, 2019, the WPE team conducted two surveys on client satisfaction with IRC services in Igawa, Mozogo and Afadé. The IRC interviewed a sample of 28 clients out of the 85 cases closed in the same period and then from April to August 2019, as well as a sample 57 clients out of 152 cases that closed. These two surveys revealed that:  96% survivors were satisfied with the services offered them,  97% stated that the Psychosocial Assistant was available,  56% of the client’s expectations were about psychosocial support, 28% for legal counselling and medical support and 3% came for cash and material support  100% of the survivors implemented the action plan put in place for them by the Psychosocial Assistant.

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281 To assist newly displaced persons, the IRC recruited two volunteers in Moskota to refer GBV cases to the IRC’s WPE mobile team in Mozogo.

e) Support group activities for vulnerable women and girls, including GBV survivors During the project, the IRC’s WPE team worked towards reinforcing psychosocial support services including vocational training and life skills such as sewing, small business management, production of cooking oil, dyeing fabric and knitting for vulnerable women and girls. A total of 1,116 females including 813 women and 303 girls at risk of GBV (including the 365 survivors mentioned above) have regularly participated in socio-recreational activities such as embroidery, sewing, knitting, weaving, and basketry in the IRC’s three safe spaces. In addition, IRC staff have trained 400 women and girls in vocational training. In March, 2019, 250 women and girls started vocational training in the Kousseri WPE safe space and the Centre de Promotion de la Femme et Famille (CPFF) on sewing, textile dyeing, and production of handmade soap. In April and August, 2019 respectively, 150 women were trained in vocational skills in Afadé (Logone et Chari).

2. Sub-sector 2: Protection, coordination, advocacy, information a) Conduct protection monitoring and community education During the project implementation period, the IRC put into place a protection monitoring system that consisted of a group of community volunteers that alerted and shared information with the IRC’s staff about protection incidents that occurred in the community. Through this mechanism, the IRC registered 1,205 human rights violations affecting 312 women, 178 girls, 208 boys and 507 men in the Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone et Chari divisions. These cases of violations can be disaggregated as follows: 34% of right to life, 43% of the right to property, 18% of physical integrity and 5% of other types of violations. The IRC’s Protection and Rule of Law (PRoL) team referred 21 cases to the Protection and Information Centers (PICs) for case management, 33 persons with GBV cases to WPE safe spaces, 23 cases related to child protection actors (Intersos, ALDEPA) for appropriate support for children at risk and 72 cases to health services and police stations. During the duration of the project, the IRC faced challenges in referring persons with specifics needs (PSN) and survivors of serious injuries due to the lack of adequate services provided in the health centers. These centers (Mozogo, Kolofata and Afadé) lacked adequate equipment to provide the holistic support needed for the 100 cases identified. To combat this challenge, the IRC has worked to strengthen existing referral networks through continued advocacy and coordination.

The IRC also organized monthly awareness sessions with the 29 community volunteers to enable the communities of Mozogo, Mémé-Igawa, Kolofata and Afadé to report protection cases and refer them to PICs and available protection service. These awareness sessions reached a total of 2,138 people, including 752 women, 497 men, 432 girls and 457 boys. Community education activities on the right to land for IDPs reached 3,250 persons, including 816 men, 932 women, 739 boys and 763 girls. The PRoL team shared 33 flash monitoring reports with the IRC’s senior management on protection incidents that occurred in the IRC’s areas of intervention. These reports enabled the IRC to analyze the security context and take appropriate measures such as the suspension of field visits when the security situation became unstable.

b) Build community-based protection capacity During the duration of project, the IRC established eight protection committees, including three in Kolofata, two in Mozogo, one in Mémé-Igawa and two in Afadé in order to reinforce the community response mechanism for the reduction and resolution of protection risks. Each protection committee consists of 12 members, including six women, identified and selected by each community. The IRC carried out four trainings for each committee on the basics of protection, human rights, protection risk assessment and analysis in Afadé and Kolofata. After being trained, each protection committee conducted analyses of protection risks facing people in the community, and then established mitigation strategies as a Safety Action Plan to be implemented by the protection committees with the support of the IRC staff. These Safety Action Plans included plans to support birth registration, social cohesion, and protection of women and girls. As result, the three protection committees of Kolofata facilitated the registration of 94 newborns, who all successfully obtained birth certificates as part of their action plan to mitigate protection risks related to the absence of civil documents. The eight protection committees of Mozogo, Moskota, Igawa Kolofata and Afadé sensitized communities on building peace at the water points and on social cohesion due to conflicts

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281 that break out from time to time between host communities and IDPs. The protection committees also sensitized husbands on the importance for women to implement income generating activities (IGAs), explained the risks linked to early marriage of girls and encouraged school enrollment for girls.

In February 2019 the IRC conducted a capacity-building training for 29 community volunteers in Mozogo, Mémé- Igawa and Kolofata and 10 volunteers in Afadé. As a result of the training, participants had a better knowledge of protection issues and are now able to identify risks and incidents.

c) Support stakeholder coordination and capacity building At the beginning of the project, the Ministry of Social Affairs, in collaboration with the IRC, established a coordination framework to facilitate referrals of PSNs to access basic services in the divisions of Mayo-Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone et Chari. The IRC organized eight monthly coordination meetings with actors supporting PSNs, including administrative authorities, community leaders, civil society organizations and humanitarian actors1 in the divisions to discuss the PSN referral pathway in the targeted areas. These meetings focused on the reinforcement of the referral pathway mechanism for protection cases identified in order to ensure an appropriate response to clients. To support the establishment of a referral system, the IRC’s Protection Case Management Officer led a refresher training2 on the referral pathways and mechanisms in January 2019 that was attended by 29 community volunteers, including 11 women.

During the project period, the IRC referred 115 protection cases, including 42 to medical actors, 23 to child protection actors, 18 to GBV actors, 12 for civil documentation, nine cases to legal assistance mechanisms, seven cases to social affairs, and four to justice actors/service providers (e.g. lawyers and magistrates).

During the reporting period, through the protection working group, the IRC participated in the elaboration of five local level policies to improve access to humanitarian service delivery. The first policy, implemented in March, 2019, was a standard operating procedure for updating the referral pathway. The second was implemented in April and focused on the harmonization of civil status procedures in the Far North region, which will permit timely and efficient referrals of victims of protection incidents.

In total, the IRC trained and built the capacities of 104 individuals, including 41 community leaders (10F, 31M), 29 community volunteers (11F, 18M), and 34 members of protection committees (17F, 17M) on basic protection notions and access to justice at the traditional level in the crisis context.

d) Ensure protection mainstreaming In April 2019, the IRC trained 34 staff (including 13 women) from the IRC, the Ministère des Affaires Sociales, the Ministère de la Promotion de la Femme et Famille, the justice services, health centers, local NGO (ALDEPA) and international NGOs (Intersos and Plan international) in the divisions of Mayo-Tsanaga and Mayo-Sava on protection mainstreaming.

In addition, through the feedback mechanism system, the IRC resolved 10 complaints (including lack of civil documentation and access to cash programming) from clients within 72 hours of receipt. The IRC also considered suggestions from clients and analyzed them. Based on the feedback received, the IRC revisited its intervention strategies in order to better address beneficiary needs and have a more sustainable impact.

e) Provide legal assistance and support through PICs The IRC provided legal assistance to 45 persons in the localities of Kolofata (12), Mémé-Igawa (27) and Mozogo (6) that included 36 birth certificate renewals, four cases of physical assault, three cases of extortion of property

1 Intersos, International Medical Corps, Norwegian Refugee Council, COOPI, Plan International, Medecins sans Frontières, Action Locale pour un Developpement Participatif et Autogéré, Fondation de l’Esperance, CODAS CARITAS, Observatoire des droits de l’homme and AJADD 2 The first training was done under the OFDA award # AID-OFDA-G-17-00210, implemented from June 2017 to August 2018, Far North region of Cameroon.

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281 and two cases of rape. Through PICs in Mozogo, Mémé-Igawa, Kolofata and Afadé, the IRC provided information to 723 persons (433F, 290M) related to protection services, civil documentation and specific legal issues.

f) Provide direct case management services In the PICs, the IRC’s Psychosocial Assistant identified and registered 217 PSNs for case management, including 165 women and 52 men. Among of them, 190 cases are closed, and 27 are still open and being monitored under the follow on OFDA award N°720FDA19GR00227. Among the closed cases, the IRC surveyed beneficiaries on their satisfaction with services provided and 100% of the 64 cases surveyed responded that they were satisfied with the assistance received. The IRC provided medical assistance as well as psychosocial support and medical support for nine women at risk, 55 elders at risk, 25 persons with serious medical conditions, 16 persons with disabilities, six children at risk and six cases of familial reunification.

B. Sector 2: HEALTH Objective: GBV survivors receive timely, appropriate and quality clinical treatment for the consequences of sexual assault, including rape

Number of people targeted: 187, including 108 IDPs Number of people reached since September 1, 2018: 62, including seven IDPs

Geographic areas of intervention: Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone et Chari

1. Sub-sector 1: Reproductive health a) Establish a referral mechanism to reach a target of 152 sexual assault survivors with clinical care For prompt and effective medical care for victims of GBV, the IRC signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in January 2018 with four health facilities in the communities where it operates, including the Biamo Integral Health Center, Hospital District of Makary and Annex Regional Hospital of Kousseri. The IRC trained 40 (20 women) health staff and Psychosocial Assistants to ensure the identification of GBV cases and the quality of clinical care for survivors of GBV. Additionally, to ensure that victims of sexual assault and rape received safe and appropriate clinical care, the IRC assessed the clinical management mechanism for GBV survivors on a monthly basis through field supervision and made to them some recommendations for the improvement of support provided.

The IRC ensured the medical fees of 23 survivors, including six survivors of sexual assault and 17 survivors of rape in the localities of Igawa, Afadé and Mozogo of whom seven received assistance within 72 hours, were paid.

The number of reported cases of sexual violence is low because of the social stigma attached to women who have been raped and have made it public. However, to address this problem, the IRC will continue its awareness activities to encourage communities to report and seek support for cases of GBVs.

2. Sub-Sector2: Medical Commodities Including Pharmaceuticals a) Provide PEP kits to two target health facilities in Afadé and Fotokol The delivery of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) kits that the IRC procured internationally in March 2019 were delayed at customs. The IRC is regularly in contact with the customs administration office to receive authorization for their release from the port of entry. However, this authorization is still pending. Nevertheless, the IRC requested and received OFDA approval to use these kits when released for programming in fiscal year 20203 to ensure that the needs of beneficiaries continue to be met.

Despite this delay, the IRC ensured that targeted health centers were supplied with 17 PEP kits transferred from the IRC’s previous OFDA4 support project, therefore it did not impact beneficiaries. For the good management of

3 Award No. 720FDA19GR00227 from September 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020 4 Award No. AID-OFDA-G-17-00210 from June 1, 2017 to August 31, 2018

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281 these supplies, the IRC organized weekly monitoring technical visits to each targeted health center to review medicine stocks and medical tools, and establish an action plan for health providers to improve on weaknesses identified.

C. Sector 3: ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND MARKET SYSTEMS Objective: Conflict-affected people in Mayo Sava and Logone et Chari create income and assets

Number of people targeted: 780 individuals, including 390 IDPs Number of people reached since September 1, 2018: 917 individuals (120 HHs), including 752 IDPs

Geographic areas of intervention: Logone et Chari and Mayo Sava departments, Far North region, Cameroon

1. Sub-sector 1: Livelihoods Restoration a) Conduct labor market assessment The IRC conducted a labor market assessment in Mayo Sava division in September 2018 to identify relevant IGAs that clients could establish to enhance their early recovery. This survey looked at a sample of 100 clients of IGAs and revealed that 33% preferred trade, 28% preferred agriculture dominated by the cultivation of millet, onion and cattle rearing, 11% preferred breeding of animals, 11% preferred sewing, 12% preferred small restaurants, and 5% preferred motorcycle taxi. In the Logone et Chari division, the IRC relied on the assessment conducted by UNDP in August 2018, aimed at identifying economic sectors with high employment potential for women and youth in the Logone et Chari division. This assessment was conducted in Logone et Chari, in Makary district, where the IRC are implementing this project. The results of the survey indicated that sectors with high potential for self-employment apart from agriculture include: livestock, transport (motorcycle, tricycle, car), cloth making, construction and public works, call boxes, mobile money transfer services, mobile phone charging services, catering, petty trade, and small transformation firms. This information helped the IRC to identify relevant activities for clients who wish to engage in non-agricultural activities.

b) Target households for non-agricultural income-generating activities The IRC selected 120 heads of household (HHs) (reaching 917 individuals total; 608F and 309M) for non- agricultural activities – exceeding the 100 HHs originally planned, based on need. The selected HHs included 60 women in Mayo Sava and 60 beneficiaries (15 women and 45 men) in Logone et Chari; households were from both IDP and host communities. For beneficiary selection the IRC used socio-economic vulnerability criteria such as household income, number of meals for children under five years, household skills and possession of productive assets as well as the most vulnerable households. In Logone et Chari, the IRC made the selection of 60 households through an inclusive process with the involvement of community members, which included conducting a census of community households, the establishment of selection criteria, and cross-checking the selected beneficiaries. In Mayo Sava, the IRC selected the 60 households from list of referred socio economic vulnerable beneficiaries made by the IRC’s WPE team.

From May 9 to August 22, 2019, the IRC formed 12 non-agricultural IGA groups (animal fattening, storage and the selling of food, small businesses and sewing) composed of the selected 120 beneficiaries.

c) Provide financial literacy training and vocational training At the beginning of the project, the IRC adapted training modules to meet the needs of the context and beneficiaries in terms of skills required for the successful implementation of IGAs. These modules were based on the “Learn to Earn” curriculum developed by the IRC, which includes entrepreneurial skills and GBV issues related to protection and violence in the community. The training sessions offered by the IRC staff from July 15 to August 15, 2019, focused on the following topics: business plans and strategies, earning and spending money, saving, managing your business, solving problems and working in groups. A total of 720 heads of households (including the 120 HHs from non-agricultural IGA groups and 600 HHs from agriculture IGA groups as reported below) participated in the training, representing a 100% participation rate.

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281

d) Provide cash transfer to 12 groups for non-farm income generating activities. In May 2019, in all intervention areas, IRC staff helped beneficiaries develop their business plans. This activity allowed them to refine their economic project ideas and strengthen cohesion within the different groups that include IDPs and host populations. In the same month, in Logone et Chari, each of the 12 IGA groups received an IRC grant (via Mobile Money) equal to 80% of the amount of its business plan. This amount enabled the various groups to acquire the fixed assets and some of the working capital items needed to launch their business. In June, the IRC sent the group a second transfer of funds (20%) through mobile money to enable them to purchase additional commodities to strengthen their activities. Each group assigned one of them to receive cash through the mobile phone. The total amount disbursed to all beneficiaries was $5,554. At the end of the project, the profits made by the groups supported by the IRC ranged from $250 to $416. This means that the IGA members increased their purchasing power through more reinvestment choices and the ability to be more resilient to crisis than previous.

D. Sector 4: AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY Objective: Conflict-affected populations in Mayo Sava and Logone et Chari improve their agricultural production

Number of people targeted: 4,680 from 600 households, including 2,340 IDPs Number of people reached since September 1, 2018: 5,017 from 600 households, including 2,537 IDPs

Geographic areas of intervention: Logone et Chari and Mayo Sava departments, Far North region, Cameroon

1. Sub-sector 1: Improving Agricultural Production/Food Security a) Select 600 beneficiary households for agricultural activities The IRC identified 600 heads of household during the month of November, 2018, including 300 (198 women and 102 men) in Mayo Sava and 300 (163 women and 137 men) in Logone et Chari. These households were targeted following a comprehensive census followed by a socio-economic vulnerability criteria assessment conducted by IRC staff and members of local targeting committees elected by the community. Vulnerability criteria included household agricultural skills, loss of productive assets, lack of income, household situation, etc. On April 3 and 4, 2019, IRC formed a total of 45 agricultural-based IGA groups from among these targeted beneficiaries, including 15 groups in Mayo Sava and 30 in Logone et Chari. The IRC prioritized grouping the households rather than providing individual assistance as a way to facilitate promoting social cohesion and optimizing beneficiary monitoring by IRC field staff and extension officers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, who are in short supply. Working together in groups also allows beneficiaries to collaborate with each other and better agree on achieving their common goal. This has the advantage of promoting social cohesion between host populations and IDPs.

During the project the IRC faced challenges related to the availability of arable land, so it was difficult to reach the 600 total hectares (Ha) planned for beneficiaries in the project proposal. Indeed, during the baseline assessment, the IRC team recorded about 0.5 Ha per farmer in the Far North region. Because of the deficit in arable land and to ease any tensions between access to land between IDP and host communities, the IRC facilitated beneficiaries’ establishment of 45 groups to then cultivate parcels of land, with 125 total hectares of land available ((including 25 Ha in Mayo Sava and 100 in Logone et Chari) for these 45 groups formed.

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281 b) Transfer cash ($100) for land and cultivate crops The IRC provided a business grant in the amount of $100 via mobile money to the 30 agricultural IGAs in Logone et Chari on April 10, 2019 to start their activities. At the request of 15 Mayo Sava IGA groups, the transfers were made in two installments: A first payment of $80 in April 2019 and a second of $20 in June 2019. The first transfer allowed beneficiaries to buy their inputs needed to start the business, such as small tools (hoes, machetes, wheelbarrows, boots, etc.), motor pumps and seeds (tomatoes, pepper, vegetables, okra and cucumbers). The second transfer enabled them to maintain their crops and transport the harvest products. The method of allocating part of the amount for preparatory activities and for complementary activities (plot maintenance and transport) was also adopted in the Logone et Chari by Field visit with district delegate of MINADER's Mayo beneficiaries. Sava, August 6, 2019

The first harvest began at the end of June 2019 in both areas. According to the results of the IRC monitoring visit in August, 60% of the crops produced by the beneficiaries were used for consumption and the remaining 40% were sold on local markets. The profit generated by sales varied between US$131 and US$372 per group. Some of these profits were sued to increase the purchasing power and the remaining were reinvested for a new IGAs. The second harvest is scheduled for October 2019, just after the end of the project.

c) Sign MoU with the MINADER and the technical and entrepreneurial training of the beneficiaries In February 2019, the IRC signed an MoU with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER) to support beneficiaries during the project period. To better support beneficiaries the MINADER deployed three representatives in project areas. Support provided by MINADER, through the MoU, included helping households in the choice of crops, tools, seeds and to improve their agricultural techniques to increase their production while respecting the environment. MINADER trained the 45 targeted IGA groups in February 2019 to manufacture and use organic fertilizers to improve production. In April 2019, beneficiaries were trained in the production and use of natural pesticides based on neem leaves to control rodents. MINADER also referred certified seed sellers to the intervention areas. At least once a month, MINADER representatives visited the fields of the different groups and provided technical support to members according to the difficulties raised.

E. Sector 5: MULTI-PURPOSE CASH ASSISTANCE Objective: Vulnerable, conflict-affected people in Mayo Sava and Logone et Chari are able to meet their basic needs

Number of people targeted: 5,460 individuals, including 2,808 IDPs Number of people reached since September 1, 2018: 5,924 individuals, including 4,334 IDPs

Geographic areas of intervention: Logone et Chari and Mayo Sava departments, Far North region, Cameroon

1. Sub-sector 1: Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) a) Select 720 beneficiaries households for MPCA The targeting of MPCA beneficiaries in the four project intervention areas, including Kolofata in Mayo Sava and Grelié, Anambari and Biamo in Logone et Chari, began in early November 2018 and was completed in January 2019. A comprehensive household census based on socio-demographic criteria, was conducted by the IRC for

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281 beneficiaries of agricultural IGAs. Through this census, the IRC identified 871 households in Mayo Sava and 2,100 households in Logone et Chari.

In collaboration with the community, the IRC has set up two local mixed selection committees5 that each include six people. These committees were created through a community meeting during which the community designated the different members taking into account the gender, status and integrity of the members within the community. The IRC shared with committees the beneficiaries’ selection criteria which include lack of income, number of meals consumed by children under five years old, lack of production assets and presence of elderly in the household. IRC and local selection committees noted and ranked households according to their level of vulnerability. 720 most vulnerable households were selected by IRC and the committees. Among the selected, 360 households were from Mayo Sava (223 female-headed and 137 male-headed households, including 334 IDP HHs and 26 host community HHs) and 360 households were in Logone et Chari (215 female-headed and 145 male-headed households, including 180 IDP HHs).

b) Provide financial literacy and mobile money training. In partnership with the financial service provider (MTN), the IRC trained 720 heads of household on the use of mobile money. The training took place on February 27, 2019 in Logone et Chari and on March 27-28, 2019 in Mayo Sava. This training aimed at familiarizing the recipients with the use of mobile money services (sending and withdrawing money and securing the mobile money account) as well as with the basic functions of a phone.

In order to ensure the appropriate use of assistance by households and to avoid unnecessary expenses, the IRC organized training sessions on financial education with households one week before each payment. Topics covered during these training sessions were the definition of household expenditure items, collaborative management of household budgets, the importance of good household income management, and the consequences of poor family budget planning and the definition of priority needs. Beneficiaries were trained via a small groups of 25 to 30 people.

c) Distribute multipurpose cash assistance to 720 households IRC distributed 720 phones and SIM cards to project beneficiaries in Mayo Sava and Logone et Chari to facilitate their access to cash assistance. From January to February 2019, the financial services provider facilitated the creation of Mobile Money accounts for all beneficiaries in Logone et Chari; and the same activity was carried out in March 2019 in Mayo Sava.

The IRC provided four monthly cash transfers with a unit value of $55 per month to 720 households to enable them to meet their basic non-food needs. In Logone and Chari, transfers covered the period from March to June 2019 and affected 360 households. In Mayo Sava transfers were done during April to July 2019 and reached 260 households. At the end of project, beneficiaries reported some improvement of their living conditions. The survey Cash disbursement in Kolofata, July 2019 conducted showed that 27% of the beneficiaries adopted negative coping strategies (baseline) such as limiting the size of meals, reducing the number of meals, falling back on non-preferred or cheaper foods, limiting consumption or borrowing the number of meals). At the end of the project, only 13% of the beneficiaries surveyed reported to continue using a negative coping strategies. The households surveyed reported to be able now to send their children to school and provide them with medicines.

5 Local mixed selection committees are composed of three women and three men

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281 F. Sector 6: WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WASH) Objective: Maintain and increase access of safe water supply, sanitation and insure good hygiene practice for IDPs and host people in Mayo Sava and Logone et Chari, Far North Region.

Number of people targeted: 20,000 people, including 12,000 IDPs Number of people reached since September 1, 2018: 24,819 people, including 14,892 IDPs

Geographic areas of intervention: Mayo Sava (Mora and Kolofata arrondissements) and Logone et Chari (Makary and Fotokol arrondissement)

1. Sub-sector 1: Hygiene promotion a) Promote hygiene awareness In January and February 2019, the IRC selected and trained 60 community hygiene workers (CHWs) including:  19 men and 16 women in the localities of Kolofata, Kerawa, Mora, and Gouzoudou, in Mayo-Sava division;  17 men and eight women, in the localities of Makary and Fotokol in Logone et Chari division. These CHWs were trained on modules on good practices related to WASH, conducting educational talks and home visits during sensitizations; and finally the use of data collection tools. Analysis of pre and post tests showed that CHWs had increased knowledge as a result of the training.

Through information-education-communication (IEC) materials such as the image boxes and posters, CHWs disseminated awareness messages in the local language and conducted practical demonstration sessions during project implementation. CHWs conducted a door-to-door sensitization focused on the practice of hand washing with soap, food hygiene, personal hygiene, proper waste management and the use of latrines. In the safe space, women discussed hygiene practices such as cleaning of their spaces and menstrual hygiene. As result, the IRC installed garbage bins near safe spaces for collecting of waste.

With the support of the IRC community mobilizers who organized focus group discussions, the community members elaborated an action plan that included some solutions proposed to environment and hygiene issues identified. As per example, the communities decided to better organize the organize garbage disposal weekly basis by rotation cleaning for households distributed in sub-groups. Also after FGDs, the communities banned dishes and laundry around water points. Addition, CHWs set up discussion groups with community members for educational sessions and separate groups of women and men to address specific hygiene issues for each gender. Then, from February to August 2019, CHWs sensitized 576 women and girls households on specific food hygiene topics, water conservation, and menstrual hygiene practices.

During the rainy season from June to August 2019, CHWs sensitized host communities, displaced persons and refugee communities on cholera prevention because of the outbreak declared in the area on July 14, 2019 by the Minister of Public Health. The sub-themes developed concerned water, hygiene and sanitation sectors, such as: water treatment at home, the water chain, correct hand washing, hygiene food, personal hygiene and waste management. Through the awareness-raising activities, the CHWs reached out 2,659 people (1,516 women, and 1,143 men) including 931 people from host communities, 1,595 IDPs and 133 refugees were directly reached by.

b) Distribute WASH kits In May 2019, the IRC distributed WASH kits to 1,100 (550 in Mayo Sava and 550 in Logone et Chari) newly displaced households in IDP camps (arrived in the last three months). WASH kits included 9,900 soaps and 1,100 kettles and 1,100 solar flashlights. Beneficiaries were selected on the basis of vulnerability criteria such as woman head of household, household with pregnant woman, presence of chronic sickness or elderly person, person with specific needs, and households with children under 5. The direct total people targeted through these 1,100 households are 6,839 people including 1,321 women, 965 men, 2,230 boys and 2,323 girls.

The IRC conducted a post-distribution monitoring (PDM) on in a sample of 354 household beneficiaries to assess the quality of intervention and the impact on the changes in behavior of hygiene practices. The result showed that 70% of survey respondents listed at least three key moments in the washing of hands and enumerators found for

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281 almost all sampled households a soap and kettle. Also the survey revealed that 91% of the beneficiaries recognized the importance of these WASH kits as well as the lighting with solar lamps distributed.

c) Conduct hygiene practices survey In October 2018, the IRC’s WASH team conducted a baseline survey to better understand the hygiene conditions among the 315 targeted households. The results showed that the level of knowledge and hygiene practices in the target communities was still insufficient, as following: - 30% of the respondents only had access to 15 liters of water/person/day; - 58% of respondents were using a toilet for defecation; - 9% of people represent the proportion of people who last defecation was in a toilet (or whose feces was disposed of in a safe manner) - 29% of respondents were able to identify at least three of the five critical times to wash hands; - 16% of respondents have access to soap and water at a designated handwashing locations; - 99% of respondents report that children have suffered the most from diarrhea and malaria.

This initial survey helped to design the topics for awareness raising throughout the project period. In order to measure the level of changes in behavior after activities implementation, the IRC conducted an endline knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) survey in August 2019. The survey revealed the following improvements: - 73% of people have access to 15 liters of water/person/day (the SPHERE standard); - 80% of people are using a toilet for defecation; - 24% of people including 33% of girls, 27% of boys, 21% of women and 19% of men represent the proportion of people who last defecated in a toilet (or whose feces was disposed of in a safe manner) - 70% of people targeted by the hygiene promotion program know at least three of the five critical times to wash hands - 67% of households targeted by the hygiene promotion program have a designated handwashing location with soap and water at home. - 54% of households targeted by the sanitation program whose latrines are completed and clean. - 49% of people report that children have suffered the most from diarrhea and malaria.

The final results demonstrate that the interventions are relatively satisfactory. In fact, access to water has improved significantly from sources of supply to their storage of water for drinking and domestic use. However, 37% of households confirmed to have not reached the SPHERE standards of 15 liters per day per person due to the lack of sufficient functional water points compared to the population in the localities. Related to hygiene practices, the survey revealed the positive changes observed in the hand washing with soap in the keys moment of the day. A significant improvement in the management solid waste, was noted through the survey that indicate IDPs regularly cleaned their living environment.

2. Sub-sector 2: Sanitation a) Construct emergency latrines and emergency showers for newly displaced persons During February, March and April 2019, IRC completed the construction of the 150 emergency latrines and 150 emergency showers divided equally across the two divisions of Mayo Sava and Logone et Chari. The construction of emergency latrines and showers reached approximately 9,016 people, including 4,417 men and 4,599 women.

In order to encourage the use of latrines and limit open defecation in the IDP site, WASH teams constructed these latrines where displaced people have stayed for at least three months or wherever the team had found major gaps (such as more than 50 users per latrine). Each block of latrines and showers have two separate cabins with opposite doors separating men and women. A sign was placed at the door of each latrine indicating whether it was for women or men. In addition, IRC provided to the latrine’s beneficiaries soap and kettle to encourage them to wash their hands after using toilets.

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281 For the construction of latrines and showers, the workers are recruited among the members of the community, to carry out the pits. For each pit dug, IRC have paid an amount $9-10 as stipend for each worker.

The IRC attributed users for each latrine constructed to eight households (against six as planned in the beginning of the project) due to the increased numbers of IDPs, therefore the 150 latrines constructed could enable 1,231 households to improve their sanitation needs. CHWs raised awareness and conducted monitoring among users to ensure that users maintained the latrines.

3. Sub-sector 3: Environmental health a) Establish system of collection and disposal of waste to improve the environmental and health conditions at 10 IDP sites From January to March 2019, the IRC Wash team constructed 10 garbage pits in Mayo Sava and 10 in Logone et Chari. According to hygiene and Emergency latrine in IDP site in Kolofata sanitation standards, IRC took into consideration the distance between the garbage bins placed around the households and the deposit garbage locations, and selected 12 localities including Woulkio Afadé, Anambari, Ardeb 2, Grelie, Amadabo, Dororoya, Bidao Leimari, Woulomari Kolofata, and Kerawa. The criteria for their selection were the establishment of IDPs sites, the lack of appropriate solid waste disposal, the sites of boreholes rehabilitation and sites construction of emergency latrines and showers. The IRC registered 10,800 people as regular users of the 20 garbage facilities constructed.

The IRC provided to the communities a sanitation kit for each site, which included 20 garbage cans, 10 wheelbarrows, 10 picks, 10 rakes, 10 shovels and 5 grease bars for the management of the sites and to ensure the collection of garbage.

In addition, CHWs monitored the weekly community-led clean-up days, established for each IDP site. For an average of two to three hours, households cleaned up the garbage around and inside the houses and disposed them in the garbage bins, and then disposed the garbage’s into the garbage pits. During the project implementation, IRC organized 269 cleaning days led by community.

4. Sub-sector 4: Water supply a) Rehabilitate water points The WASH team identified 20 non-functional water points for rehabilitation. The criteria used for their selection were: (i) villages hosting with at least 30% of IDPs, (ii) where there is a long queue for drawing water and crowding, (iii) where people have to walk more than 500m to obtain drinking water, and (iv) where the IRC recorded less than 15 liters per person per day. Following this selection, all 20 points were rehabilitated, including 10 water points in the following localities in Mayo Sava: Kerawa (2), Gouzoudou (2), Kolofata (2) and Mora (4); and 10 in the following localities in Logone et Chari: Djabrari, Djouka, Djamena, Waflam-Blabago, Dororoya, Ardeb, Grelie, Anambari, Woulkio-Afadé and Lafia. Throughout these rehabilitations, the IRC enabled 15,803 people, including 7,249 women and 8,554 men to regularly use a drinking water.

For each water point rehabilitated, IRC built walls of 1.20 m high, and 3.00m x 3.00 m square around the pumps and has put a door to allow humans to access water while preventing animals from entering. In addition, IRC has built a drainage canal approximately five meters long to drain water into a pit of 1.00m x 1.00m x 1.00m.

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281

b) Train Water Management Committees From December 2018 to January 2019, the IRC’s Hygiene Promotion Officers supported the establishment and training of the water point management committees (WMCs) for each of 20 water points rehabilitated with the aim of ensuring better management and sustainability of these water points at the end of their rehabilitation. Each WMC has an average of seven members including both men and women chosen by the community. During project the IRC trained 140 members of WMCs, including 54 women and 86 men.

Community members, including the WMCs and CHWs, conducted a monthly monitoring of the water points functionality. Likewise, the IRC Monitoring and Evaluation Officer conducted a quarterly evaluation of the functioning WMCs. These evaluations revealed that 95% of WMCs put in place are operational, also that their members ensured regularly the cleanliness of the water points, the time range regulation of drawing and the discipline around the water points and collection of fees from pump users (around XAF 50,0006 per WMC). These funds permitted WMCs to ensure the maintenance of the water points. The repairing of pumps that occurred was ensured by pump mechanics certified by local municipalities within 48 hours on average. In April IRC provided to each of them a functioning items including broom, bucket, soap, mops and spare part kits (used in the most common pump failure cases) for the maintenance of boreholes.

IV. Constraints and Challenges Overall, the continued insecurity remained a challenge as it led to disruptions and restrictions on IRC movement as well as displacements of population. In addition the prolonged and heavy rainy season caused the IRC to have to adjust some implementation plans. Some sector specific challenges also include the following:

WPE Sector  In Igawa and Mozogo, the planting season extends from June to August, so the beneficiaries of WPE activities do not come to the IRC safe space until the afternoon. During the harvest season, members of the displaced camp spent their entire day in their farms. During these periods, the WPE staff went to raise awareness in the household early in the morning.  During the period of Ramadan, WPE activities are taking place from morning till noon because women and the girls return to prepare the evening meal.

ERMS Sector  Challenges were largely around beneficiary targeting, including the risk of authorities attempting to include the targeting process. To mitigate against this risk the IRC worked with OCHA, who played a mediating role, to ensure that the authorities didn’t intervene in targeting or try to influence who was selected as a beneficiary.  Training of beneficiaries on IGAs was limited only to entrepreneurship training, some of them expressed a desire for technical capacity building to improve their rather basic skills. Therefore IRC proposed to extend its MOU with MINADER to cover rural activities that go beyond the agricultural activities included in the current Memorandum.  Insufficient cash withdrawal points for different IRC clients was another challenge; however, after discussion with the financial services company they were able to provide more mobile staff for payment in communities.

Agriculture and Food Security Sector  During the targeting process a vast part of the population had relocated to farms for crop cultivation, therefore IRC team had to travel to those locations.  Access to water and arable land has been a challenge during the dry season, in future projects IRC will ensure the implementation of agricultural interventions during the rainy season and will add the cost of renting or purchasing motor pumps to the amounts allocated to households to draw water to crops if the project is implemented during the dry season;

6 In local currency that equals approximatively to USD 82.6

International Rescue Committee Cameroon Reducing Risk and Meeting Needs of Conflict-Affected Communities in the Far North Region, Cameroon Final Report - Grant Agreement 720FDA18GR00281  The number of MINADER extension agents at the local level was insufficient to ensure permanent monitoring of agricultural groups. For future projects IRC will set up a network of community volunteers with good agricultural skills who can facilitate the monitoring of the groups in addition to MINADER extension agents.  Markets are overcrowded with chemicals such as fertilizers and chemical pesticides, therefore IRC has strengthened training of beneficiaries on the benefits of using organic products, and monitors the use of products;

MPCA Sector  The number of MTN partners in the field that could facilitate cash distributions was insufficient at the local level to ensure that all targeted beneficiaries received the correct amount of cash at the correct time. To solve this problem, IRC in collaboration with the financial service provider brought additional agents to the beneficiaries to facilitate their cash transactions.

WASH Sector The main difficulty in the WASH sector has been the management of community emergency latrines. Indeed, households living in IDP sites have difficulty adapting to community toilets as they have been accustomed to individual home toilets in their villages of origin. This has led to a lack of cleanliness of the latrines due to the absence of a frequent and reliable cleaning program, as households find it difficult to associate and organize themselves to maintain their latrines. In order to reduce the risk of fecal contamination and to encourage the appropriation of latrine management among users, IRC through community hygiene workers increased the awareness of targeted groups sector leaders and religious leaders, who in turn can influence heads of households to change behavior on community latrine maintenance. In addition, meetings with each target group in the community (men, women, and children) were organized to discuss the difficulties encountered and adapted solutions for the implementation of the measures put in place for the proper functioning of latrines.

V. Lessons Learned WASH  Effective approaches to improving and sustaining the practice of handwashing in people are still insufficient. They require a more context-specific approach, sensitizations based on cultural social barriers to the adoption of good hygiene practices. Moreover, behavior change is a long process that requires more time; the type of short-term projects implemented so far are temporary and less sustainable than long-term.  The renewal of the former community agents of the previous programs has allowed a better control of data collection.

PRoL  To ensure that the people with specific needs have easy access to available and holistic services, it is necessary to put in place a mechanism of coordination with humanitarian actors, administrative actors, civil society and community leaders and also to build a strong community networking including community volunteers and local protection committee that will support this coordination mechanism.  Given some of the movement restrictions faced because of insecurity, IRC identified the community security volunteers in the areas of volatile security to inquire about the situation before planning mobile intervention in these areas.

ERD (ERMS and Agriculture and Food Security):  As the targeted beneficiaries have a low level of literacy, it is recommended that technical training be adapted to their level and may include more practical exercises. This will improve knowledge acquisition and retention.  Multiply cash withdrawal points in community to avoid the long time waiting in sun, which is important for the protection of beneficiaries.  Allow groups to grow the products they know best.

Habiba is 22 years old. She was constantly beaten by her husband, to the point that she lost the baby she was carrying. She heard about IRC services from a volunteer who was doing a sensitization. When she arrived at the IRC safe space, she was pale and could not stand and breathed with difficulty. The caseworker immediately referred her to the Tokombere hospital in Mayo Sava for emergency medical care. She was held at the hospital for treatment, and during her examination it was found that she suffered an internal trauma. Thanks to this medical referral and the treatment she received, Habiba was operated on successfully and finally discharged. She went back to her mother’s house to avoid continued abuse from her husband. Now, she is feeling good and she has integrated into the weaving group in IRC’s safe space.

WASH success story Oumate, a 47-year-old farmer, is a displaced person living at the IDP camp in Kolofata. Oumate fled her home to come to the IDP site because the insecurity in the area left in extremely poor living conditions, where she no longer had access to basic WASH facilities or services.

In the IDP site, Oumate was selected as a community hygiene officer and trained on good hygiene practices. Her sensitizing work has allowed her to improve her hygiene behavior, and the messages disseminated during the sensitization sessions on good hygiene practices have helped to significantly reduce the mortality rate of children with diarrhea in his community.

PRoL success story Falmata is a client of the IRC’s protection services. This story is in her own words:

“My name is Falmata, I fled my village two years after it was attacked by armed people that burnt our house with my birth certificate and my national identity card and I have 28 years. I had many difficulties for doing a birth certificate. I saw IRC that helped me to do a new birth certificate with it I’m going to do a national identity card that is going to allow me to have access to many services.”