IRNA Report: Jiech, County, 13/14 May 2014

This IRNA Report is a product of Inter-Agency Assessment mission conducted and information compiled based on the inputs provided by partners on the ground including; government authorities, affected communities/IDPs and agencies.

Situation overview is located in the northwest part of Jonglei state and borders and Khorflus Counties to the north, Nyirol and Uror Counties to the east, to the south and State to the west. It is comprised of five Payams, namely Ayod, Mogok, Pajiek, Pagil, Kuachdeng and Wau. Ayod County and its environs are inhabited by Gaawar Nuer. It had a population of 139,282 people as per South Household Census of 2008. Jiech now hosts the County Administration. The community and county headquarters is currently calm, after being compelled to flee to following a SPLA offensive resulting in the capture of Ayod. On May 10th, OCHA received reports that up to an estimated 25,283 IDP’s were seeking refuge in Jiech Payam,

Ayod County .In response an IRNA mission was launched through OCHA taking the lead and convening an Inter cluster Working Group for actors in Ayod County. The area normally has high levels of food insecurity and following the withdrawal of health actors, has lacked health interventions which has worsened over the last few weeks with IDPs fleeing their homes with no basic commodities.

IDP’s reported are 25,283, however far fewer civilians were seen and the population will need to be verified as soon as possible. Nonetheless given the extreme conditions of the site, an emergency livelihoods, NFI’s, WASH & Health interventions is to be given priority. Local authorities have indicated that there are IDP concentrations in multiple other locations in Ayod county, including Gorwai, Pagil and Mogok.

Geographical Position Coordinates:

- Jiech, Ayod County: (Latitude N 08.22'.12.50" / Longitude E 031° 24' 48.88" Altitude 410.1m).

- Jiech PHCU, Wau Payam-Jiech Boma (Latitude N 08.22'. 6.14" / Longitude E 031° 08' 10.07" Altitude 406.4m).

- Bilegal 1 Village (IDP’s Concentration Point 1) (Latitude N 08.21'.52.31" / Longitude E 031° 08' 51.47 Altitude 392.2m).

- Bilegal 11 Village (IDP’s Concentration Point 11) (Latitude N 08.21'.47.44" / Longitude E 031° 08' 53.08 Altitude 402.1m).

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Site overview

Location map

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Drivers of crisis and underlying factors The primary driver of this displacement was related to the conflict which erupted in December 2013 the offensive by Government forces northward and the capture of Ayod town in late April. Local officials claimed that the majority of the population of Ayod and the surrounding payam had been displaced. Fighting in the vicinity of Ayod lasted for five days with significant damage to civilian infrastructure in Ayod town being reported. Urban populations from Ayod town were reported to have moved to nearby settlements such as Jiech, Pagil and Motot, while rural populations from the surrounding payam are reported to have moved to more inaccessible locations towards the Sudd. With extremely limited humanitarian presence in northern Jonglei and potential for the expansion of the conflict into other areas of Ayod county patterns of displacement tend to favour dispersion. This allows households to hunt, fish and harvest wild vegetation for survival without over-taxing their immediate environment, while also avoiding presenting a significant target to armed actors. The limited means of communication, ongoing hostilities and large distances involved mean that even if IDPs are aware of the presence of humanitarian actors in Ayod county, they face a potentially hazardous decision if they attempt to reach them.

Key response priorities Food security and livelihoods  Registration of beneficiaries  Fishing gears  Food aid  Planting seeds (sorghum, groundnuts, cowpeas, okra, and simsim)

WASH  Rehabilitation of boreholes  Checking the possibility of establishing system for collecting rain water  Distribution of PuR, soap, hygiene kits Shelter/NFI  Distribution of NFIs, mainly mosquito nets, Kitchen sets, jerrycans, buckets, sleeping mats Health and Nutrition  Delivery of IEHK kits, prepositioning of extra malaria first, second and third line treatment, and mosquito nets.  Increase surveillance and train a volunteer to be based within the camp to refer case to the PHCC.  Train the volunteer in community based management of malaria, fever and diarrhea’s  Establish scale up EPI focused to the U 1 year IDP’s returnee population  Preposition nutrition supplies to the inaccessible locations in the minimal period left including Jiech, Mogok and Pagil payams  Rapid nutrition assessments to other county locations like Pagil, Mogok and IDP perceived locations

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Humanitarian access Physical access The site is inaccessible by road during the rainy season. During the dry season it is connected by road to Ayod to the south, Mogok to the east and Old Fangak to the north. It has a functioning air strip, however, it becomes unsuitable for fixed wing following heavy rains and for much of the rainy season. The area to the west of Jiech is prone to flooding due to the seasonal expansion of the Sudd.

Access coordination No access constraints at the time of the assessment, however its proximity to Ayod and an active frontline requires consistent monitoring. There is a limited presence of arms in the vicinity of Jiech, however local authorities have agreed to assist in ensuring that the village remains a weapons free area if humanitarian operations commence.

Key findings Food security and livelihoods Key findings  The assessment established that household food consumption has deteriorated since the civil insecurity started compared to the same time last year. Household dependence has also increased due to additional number of household members from IDPs who arrived from Ayod county Head quarters following the fighting with Government forces. Dietary intake is poor with less than 3 food types being consumed (sorghum, maize and wild vegetable as the main food types consumed). In the mean time, current stock of main food items is unlikely to last more the 3 weeks. This has put the food security situation at a very critical situation.  The available amount of stock in some of the visited households was very low/small. In at least five households visited, not more than 150 kgs of sorghum was available. This was also to be shared with some of their kinsmen (IDPs) some of whom reside with them.  Majority of the households have resorted to relying on limiting portion size at meals, collecting wild foods mainly vegetable (almost used daily) and reduce number of meals consumed by adults.  There is a complete breakdown of market. Barter trade which used to exist has also been forgotten due to lack of cereals which was the main commodity exchanged.  Some of the households have started some form of cultivation to plant mainly maize for the new season. Livestock is also a key source of livelihood as these areas are mainly agro-pastoral, however, the cattle is still very far from the household so access to milk for children and elders is difficult. Since there was some flooding last year, fishing is also providing a key source of food (not income) but is not actually being practiced widely by many households due to lack of fishing equipments.  With the start of the rain season, physical access to the area is going to be very difficult except by air.  The community has requested for food assistance to be quickly provided, at least within 2-3 weeks as food availability is a very big problem and accessing the area by road will not be possible within the next 3-4 weeks as the rains start. Priorities for response  Food assistance to be provided to the area in the next 2-3 weeks as food availability is minimal.  There is also need to verify the figures as the numbers provided by the authorities seems to be exaggerated; an interagency verification team should take this up before actual distributed is done. (To note - the community is already getting frustrated with too many assessments).  Since communities have the desire to engage in own production, seeds and fishing equipments need to be availed urgently. This will help to cushion their food gaps in the last quarter of the year as the area is regarded very safe.

Health and Nutrition Key findings

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 A primary health care unit (PHCU) is fully functional, but with limited capability and handicapped in handling a probable epidemics due to lack of proper sanitation and water points, as well as there is lack of basic drugs and personnel scattered due to insecurity.  COSV supports the facility in collaboration with County Health Department, through the State Ministry of Health (MoH). The center is has a limited inpatient capacity 3 bed capacity only (maternity and KA/Nutrition)  It has different cadre staff, including 1 clinical officer who doubles as the County Health Officer, 2 community health workers, 1 Nutrition Assistant and Volunteers to include TBA’s.  The PHCU has ante-natal and maternal care services. It has NO functional laboratory. The PHCU is a permanent structure, moderately equipped to minor injuries and not in capacity to handle major surgical cases.  There is an EPI refrigerator that can support expanded programme of immunization (EPI) is functional with support from COSV with routine and outreach services. A solar fridge donated by UNICEF is in use. The national days of vaccination are implemented. The vaccination coverage is assumed to be improving as a result. Many under 1 year old children seen in Ayod and are vaccinated.  COSV is also implementing nutrition activities in Ayod and renewed commitment to proposed FLA with WFP to conduct TSFP for MAM and an existing PCA with UNICEF to address SAM. There were two OTP sites in Ayod PHCC and Jiech PHCU. There are 5 TSFP sites in the county located in the respective payam PHCUs of Mogok, Pajiek, Wau, Kwachdeng and Ayod. However, the existing nutrition supplies were looted leaving no stock of nutrition supplies since Jan 2014. In addition, the crisis hampered the accessibility and movement of nutrition supplies to Jiech and other county locations.  MUAC measurement was conducted, sample of 100 children under five years for nutrition status

o 17% were Identified MUAC RED o 34% were identified MUAC Yellow (moderately malnourished o 49% were identified as MUAC green o 2 children were edematous grade + Priorities for response  Health Cluster to lobby for the delivery of 5 IEHK kits, prepositioning of extra malaria first, second and third line treatment from WHO, and mosquito nets (under NFIs) which will cater for the patients while in the transit camp before reintegrating to the community.  Increase surveillance and train a volunteer to be based within the camp to refer case to the PHCC.  Train the volunteer in community based management of malaria, fever and diarrhea’s  Establish Scale up EPI focused to the U 1 year IDP’s returnee population  Close monitoring of dysentery cases.  Preposition nutrition supplies to the inaccessible locations in the minimal period left including Jiech, Mogok and Pagil payams  Rapid nutrition assessments to other county locations like Pagil, Mogok and IDP perceived locations

Shelter and NFIs Key findings When fighting had begun, IDPs from Ayod fled to the bushes and now live with host community in their houses. IDPs left all their belongings in the town. During the assessment 3 household were visited – because of the distance between them it was impossible to visit more. Finding below are made according to these limited visits. Key findings:  Household don’t have enough utensils for water storage and for cooking – hosting community and IDPs share jerrycans, buckets, cooking pots  There are no enough items for sleeping (mats)  IDPs live with host communities in their houses – houses are overcrowded (e.g. 15 people in 2 tukuls)  There are no signs of new structure, made from iron sheet, plastic sheet, or local materials (grass, wood, mud)  In some households mosquito nets are present, but just few per house

According to interview with RRC, CMD representatives, representative of women group, the most requested NFI item are:  Mosquito nets  Kitchen sets  Fishing tools/nets

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 Jerrycans  Buckets  Plastic sheet Priorities for response According to RRC, local leaders, most of the IDPs in all locations in Jiech and surroundings live in the houses of host communities. Because of approaching rainy season there will be a need of construction of water resisted shelter, that is why distribution of plastic sheets should be useful. Concerning the ES NFI needs, it should be strongly recommended the distribution of following items:  Mosquito nets  Kitchen sets  Fishing tools/nets  Jerrycans  Buckets  PuR  Soap  Hygiene kits  Sleeping mats

WASH Key findings In Jech there are 6 boreholes, from which only one is operating

Location Type of Status GPS No of pump coordinates users Jiech India working N 08°22’15.42’’ Centre Mark II E 031°08’12.16’’ Jiech Duba Not N 08°22’16.55’’ Centre Tropic II working E 031°08’6.21’’ Wau Duba Not N 08°22’9.42’’ Block Tropic II working E 031°08’23.15’’ Ayod Duba Not N 08°22’4.43’’ Block Tropic II working E 031°08’2.76’’

Naguech Duba Not N 08°21’40.54’’ Tropic II working E 31°08’33.07’’ Mogok Duba Not N 08°22’38.62’’ Block Tropic II working E 031°08’11.48’’

 The rest of boreholes – 5 Duba Tropic II hand pumps – are not working for approximately 2 years.  One operating boreholes provide water to the whole community of Jech and surrounding settlements – Ayod Block, Mogok Block, Naguech, Wau Block (areas named by the place of origin of IDPs settled there). People from those People from those areas spend approximately 30-60 minutes walking form their house to the source of water.  Some women said, that because of long queues, they go to fetch the water during the night  The second source of water is river, situated approximately 1,5 by foot from Jiech Centre

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 According to employee from CMD in other locations of concentration of IDP (Mogok, Pagil, Gorwai) there are 21 boreholes, from which only 2 are operating  There are no pump mechanics on the ground – there is one pump mechanic working for PAH, but he stays at Mogok

Sanitation:  In the whole area of Jiech there are no public or private latrines – there is one latrine in the compound of Medair  Most of the people use bushes as a place to defecate  There are no significant signs of open defecation – households are quite far from each other and are surrounded by bush, so there is no one concentrated place used by the whole community for open defecation

Hygiene:  There is no soap in the households, but people try to use ash to wash their hand after defecation or before preparation of food  Jerrycans used in households are dirty and are shared among few families living in one house (e.g. two jerrycans for 15 people in one of the HH)  Main diseases reported by host community and IDPs connected to water/dirty water:  Malaria  Diarrhea  Trachoma Priorities for response Water Supply  Rehabilitation of at least 2 boreholes in Jiech and in other 3 locations of IDPs concentration (Mogok, Pagil, Gorwai)  Checking the possibility of establishing system for collecting rain water

Sanitation and hygiene 1. Distribution of soap, PuR, hygiene kits (mentioned also above, in the section devoted to NFI) combined with the demonstration of a usage 2. Hygiene promotion activities:  Training for hygiene promoters  Jerrycan cleaning campaign  Household level water treatment (especially in the areas where river is the main source of water)  Mass campaign on health & hygiene ets  Train and equip with necessary tools the water committees

CCCM Key findings  The population displaced in the Jeich area can be considered a host community settlement, as the displaced population shares accommodation with a host family. To that end, the site is not overcrowded and the area is large and could spatially absorb the arrival of more IDPs, which RRP representative state is likely. Due to the scattered nature of the displaced individuals, it was impossible to validate the reported population figure of 25,000 individuals in the area. It was reported that the IDPs were distributed across four small villages surrounding Jeich, two of which (Godok and Bilal) we visited, where we encountered very few IDPs (approximately 100 total).  The majority of the IDP population that we encountered came from Ayod town following the fighting that occurred around April 25, as well as smaller groups from , Bor, and (some of which were displace in Ayod prior to arriving in Jeich). While some community leaders stayed in Ayod, several came with the IDPs, yet all IDPs we encountered stated that the host community leaders maintain regular meetings and provide interim leadership for the IDPs. Most of the IDPs we encountered were women and children, yet very little information is known about the population (disaggregated data) or any specific vulnerabilities.

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 There is no formal site manager or organized entity for humanitarian response. Staff members from four NGOs based in Ayod were displaced in Jeich (CMD, Norwegian People’s Aid, Intersos, PAH) and an empty Medair clinic could pose as a potential NGO base for operations/humanitarian hub. With the exception of the functioning airstrip, the area is not ideal for a site location(lack of large population, remote location, limited road access, vegetation that would require construction equipment for site planning, proximity to fighting, presence of armed elements, etc). Priorities for response  A formal registration exercise would be necessary before proceeding with any camp management (or humanitarian) response.

Protection / Child Protection The IRNA could not come to an agreement as to the extent of militarization in Jiech, however some armed actors were observed. Key findings  Given the low number of IDP's in Jiech and the militarised nature of the site, the Protection Cluster would not recommend a protection response outside of distributions. In addition the PC would recommend caution to other actors on launching a larger response such as a general food distribution. The population identified primarily as host community, who had absorbed IDP's from Ayod, Bentiu and Bor. While there were considerable reports of displaced populations from Ayod moving towards Jiech - including populations from Bentiu, Bor and Malakal who were being hosted in Ayod, these populations were not evident during the IRNA period. The iDP population had reported that they had received advanced notification of an attack on Ayod and had evacuated before an attack. Therefore families were able to move together and there were no reports of civilians being targeted in the violence. The IDP population present was predominantly female and the majority reported that their husbands were on the front line.

Priorities for response  The PC would recommend extreme caution in the targeting of populations and assume that the outlining community and surroundings would be well armed.

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Next steps [Indicate cluster commitments based on the findings] Cluster Priority actions Human and material Responsible entity By when resources needed FSL - Registration of Food, staff, seeds WFP Within the beneficiaries FAO (with CMD and next 2 weeks -Fishing gears CADA) - Food aid - Planting seeds (sorghum, groundnuts, cowpeas, okra, and simsim)

Health & Nutrition Health Cluster, -Delivery of IEHK kits, prepositioning COSV of extra malaria treatment, and mosquito nets. -Train a volunteer to be based within the camp to refer case to the PHCC. -Establish scale up EPI focused to the U 1 year IDP’s returnee population -Preposition nutrition supplies to the inaccessible locations, including Jiech, Mogok and Pagil payams -Rapid nutrition assessments to other county locations like Pagil and Mogok WASH PAH -Rehabilitation of boreholes -Checking the possibility of establishing system for collecting rain water -Distribution of PuR, soap, hygiene kits ES/NFI Logs Cluster -Distribution of NFIs, mainly mosquito nets, Kitchen sets, jerrycans, buckets, sleeping mats

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Assessment information IRNA stands for “Initial Rapid Needs Assessment”. Initial: Serves as a ‘first look’ at locations where immediate emergency humanitarian response is anticipated, and determines immediate priorities for intervention – registration and targeting of caseload can be required as follow- up, or ‘blanket’ distribution of aid can be actioned directly. Rapid: Deployed quickly, from a list of pre-trained and pre-qualified humanitarian personnel Needs Assessment: The IRNA is an Inter-agency and inter-cluster process using an ICWG-endorsed tool, reporting format and methodology – namely The IRNA form, and the IRNA Reporting Template. The IRNA was endorsed by the Inter Cluster Working Group (ICWG) and launched in November 2012, combined with training of humanitarian actors at and state level.

The IRNA mission to Jiech was conducted on May 13/14 2014. The resulting analysis was based on a combination of specialist and generalist key informant interviews, male and female community group discussions, direct observation, review of secondary data and the expert judgement of sectoral specialists on the IRNA team.

The assessment to Jiech, Ayod County, Jonglei State was carried out by the following individuals:

Cluster Name Organization Email Phone ES / NFIs Dominika Rypa PAH [email protected] 0921479125 Health / Nutrition Wilfred COSV [email protected] 0921296316 Wanyanga Health / Nutrition Paul Magudha COSV CCCM Melody Knight ACTED [email protected] 0914256872 WASH Dominika Rypa PAH [email protected] 0921479125 FSL Michael Idiku WFP [email protected] 0956465820 Protection Lisa Monaghan NRC [email protected] Coordination Zeljko Nikolic OCHA [email protected] 0922473114 Coordination Themba Linden OCHA [email protected] 0922406015 Coordination/Security Jozef Stahuliak UNDSS [email protected] 0922777760

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