ImPart NORTH – EAST AFGHANISTAN TAKHAR PROVINCE MONTHLY REPORT - MARCH 2002 ImPart (Implementing Partners) : - CADA: Central Asian Development Agency - FHI : Food for the Hungry International - NWMTI: North-West Medical Teams International - WCDO: World Concern Development Organization Page 1 of 9 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Abbreviations 2. Executive Summary 3. Operational report 4. Logistics 5. Offices & Staff 6. Annexes 1. ABREVIATIONS ACTED: Agence d'Aide a la Cooperation Technique Et au Developpement CADA: Central Asian Development Agency CCF: Children Crisis Fund FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization IP: Implementing Partner JLC: Joint Logistics Center LoU: Letter of Understanding MERLIN: Medical Emergency Relief International NFI: Non Food Item NGO: Non Governmental Organization OM: Operation Mercy SCA: Swedish Committee Afghanistan SFL: Shelter For Life TdH: Terre des Hommes UNICEF: United Nations Children's Fund UNOCHA: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance WFP: World Food Program Page 2 of 9 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2.1. Overall Situation Food distributions covered all of the 55 villages of Chah Ab District, supporting 7,455 families / 44,730 people. The wheat distributed has been purchased with CADA private funds. Wheat from WFP (received from Concern) has also been distributed into 43 of the 171 villages of Rustaq District, covering 3,423 families / 20,538 people. For April distributions, ImPart purchased 25,000 liters of oil with private funds, covering one month support for 5,000 families. Beans and sugar could not be ordered due to cash flow constraints. All food is distributed under FoodAC scheme. For the time being, all population are working on their roads. 69 km of Chah Ab District roads and 26 km of Rustaq ones are already completed. Major NFIs distributions were done in March, providing blankets and clothes to SFL for 2,000 families of Keshem District (Badakhshan) affected by the earthquake on March 3 and the same items to Concern for 150 families of Rustaq District. 113 families from 4 villages of Rustaq also received quilts same time as their food distribution. ImPart kept most of its pre-positioned NFIs on stand-by for Nahrin area following the earthquake. As soon as informed of the gravity of the earthquake, ImPart contacted CONCERN and ACTED, the 2 NGOs having bases in Nahrin, to inform them that 6,600 blankets and 4,300 family bags of clothes were ready for immediate shipment. When ImPart Operation Manager reached Nahrin, IOM, who was coordinating NFIs distributions, stated that there was probably more than enough NFIs. ImPart remained in contact to follow-up any new need that might arise. ImPart distributed UNICEF “Back To School” kits to all of Chah Ab 19 schools and Rustaq 31 schools. 20,027 children (15,545 boys and 4,482 girls) from grade 1 to 6 did personally receive a kit. Distributions in Rustaq have been delayed for a few days due to some difficulties encountered with the District Education Director and then because most schools have been closed for one week due to local celebrations. During the distributions, detailed data has been collected from each school, looking at quick impact repairs such as doors, plastic sheeting for the windows, floor covering and latrines. This information will be put together in April in order to seek funding for these Quick Impact Repairs. ImPart also distributed SAMARITAN’S PURSE gift boxes to 12,343 children (6,729 boys and 5,614 girls) in both Districts, mainly to children attending school. ImPart still has been very much involved into all coordination meetings both in Taloqan - Afghanistan and Dushanbe – Tajikistan. Numerous meetings were also held with numerous humanitarian NGOs and UN bodies. All bases, except Dashti Qala, and all vehicles have been quipped with HF radios. 2.2. Visas Afghan visas were secured within 24 hours in Dushanbe Embassy (3 months, multiple entry). Tajik visas were generally issued within 4 days. 2.3. Security No security incident to be reported in ImPart’s areas of operations. 2.4. Agriculture As for the previous months, March included several days of rain and snow. The overall prospect for the current agricultural season is still quite satisfactory for the time being. Page 3 of 9 3. OPERATIONAL REPORT 3.1. Coordination and Partnership 3.1.1. General ImPart seeks close collaboration with the Humanitarian Community operating in its areas of activities. ImPart commits itself to try avoiding duplication wherever partnership and coordination could be taking place with other humanitarian actors. Sharing of information and data is also considered a key element of its programs implementation. 3.1.2. Afghanistan • Rustaq and Chah Ab Districts Eight Afghan surveyors have been meeting with traditional leaders and inhabitants of about 100 villages throughout both operational Districts. Meetings were also held with District authorities. ImPart worked in close partnership with numerous NGOs: - CONCERN (WFP IP): WFP food and NFIs distributions - CCF (UNICEF IP): UNICEF “Back To School” kits - TdH: UNICEF “Back To School” kits - SFL: NFIs, SAMARITAN’S PURSE children boxes and food distributions. ImPart is WFP IP for Chah Ab District. The LoU still has to be signed with WFP. • Taloqan ImPart participated to the bi-weekly NGO Coordination Meetings taking place in Taloqan and individuals meetings were also held with quite some NGOs based there. • Dashti Qala Good relations are established with RI in Dashti Qala. • Faizabad Operational reports and data are regularly transmitted to UNOCHA for dissemination amongst the humanitarian community. 3.1.3. Tajikistan • Dushanbe ImPart attended UNOCHA weekly coordination meetings and also transmitted regular operational information and data to them. 3.2. Rustaq District 3.2.1. Food ImPart distributed WFP wheat into 43 villages, serving 3,423 families / 20,538 people. Beans (16.7 kg/fam), oil (5 l/fam)and sugar (3.3 kg/fam) were distributed to 910 families of 16 villages (See “Annex 6.1.1.”). In total, 193.8 MT of food were distributed in Rustaq District in March. All food is distributed under FoodAC scheme. For the time being, all populations are working on roads’ rehabilitation, ImPart is collecting information in order to preprare proposals for other community projects such as irrigation, wells and protected springs. By the end of March, 26 km of roads were completed. 3.2.2. Non-Food Items Quilts (2 per family) were distributed to 113 families into 4 villages. 150 quilts and 150 family bags of clothes were provided to CONCERN for distribution to families of the District affected by the earthquake on March 3 (See “Annex 6.2.1.”). 3.2.3. Education ImPart distributed UNICEF “Back To School” kits into all of Rustaq 31 schools. In total, 12,382 children (10,322 boys and 2,060 girls) from Grade 1 to 6 personally received a kit. Some difficulties were first encountered with the Director of Education who stated that he was not authorizing ImPart to be present during the distributions. The problem was solved following the visit of both his counterpart from Chah Ab and a UNICEF representative from Mazar-e-Sharif. Further delays occurred due to District celebrations which lasted for a week. Each day, two representatives of the District Education Office and one representative from UNICEF accompanied the two separate ImPart teams into the schools. On some days, a third team, from TdH, was distributing with a representative from ImPart. (See “Annex 6.3.1.”) Page 4 of 9 6,289 children (3,097 boys and 3,192 girls) also received gift boxes donated to ImPart by SAMARITAN’S PURSE. Each box was identified by gender and age and contained toys and stationary items (See “Annex 6.3.2.”). ImPart took the opportunity of these distributions to collect detailed information regarding quick impact minor repairs such as doors, plastic sheeting for windows, floor covering and latrines. 3.3. Chah Ab District 3.3.1. Food ImPart distributed wheat, purchased with private funds, to 7,455 families / 44,730 people (See ”Annex 6.1.2.”). A contract should be signed early April with an Institutional Donor in order to secure Chah Ab food needs for 6 months. 25,000 l. of oil, covering one month ration for 5,000 families, were purchased on private funds for April distribution. ImPart is WFP IP for Chah Ab District. The LoU has not been received yet for signature, but 155 MT of wheat already have been received. In total, 372.8 MT of food were distributed in Chah Ab District in March. All food is distributed under FoodAC scheme. For the time being, all populations are working on roads’ rehabilitation, ImPart is collecting information in order to preprare proposals for other community projects such as irrigation, wells and protected springs. By the end of March, 69 km of roads were completed. 3.3.2. Non-Food Items 30 vulnerable women of Chah Ab city have been producing 180 quilts per week. The quality is quite good and the price almost competitive with quilts produced and shipped from Dushanbe. 2 wives of ImPart local staff are supervising the work, checking the quality of each quilt, paying the women on delivery and looking at other vulnerable families who could be supported through this work. 3.3.3. Education ImPart distributed UNICEF “Back To School” kits into all of Chah Ab 19 schools. In total, 7,645 children (5,223 boys and 2,422 girls) from Grade 1 to 6 personally received a kit. Each day, two representatives of the District Education Office and one representative from UNICEF accompanied the two separate ImPart teams into the schools. (See “Annex 6.3.1.”) 6,054 children (3,632 boys and 2,422 girls) also received gift boxes donated to ImPart by SAMARITAN’S PURSE.