Sudan
Beyond Economic Empowerment The Influence of Savings Groups on Women’s Public Participation in Fragile and (post) Conflict-Affected Settings
Promoting women’s meaningful participation and influence in governance processes in fragile and (post) conflict-affected settings (FCAS) is necessary to achieve inclusive development. Existing evidence suggests that by economically empowering women, they will be able to better participate in public decision-making processes. One such mechanism for women’s economic empowerment in Sudan is through Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA), which are savings groups that offer women a space to come together to save money, take out small loans, and make investment decisions.
The mixed methods study conducted in seven villages across three states (East Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan) sought to answer the research question “To what extent does women’s participation in savings groups affect their public participation in governance or decision-making processes?” Additionally, this study investigated the differences between women who participated in VSLAs under the Every Voice Counts (EVC) and Latter Day Saints Charities (LDS) Recovery Support for Vulnerable Households programmes as well as the differences from participation in different community groups (VSLAs, community advocacy groups, and other community-based organisations). These comparisons helped to offer an explanation of how different programmatic approaches from civil society and different community groups did or did not affect women members’ public participation.
Through the findings of this study, it can be concluded that indeed women’s participation in savings groups (VSLAs) affects their public participation in community governance structures and decision-making. The extent, though, is dependent on a variety of factors including the gender composition of the VSLA, the support of family and community members, the support and resources contributed by programmes and partners, social norms and exclusionary practices within the communities, and the will of the women members themselves. Read More...
The mixed methods study conducted in seven villages across three states (East Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan) sought to answer the research question “To what extent does women’s participation in savings groups affect their public participation in governance or decision-making processes?” Additionally, this study investigated the differences between women who participated in VSLAs under the Every Voice Counts (EVC) and Latter Day Saints Charities (LDS) Recovery Support for Vulnerable Households programmes as well as the differences from participation in different community groups (VSLAs, community advocacy groups, and other community-based organisations). These comparisons helped to offer an explanation of how different programmatic approaches from civil society and different community groups did or did not affect women members’ public participation.
Through the findings of this study, it can be concluded that indeed women’s participation in savings groups (VSLAs) affects their public participation in community governance structures and decision-making. The extent, though, is dependent on a variety of factors including the gender composition of the VSLA, the support of family and community members, the support and resources contributed by programmes and partners, social norms and exclusionary practices within the communities, and the will of the women members themselves. Read More...
CARE Rapid Gender Analysis on Power and Participation (RGA-P) Kassala Sudan
This Rapid Gender Analysis on Power and Participation (RGA-P) was carried out to understand women’s participation in both formal and informal structures, and the barriers to and opportunities for supporting women’s meaningful participation and leadership during the health and WASH protracted crisis in Kassala State. This RGA P was conducted in Kassala, a state in East Sudan, which borders Ethiopia and Eritrea and has a population of 2,8 million with a population of 1,271,780 below the age of 18. Annually, Kassala state is affected by natural crisis, floods, droughts and subsequent desertification, as well as man-made crisis. Refugees from Tigray and Eritrea settled in Kassala, making the state susceptible to higher rates of trafficking, smuggling and violence. Kassala state is one of the states with the country’s worst social indicators on malnutrition. Women and adolescent girls are exposed to high rates of female genital mutilation (FGM), high risk of kidnapping and high rates of child early marriage; with FGM and gender based violence (including FGM and early child marriange) all normalized within society. The prevalence of FGM in Kassala is at 40 % and children as young as six years are being engaged to be married.
As part of the RGAP, a training was conducted with staff and partner staff on Women Lead in Emergencies (WLiE). The training helped staff to appreciate the approach as well as the methodology. Following the training, a team of sixteen staff members (15 female and 1 male) participated in the primary data collection in three villages. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with groups of women and men. Key informant interviews (KIIs) were held with women leaders, community leaders, government officials as well as one of the agencies that has been implementing in the area. Secondary data collection was also done to triangulate and validate findings.
Women in the three villages visited have limited decision making power and voice, both within the home and in public spaces. Some of the barriers to participation cited by women included lack of education, harmful social norms and practices that limit women and girls’ mobility and participation in public, and limited access and control over resources.
In the three villages where this RGA P focused, Wad Eissa, Shalataib, and Wad Bau villages, findings indicated there are no women participating in the key local level governance structure, referred to as the Popular Committee. Men occupy all the leadership positions and where women’s names were included in the membership list, it was often tokenistic without the women’s own awareness of their role. Apart from the popular committee, there is a community level “father’s group” that supports education in Wad Bau, there were no other visible formal or informal decision-making structures.
Only one active women’s group was identified in Wad Elisa, but no other women’s groups or associations were identified in the rest of the three villages. The group in Wad Eisa had been formed as a result of interventions lead by a German NGO, Welthungerhilfe (WHH), in the area. The other villages had had limited interactions with outside organizations both national, international and even the government.
The entry points to enhancing women’s participation and leadership during the health and WASH protracted crisis in Kassala State can be through the engagement of the traditional and trained midwives, the female teachers, and the mothers’ groups. CARE under the health and nutrition project are looking to form mothers and fathers’ group. This will help bring women together and create safe spaces for women to work together. In the three villages, there are trained midwives, and in Wad Bau there are three female teachers. These women already have the respect and support of the women, and these women can conduct awareness sessions and facilitate discussions with groups of women, regarding their concerns and how they can come together and take the lead in addressing issues that affect them. As teachers are often from outside the village and stay only for a few months at a time, this can be an effective starting point for engaging women but a more sustainable approach will need to be considered as well. Through the father’s groups, men and boys can be engaged, to mitigate GBV risks, that could emerge, due to women’s participation in decision making regarding different community issues. According to one of the male leaders, men have been resistant of women participating in decision making platforms, and social norms are not open to women speaking in front of men.
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As part of the RGAP, a training was conducted with staff and partner staff on Women Lead in Emergencies (WLiE). The training helped staff to appreciate the approach as well as the methodology. Following the training, a team of sixteen staff members (15 female and 1 male) participated in the primary data collection in three villages. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with groups of women and men. Key informant interviews (KIIs) were held with women leaders, community leaders, government officials as well as one of the agencies that has been implementing in the area. Secondary data collection was also done to triangulate and validate findings.
Women in the three villages visited have limited decision making power and voice, both within the home and in public spaces. Some of the barriers to participation cited by women included lack of education, harmful social norms and practices that limit women and girls’ mobility and participation in public, and limited access and control over resources.
In the three villages where this RGA P focused, Wad Eissa, Shalataib, and Wad Bau villages, findings indicated there are no women participating in the key local level governance structure, referred to as the Popular Committee. Men occupy all the leadership positions and where women’s names were included in the membership list, it was often tokenistic without the women’s own awareness of their role. Apart from the popular committee, there is a community level “father’s group” that supports education in Wad Bau, there were no other visible formal or informal decision-making structures.
Only one active women’s group was identified in Wad Elisa, but no other women’s groups or associations were identified in the rest of the three villages. The group in Wad Eisa had been formed as a result of interventions lead by a German NGO, Welthungerhilfe (WHH), in the area. The other villages had had limited interactions with outside organizations both national, international and even the government.
The entry points to enhancing women’s participation and leadership during the health and WASH protracted crisis in Kassala State can be through the engagement of the traditional and trained midwives, the female teachers, and the mothers’ groups. CARE under the health and nutrition project are looking to form mothers and fathers’ group. This will help bring women together and create safe spaces for women to work together. In the three villages, there are trained midwives, and in Wad Bau there are three female teachers. These women already have the respect and support of the women, and these women can conduct awareness sessions and facilitate discussions with groups of women, regarding their concerns and how they can come together and take the lead in addressing issues that affect them. As teachers are often from outside the village and stay only for a few months at a time, this can be an effective starting point for engaging women but a more sustainable approach will need to be considered as well. Through the father’s groups, men and boys can be engaged, to mitigate GBV risks, that could emerge, due to women’s participation in decision making regarding different community issues. According to one of the male leaders, men have been resistant of women participating in decision making platforms, and social norms are not open to women speaking in front of men.
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Provision of lifesaving and sustainable WASH services for Vulnerable Populations in South Darfur and South Kordofan states, and emergency WASH services to Tigray refugees in Gedaref State Endline
This final evaluation conducted for the project “Provision of lifesaving and sustainable WASH services for Vulnerable Populations in South Darfur and South Kordofan states, and emergency WASH services to Tigray refugees in Gedarif State." The was evaluation conducted internally by CARE staff, led by the MEAL coordinator and the MEAL team in the field with support and cooperation from the project team. The evaluation took place in the three States (South Darfur, South Kordofan and Gedarif States) where project operated. The evaluation team used different methods for data collection, including FGDs, KIIs and desk reviews.
The project contributed to the reduction of morbidity and mortality through increased access to lifesaving and sustainable WASH services for 265,914 914 people (71877 women, 69058 men, 63740 girls, 61239 boys), especially targeting vulnerable refugees, IDPs and host community members in South Darfur, South Kordofan, and Gedaref states. The project also pre-positioned essential WASH supplies for any emergency or outbreak, which exceeded the targeted 248,017 individuals.
Based on the findings from direct consultation of the project beneficiaries and other stakeholders; the project was implemented with high effectiveness and efficiency, and good signs for sustainability for most of it is interventions. The project achieved all the planned interventions, and supported targeted beneficiaries to improve access to safe water, sanitation and improve hygiene practices.
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The project contributed to the reduction of morbidity and mortality through increased access to lifesaving and sustainable WASH services for 265,914 914 people (71877 women, 69058 men, 63740 girls, 61239 boys), especially targeting vulnerable refugees, IDPs and host community members in South Darfur, South Kordofan, and Gedaref states. The project also pre-positioned essential WASH supplies for any emergency or outbreak, which exceeded the targeted 248,017 individuals.
Based on the findings from direct consultation of the project beneficiaries and other stakeholders; the project was implemented with high effectiveness and efficiency, and good signs for sustainability for most of it is interventions. The project achieved all the planned interventions, and supported targeted beneficiaries to improve access to safe water, sanitation and improve hygiene practices.
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Provision of lifesaving and sustainable WASH services for Vulnerable Populations in South Darfur and South Kordofan states, and emergency WASH services to Tigray refugees in Gedarif State Baseline
This baseline survey was conducted internally by CARE staff, led by the MEAL coordinator. The main objective is to collect information on the project's indicators and to provide baseline data generated for the intervention areas in South Darfur and South Kordofan States. The baseline data was collected in SD using both quantitative and qualitative methods. In SK, the project used endline data from the recently ended ECHO project as a baseline, as that dataset covers the same areas and same indicators. The data collection and consultation involved 253 individuals (118 females, 135 males). 123 people were consulted in SD (34 females, 89 males) while 130 were consulted in SK (84 females, 46 males).
All consulted households have no water inside houses, and they have to go to collect water from external sources. The distance to water sources varies between communities, and takes considerable time they spend fetching water. Most of households confirmed they collect more than 5 Jerri Cans of water per day, but this is not available all year. This water is not only for human consumption and use; they use it also for animal consumption and irrigating trees.
There are many problems in water sources affecting participants' access to safe water. The top rated problems are the high cost of water, continuous breakdown of water points, congested water sources, and far distance to the sources.
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All consulted households have no water inside houses, and they have to go to collect water from external sources. The distance to water sources varies between communities, and takes considerable time they spend fetching water. Most of households confirmed they collect more than 5 Jerri Cans of water per day, but this is not available all year. This water is not only for human consumption and use; they use it also for animal consumption and irrigating trees.
There are many problems in water sources affecting participants' access to safe water. The top rated problems are the high cost of water, continuous breakdown of water points, congested water sources, and far distance to the sources.
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Gender-sensitive WASH, Health/SRHR, and Nutrition support to vulnerable communities in East Darfur and South Darfur Project
This baseline study is carried out for the project "The Gender-sensitive WASH, Health/SRHR, and Nutrition support to vulnerable communities in East Darfur and South Darfur Project." The project builds on CARE learning over many years in the region, responds to the global overviews and the donor GAC interest in saving the lives of conflict affected communities, by providing urgent humanitarian assistance to 144,173 persons including females, males, girls and boys, from the host, IDPs and refugees’ communities, located in 7 localities in ED and 2 localities in SD. The key live saving activities delivery is designed with a gender sensitive perspective focusing on the health and nutrition needs of pregnant and lactating women and girls of reproductive age and children under 5. The project activities include; WASH, Health and nutrition interventions. Read More...
Impact Evaluation of the Integrated Humanitarian Assistance Project that aiming to Reduce the Secondary Impacts of COVID-19 on the Most Vulnerable Populations in South and East Darfur
The evaluation intended to assess integrated WASH, health, nutrition, and multipurpose cash assistance (MPCA) programs. The evaluation conducted to answer questions related to quality and relevance of the project design, its activities and objectives in addressing the priority issues. This is in addition to assessment of project efficiency and to what extent the project resources have been used economically and in a timely manner. Moreover, the evaluation assessed the effectiveness and major achievements of the project to date. The evaluation also assessed the project impact and to what extent the project contributed to provision of sustainable, adequate, and lifesaving WASH, Health and Nutrition services to the targeted communities. This beside Identification of which positive outcomes that likely to continue after the project ends in addition to assessment of bottlenecks, opportunities and lessons learned to inform future planning.
Based on the desk review of available data, the evaluation was deploying different approaches to ensure rich data and triangulation of findings. These approaches were combining qualitative and quantitative methods to maximize validity and reliability. The main methods of data collection used were interviews with the primary stakeholders, observation, asking questions, review of documents and transect walking at sites. Different tools for data collections were used as well that included focus group discussions with different target groups, and observation check list, Key Informant Interview, questionnaire, asking open and closed questions with beneficiaries at water points and at health and nutrition centers.
The project is in line with national and State WASH plans. It was also found that, the project followed and complied with SMoH specifications and guidelines. The comprehensive community consultation indicated that all project activities, technology adopted, and outputs are quite relevant to the target communities and their actual needs and also appropriate for the selected areas. Generally, the evaluation team concluded that, the planned activities were completed with same allocated initial budget. Despite difficulties and challenges in the SLA areas and at sites located in territories between the government and SLA areas the evaluation team believes that, the project is efficient in terms of implementation of the planned activities and management of resources. Read More...
Based on the desk review of available data, the evaluation was deploying different approaches to ensure rich data and triangulation of findings. These approaches were combining qualitative and quantitative methods to maximize validity and reliability. The main methods of data collection used were interviews with the primary stakeholders, observation, asking questions, review of documents and transect walking at sites. Different tools for data collections were used as well that included focus group discussions with different target groups, and observation check list, Key Informant Interview, questionnaire, asking open and closed questions with beneficiaries at water points and at health and nutrition centers.
The project is in line with national and State WASH plans. It was also found that, the project followed and complied with SMoH specifications and guidelines. The comprehensive community consultation indicated that all project activities, technology adopted, and outputs are quite relevant to the target communities and their actual needs and also appropriate for the selected areas. Generally, the evaluation team concluded that, the planned activities were completed with same allocated initial budget. Despite difficulties and challenges in the SLA areas and at sites located in territories between the government and SLA areas the evaluation team believes that, the project is efficient in terms of implementation of the planned activities and management of resources. Read More...
Enhancing resilience through improved food security, disaster risk reduction and peaceful co-existence In South and East Darfur
This base line survey was conducted for the project “Enhancing resilience through improved food security, disaster risk reduction and peaceful co-existence in South and East Darfur.” The baseline was designed to collect data in the targeted communities in South and East Darfur State to assess the situation before the start of the project and determine the benchmarks for the designed project indicators. The baseline used mixed methods for data collection, including: desk review of project documents, individual interviews with household leaders using structured questionaires, FGDs with representatives from different groups in the communities, KIIs with institutional representatives.
The targeted areas in East and South Darfur are suffering from acute and chronic malnutrition. It is widespread and poses a significant public health problem, caused by acute food insecurity, unstable livelihoods, limited health services, poor hygiene practices and the lack of access to adequate safe drinking water and sanitation practices.
Women and children travel far distance to fetch water. During the rainy season, people may get poor quality water, which negatively affects their health. The government institutions have very poor capacity and lack the required logistics to provide good and sustainable water supply.
Women and girls are vulnerable to GBV, especially when they go far distances seeking different services such as water collection, firewood, farming, marketing and markets.
Women also face a very high burden, as they are responsible and participating in all household chores such as childcare, farming, fetching water, and transporting products to markets. This negatively affects children's nutrition and hygiene practices and exacerbates malnutrition. On other hand they have a limited access to resources and income-generating activities, and do not share any responsibilities in community structure, where men alone control and have access of most resources and have more decision-making power than women.
847,126 people in South Darfur and 124,351 in East Darfur are in IPC Phase 3 or higher and unable to meet their immediate needs. Kass and East Jebel Mara in South Darfur have the highest number of people experiencing acute food insecurity at 25% and 35% respectively, which need urgent intervention to contribute in reduction of acute food insecurity caused by currency devaluation, inflation, and local conflict is hitting both states.
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The targeted areas in East and South Darfur are suffering from acute and chronic malnutrition. It is widespread and poses a significant public health problem, caused by acute food insecurity, unstable livelihoods, limited health services, poor hygiene practices and the lack of access to adequate safe drinking water and sanitation practices.
Women and children travel far distance to fetch water. During the rainy season, people may get poor quality water, which negatively affects their health. The government institutions have very poor capacity and lack the required logistics to provide good and sustainable water supply.
Women and girls are vulnerable to GBV, especially when they go far distances seeking different services such as water collection, firewood, farming, marketing and markets.
Women also face a very high burden, as they are responsible and participating in all household chores such as childcare, farming, fetching water, and transporting products to markets. This negatively affects children's nutrition and hygiene practices and exacerbates malnutrition. On other hand they have a limited access to resources and income-generating activities, and do not share any responsibilities in community structure, where men alone control and have access of most resources and have more decision-making power than women.
847,126 people in South Darfur and 124,351 in East Darfur are in IPC Phase 3 or higher and unable to meet their immediate needs. Kass and East Jebel Mara in South Darfur have the highest number of people experiencing acute food insecurity at 25% and 35% respectively, which need urgent intervention to contribute in reduction of acute food insecurity caused by currency devaluation, inflation, and local conflict is hitting both states.
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Comprehensive Multisector Need Assessment South Kordofan State
The overall objective of need assessment is to assess the current situation, identify the gaps and needs of the targeted communities and recommend of key interventions that meet the real needs of the targeted people. The data was collected in four sectors:
➢ Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL): Covers the issues that relate to, and affect the livelihood of the targeted people, including the sources of income, capacity of people, opportunities, with giving special consideration to agriculture and animal resources as they are the main activities in the targeted areas.
➢ WASH: Hygiene promotion/awareness and hand washing practices, access to dignified, safe, clean and functional excreta disposal facilities, sufficient and safe water for domestic use, particularly in the targeted locations.
➢ Health and Nutrition: Situation and gaps in health services including public and maternity health. The assessment especially looked at the gap on children's nutrition, malnutrition among children, and mother’s capacity.
➢ Peace building: Existing conflicts in the assessed areas, including the types and drivers of conflicts and the existing mechanisms of conflicts transformation. The capacity of the targeted communities and need for improving peace. Read More...
➢ Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL): Covers the issues that relate to, and affect the livelihood of the targeted people, including the sources of income, capacity of people, opportunities, with giving special consideration to agriculture and animal resources as they are the main activities in the targeted areas.
➢ WASH: Hygiene promotion/awareness and hand washing practices, access to dignified, safe, clean and functional excreta disposal facilities, sufficient and safe water for domestic use, particularly in the targeted locations.
➢ Health and Nutrition: Situation and gaps in health services including public and maternity health. The assessment especially looked at the gap on children's nutrition, malnutrition among children, and mother’s capacity.
➢ Peace building: Existing conflicts in the assessed areas, including the types and drivers of conflicts and the existing mechanisms of conflicts transformation. The capacity of the targeted communities and need for improving peace. Read More...
Multi-sectoral and integrated humanitarian assistance for the conflict displaced and most vulnerable populations in East and South Darfur – Sudan
This needs assessment was conducted internally by CARE staff led by the MEAL coordinator at national level, MEAL team and program staff at field level. The survey took place in East Darfur state during the period 25th February to 20th March 2022. The primary data in the field collected during the period 6th -11th March 2022.
WASH: the assessment collected data on the different sub sectors of WASH including:
• Water supply: Assess the availability of and ease of access to safe water by the targeted communities, water consumption and gaps, contribution of the official authorities, the main factors affecting communities’ access to safe, easy and adequate water.
• Environmental sanitation: Focus on collecting information on communities’ access to sanitation, including availability and need of household latrines, need of solid and waste disposal system.
• Hygiene promotion: Assess the level of community knowledge and gaps and types of capacity needed to improve health and hygiene.
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WASH: the assessment collected data on the different sub sectors of WASH including:
• Water supply: Assess the availability of and ease of access to safe water by the targeted communities, water consumption and gaps, contribution of the official authorities, the main factors affecting communities’ access to safe, easy and adequate water.
• Environmental sanitation: Focus on collecting information on communities’ access to sanitation, including availability and need of household latrines, need of solid and waste disposal system.
• Hygiene promotion: Assess the level of community knowledge and gaps and types of capacity needed to improve health and hygiene.
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Comprehensive Multisector Need Assessment South Darfur State
This needs assessment was conducted by a team from CARE International Sudan, led by the MEAL coordinator. The assessment took place in South Darfur state covering Gereida locality, and East and South Jabal Mara areas in Kass locality. The objective is to assess the current situation, identify the gaps and needs of the targeted communities and recommend key interventions that meet the real needs of the people the project serves. Different methods were used for data collection, including individual interviews with household leaders, Focus Group Discussions with representatives from different community groups, desk review of the existing information, and Key Informant Interviews with the authorities in relevant ministries and institutions.
Key Findings:
• Only 7.6 % of the people in the assessed area have easy access to adequate safe water for their family. 92.4% are suffering either from difficulty in getting the water, poor quality of water, or insufficient amounts of water for their households.
• Responsibility for fetching water lies primarily with women (55%) and girls (27%). This puts not only an uneven burden on women and girls with regards to the time and energy spent, but also exposes them to various types of violence (21.9% reported this), including sexual harassment (reported by 3.8%).
• There is lack of hygiene promotion within the assessed communities, as 97% of respondents indicated they have not received any type of capacity building in WASH. This reflected in the way that communities dealing with environment and personal hygiene: Only half (50.9%) of the respondents regularly wash their hands with water and soap.
• With regards to sanitation, 45% of people practice open defecation. Interestingly, while 51.5% of the population has a latrine in their household, only 36.6% of the population uses a latrine in their household. Lack of hygiene and sanitation is associated with poor health outcomes, with open defecation contributing to the risk of (sexual) violence against women,
• The assessed areas are suffering from lack of health facilities, and the available facilities are poor in term of required services, only 36.4 % of the consulted people have health facilities in their villages, including health centers (31.3%), hospital (6.5%) and clinics (2.2%).
• Women and girls suffer from poor access to sexual and reproductive health services. Only 28.1% of deliveries are done in a health facility, with the assistance of a trained mid-wife (21.3%), nurse (3.4%) or doctor (3.4%). Home-based deliveries by a traditional mid-wife are the most common way to give birth (38.2%). The traditional mid-wives lack formal education and some of them also undertake harmful traditional practices such as Female genital mutilation.
• Malnutrition among children under 5 years is high (37.6%) as a result of; 1) lack of capacity among mothers on the importance of intensive breast feeding for infants and other best nutrition practices for other children, 2) the poverty and low level of livelihood among the targeted communities which affect their access to the food.
• Agriculture is the main source of income for 88.9% of the consulted households in the assessed area, 65% of them are women headed households, and within the consulted females 86.5% are depending on agriculture as the main source for income. 55.4% of people depending on their own agricultural production as main source of food for their families. All farmers interviewed practice traditional rain fed agriculture
• House hold income is very low in the assessed area as 84.1% of the consulted people have an income of 5,000 SDG (12 USD) or less per month, 12.4% earn 5000 -10000 SDG/Month while only 3.5% of the people earn more than 10000 SDG per month. In the months prior to harvesting, food insecurity peaks. In September 93.3% if people suffer from lack of food. Figures are also particularly high in August (58.8%) and October (19.4%). Read More...
Key Findings:
• Only 7.6 % of the people in the assessed area have easy access to adequate safe water for their family. 92.4% are suffering either from difficulty in getting the water, poor quality of water, or insufficient amounts of water for their households.
• Responsibility for fetching water lies primarily with women (55%) and girls (27%). This puts not only an uneven burden on women and girls with regards to the time and energy spent, but also exposes them to various types of violence (21.9% reported this), including sexual harassment (reported by 3.8%).
• There is lack of hygiene promotion within the assessed communities, as 97% of respondents indicated they have not received any type of capacity building in WASH. This reflected in the way that communities dealing with environment and personal hygiene: Only half (50.9%) of the respondents regularly wash their hands with water and soap.
• With regards to sanitation, 45% of people practice open defecation. Interestingly, while 51.5% of the population has a latrine in their household, only 36.6% of the population uses a latrine in their household. Lack of hygiene and sanitation is associated with poor health outcomes, with open defecation contributing to the risk of (sexual) violence against women,
• The assessed areas are suffering from lack of health facilities, and the available facilities are poor in term of required services, only 36.4 % of the consulted people have health facilities in their villages, including health centers (31.3%), hospital (6.5%) and clinics (2.2%).
• Women and girls suffer from poor access to sexual and reproductive health services. Only 28.1% of deliveries are done in a health facility, with the assistance of a trained mid-wife (21.3%), nurse (3.4%) or doctor (3.4%). Home-based deliveries by a traditional mid-wife are the most common way to give birth (38.2%). The traditional mid-wives lack formal education and some of them also undertake harmful traditional practices such as Female genital mutilation.
• Malnutrition among children under 5 years is high (37.6%) as a result of; 1) lack of capacity among mothers on the importance of intensive breast feeding for infants and other best nutrition practices for other children, 2) the poverty and low level of livelihood among the targeted communities which affect their access to the food.
• Agriculture is the main source of income for 88.9% of the consulted households in the assessed area, 65% of them are women headed households, and within the consulted females 86.5% are depending on agriculture as the main source for income. 55.4% of people depending on their own agricultural production as main source of food for their families. All farmers interviewed practice traditional rain fed agriculture
• House hold income is very low in the assessed area as 84.1% of the consulted people have an income of 5,000 SDG (12 USD) or less per month, 12.4% earn 5000 -10000 SDG/Month while only 3.5% of the people earn more than 10000 SDG per month. In the months prior to harvesting, food insecurity peaks. In September 93.3% if people suffer from lack of food. Figures are also particularly high in August (58.8%) and October (19.4%). Read More...