SECTOR INTRODUCTION
The non-food items “NFI” program aims to support people in need with household lifesaving items to sustain family life by providing critical items and core relief non-food items such as mattresses, blankets seasonal clothing, heating fuel, emergency shelter kits and family tents for vulnerable populations affected by conflict, by targeting both internally displaced persons (IDPs) and vulnerable host communities, and ensure that crisis-affected people have access to essential household items so that they can live with security, safety, and dignity. Special attention is paid to the most vulnerable people living in collective centers, tented informal settlements and unfinished buildings.
SECTOR MISSION
- Distribution Of NFIs to people in emergency and crisis by using need assessments and ensuring the quality of the response through an effective rapid response network with deep coordination with all stakeholders.
- Provision of winter materials, such as high thermal blankets, foam mattresses, heating fuel and stoves.
- Provides emergency assistance to newly displaced people affected by conflict: A minimum NFI kit and “Newly arrival kits” emergency shelter items (if necessary) for those in need through WATAN’s rapid response mechanism and ensure that adequate mechanisms are put in place for the timely delivery of emergency assistance.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Non-Food Items/core relief items distribution: The distribution of NFIs is, therefore, an important activity in the emergency phase. Providing NFIs supports the dignity, health, privacy and agency of affected populations. Ensuring that the immediate personal needs of affected people are covered.
- Tent Installation/Distribution, and Repair of Tents: Installation of tents or replacement of damaged/worn-out shelters to support people in need of shelter, and keep them healthy, and safe in emergencies. Tents can help to provide for these needs and protect people from external conditions such as rain, snow, and wind, and provide privacy and dignity.
- Seasonal Winter NFI and cash assistance: Winter assistant provides regular cash assistance to vulnerable households to help them meet their basic needs, and to prevent and protect them from harsh weather conditions, especially for the displaced people and camp habitants.
SECTOR HISTORY
The first non-food program was launched at the end of 2012, as a result of donations collected, resulting in the distribution of 3,000 blankets and 10,000 sleeping bags for the displaced.
Alongside this project in the same year, WATAN continued to distribute 4,000 blankets in 20 districts in Tripoli, Lebanon to help refugees in dire need of basic winter requirements.
Winter assistance ( Fuel and stoves) was provided for 2,000 HHs in serval camps in Idleb governorate, as well as winter cash assistance such as clothes and fuel for 250 HHs in Azaz, Aleppo for both IDPs and host communities. as well as providing winter NFI materials for 25,000 households.
The non-food program in WATAN has come a long way since 2016 and has expanded and, was able to respond to all evacuation and displacement waves of people, by distributing new arrivals of NFI kits. Besides that, regular responses to the vulnerable people were extended to reach all the sub-districts of Idleb and Aleppo in the NWs of Syria. From 2016 till the end of 2022, WATAN reached 1,014,073 individuals by distributing 219,986 NFI kits, installing 59,085 tents, and targeting 31,3295 individuals. In addition to that the rapid response mechanism could respond on time to fire incidents and floods, by providing NFI and tent to the affected, Which enable WATAN to reach and covers those urgent needs, as it’s an active member of SNFI/CCCM clusters.
PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY AND
DIFFERENTIATORS
WATAN’s rapid response network consists of 100 volunteers, in various regions within Syria, who make weekly reports on changes in the humanitarian situation in their region, including new increases in the number of IDPs.
This report is sent to the program team, which will determine the best course of action required to rectify the state of emergency. it’s worth mentioning, WATAN has a rapid mechanism to respond to the emergency and urgent cases, such as floods and wind/snowstorms incidents in camps, and evacuations waves to the affected populations, through trained and qualified teams, able to cover the needs and provide the required assistance immediately.
Examples of results include the distribution of non-food kits consisting of blankets, kitchen sets, mattresses, solar lamps, and kerosene heaters as well as other basic requirements.
There is coordination with other programs, such as the WASH program, protection, health to inform them of any issues that need to be referred to them.
Communicating with the cluster is vital, to ensure that there is no duplication in any efforts.
In line with capacity-building, non-food program seeks to further develop the rapid response network to expand the coverage area in order to reach more accessible areas and thus increase the number of beneficiaries, with a view to achieving sustainable results.
WATANS WORK IN THE NON-FOOD ITEMS SECTOR
- Provision of regular/emergency NFI support.
- Winterization activities (in-kind/cash).
- Tent Installation and replacements.
PROJECTS
- Voice to Voiceless
- Distribution of Non-food kit
- With Internal Displaced People “IDPs”
- WATAN Winter camping in Camps
- Support the newly displaced in emergency cases
- NFI kit and fuel heating Distribution:
- Winter cash assistant for the Host and IDPs
