USS-PD9th

SUMMARY OF PD-9^th DISTRIBUTION SITE OF UNCONDITIONAL SEASONAL SUPPORT PROJECT:

Unconditional Season Support (KAO-SO1-NECDO- AF01-1128) is a 4 months project funded by the World Food Program (WFP). The goal is to cover the needs of the vulnerable families that are affected by economic issues, the regime change, and poverty from different districts of Kabul province. In this project, NECDO (Noor Educational & Capacity Development Organization) covers these six PDs (PD 1, PD 7^th, PD 8^th, PD 9^th, PD 16^th, and PD 18^th of Kabul province). The vulnerable families consist of the following categories: widows, people with disabilities, orphans, families that are internally displaced and living in tents, the families living in rented houses, and most importantly, anyone that is affected by economic issues and this new regime change. The project includes sub-activities for completing the milestones in each PD; the vulnerable families are identified by focal point/local representative (Wakil-e-Guzar) and Mullah Imams in each PD. The identified families are surveyed by the NECDO relief program team and vulnerable families are selected based on their physical and social status. From there we then have a special kind of Identification Paper, which is called Token that is given to the vulnerable families as a means of identification, to come and be registered in the Database so they can have access to the support and means of assistance.

The project was initiated from PD 9^th of Kabul province and the distribution was done on October 27th-November 2nd (excluding October 29th as it was a public holiday). Each day, approximately 1000 families were surveyed and the selected numbers of families were given Tokens to continue with the next step: Scoping process. In total, 3450 households were surveyed out of which 3,000 families were given tokens and scoped. The final approved list of beneficiaries was prepared by WFP and 3,500 AFN cash assistance was given to each family for one month as per list with the help of Afghan Sharq Company

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Unconditional Seasonal Support (KAO-SO1-NECDO-AF01-1128) is a 4 months project covering the vulnerable families affected by economic issues, regime change, poverty, and political and social changes in different PDs of Kabul. This project covers PD 1, PD 7^th, PD 8^th, PD 9^th, PD 16^th, and PD 18^th of Kabul province. It covers 19,000 families in PD-1, 3,000 families in PD-7^th, 3,000 families in PD-8^th, 3,500 families in PD-9^th, 3,000 families in PD- 16^th, 3,000 families in PD-18^th,3,500 in total it covers 19,000 vulnerable families. The vulnerable families include widows, disables, orphans, the families living in tents, the families which were living in rented houses. The project includes sub-activities for completing the milestones in each PD; the vulnerable families are identified by focal point/local representative (Wakil-e-Guzar) in each PD. The identified families should be surveyed by the NECDO relief program team and accordingly the vulnerable families are selected based on their physical and social status for cash assistance of this project.

SURVEY & SCOPE EXPLANATIONS:

Initially, NECDO recruited the survey and scope teams upon agreement with WFP representatives from September 24, 2021 to September 28, 2021. The survey team asked the focal points, community leaders (Wakil-e-Guzars), and Mullah Imams to provide us the list of vulnerable families. As soon as the lists were gathered, the team started their survey; each day approximately 1000 families were surveyed and the selected numbers of families were asked to come the next day for the Scope process. In total 3,450 households were surveyed out of which 3,000 families were given tokens and scope them. But during the scoping, the WFP told us that for the lack of time, we must escape the scope process and start data entering the survey lists. After the finalizations of data entry, we sent it back to WFP for them to recheck it and then through our list, they prepared the amount that needs to be paid for each person, which then allowed us to start the cash distributions.

MALE/FEMALE BENEFICIARIES:

Criteria for Beneficiary Selection:

1. First and foremost, the preference is given to those whose daily lives were run with daily wages and with the sudden collapse of the previous government, they were not able to work due to political and social changes in the country.
2. The family who lives in rented houses.
3. The family has no male breadwinners at home.
4. The family who are affected with economic
5. The family who lives in designated areas that were specified by WFP.
6. The family which is run by an o
7. The family which is run by a widow.
8. The family which is run by a disabled person.
9. The family which is internally or externally displaced.
10. The family does not have a person to do work and provide financial support.

Justification:

Most of the people who live in Kabul city are running their life with daily wages due to poverty and political, social, and economic changes that have restricted them from going out for jobs or earning money. It is impossible to earn the money for a family in these situations, especially when they have to cover other expenses such as paying for rent, food, warm clothing, and etc. Women and widows are mostly affected with the increased domestic violence and economic conditions. The proposed intervention is a well justified action to provide temporary support to the targeted number of households in these unexpected situations.

The Survey and Scope processes were completed on September 28, 2021 and the list was sent to WFP for final approval. The approved list of beneficiaries was received from WFP along with Tokens. The Tokens and lists were printed and the sight for distribution was arranged by the project manager. Hence, the community leaders (Wakil-e-Guzars) and other representatives were contacted and asked to send the selected and approved beneficiaries to the assigned location and each household receives 3,450 AFN cash for one month.

CASH DISTRIBUTION MECHANISM:

The cash was distributed by Afghan Sharq Company in presence of WFP field monitor, WFP’s Program Assistant Team Monitors, and Management staff of NECDO. Cash was distributed to thousands of families each day and the daily reports were signed by Afghan Sharq Company representatives, NECDO’s site leader, and WFP monitor / PAD monitor.

The token number was allotted to each beneficiary and it was mentioned to them in order to receive cash the next day. Hence, upon arrival of the beneficiaries, the Tazkira/ ID numbers of households or alternatives were checked in the database to confirm the deserving beneficiary. The token numbers were given to them to move forward so that the NECDO team could be able to get the fingerprint and guide them to receive cash from Afghan Sharq Company representatives. At the end of each distribution day, the tokens were counted among Afghan Sharq Company and NECDO representatives who were endorsed by the WFP field monitor. Meanwhile, the beneficiaries were kept on reminding to have a social distance and follow the instructions of the Ministry of Public Health appropriately.

 Problems and Challenges:

1. Lack of public awareness regarding the law, rules, and regulations of the project and accountabilities of NECDO’s field staff / surveyors to the community leaders.
2. Lack of cooperation from community leaders in some areas.
3. There is a difference between data entry and selected beneficiaries which makes it hard to understand who is finally chosen.
4. Name spelling, Tazkira/ID number, or cellular phone numbers missing creates issues while finding the selected beneficiary in the database.
5. The beneficiaries and community leaders do not have patience. Everyone keeps on trying to take the money first but we are following a first come, first serve strategy.
6. Security problems

HOW TO RESOLVE THE CHALLENGES:

1. The information desk team ethically and morally described the rules and laws to the community leaders and informed them about it.
2. Some of the beneficiaries received the Food Assistance or cash from the same district, which was also the project of WFP therefore they were not selected for Cash Assistance.
3. In the database we used to make entries of Tazkira/ID numbers and contact numbers of households and alternatives due to which it was possible to locate the beneficiary data.
4. The assigned teams carefully check their names and other information of the beneficiaries in the surveyed lists.
5. The preference in queue was given to elders, disabilities, and women with babies, hence it was acceptable by all beneficiaries.

 Conclusion:

This project was started by the PD-9^th and NECDO survey and scope team conducted a survey successfully with scope (data entry in database) which was started on September 24, 2021 and completed on September 28, 2021. The purpose of this project is to assist the most vulnerable families affected by economic issues Regime Change, and political, social, and economic changes in Afghanistan with cash assistance. Each PD has a specified portion of beneficiaries therefore 3,450 families were surveyed and 3,000 were selected for the cash assistance program. Each beneficiary received the cash assistance of 3,500 AFN for one month and maybe WFP will assist them for two or three months more, through Afghan Sharq Company (cash provider). The cash distribution took place in presence of the field monitor from WFP and in the management of NECDO distribution site team leader. The cash distributions started from October 27, 2021 to November 02, 2021.

The next cash distribution will start at the end of other district’s cash distributions or when WFP calls us.