humanitarian crisis inaugurated the 144-bed sari-itc on...

HUMANITARIAN CRISIS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

COX’S BAZAR | BANGLADESH | MAY 2020

BRAC has been working in Cox’s Bazar for the last 37 years with the host communities of the region and the Rohingya community from previous influxes. BRAC Humanitarian Crisis Management Programme (HCMP) was initiated in August 2017 to provide emergency services to the people affected by the recent influx.

BRAC’s work started with a focus on life-saving interventions. As the situation evolved, we incorporated interventions to support everyone affected by the crisis in both the camps and host communities to enhance skills, build resilience and share knowledge. We are currently serving more than 700,000 people in Cox’s Bazar, with the broadest programming portfolio of all responders.

ACTIVITY UPDATE

The Shelter sector completed construction of the Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Isolation and Treatment Centre (SARI-ITC) near the army check post in Ukhiya and handed it over to UNHCR on 9 May 2020. UNHCR, along with the deputy commissioner of Cox’s Bazar Md Kamal Hossain, the RRRC Md Mahbub Alam Takluder and other partner organisations inaugurated the 144-bed SARI-ITC on 21 May 2020. The treatment centre has the capacity to serve 144 patients at a time. This UNHCR initiative will serve people from both Rohingya and host communities.

BRAC, along with other partner agencies, helped the district administration of Cox’s Bazar launch a mobile hospital for primary healthcare services for the disadvantaged people during the COVID-19 pandemic on 3 May. The mobile hospital served hundreds of people from different corners of the district.

In May, a total of 6,012 host community households have been provided BDT 1,500 each under the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)-BRAC social cohesion fund for Cox’s Bazar district COVID-19 response. This emergency aid aims to help low-income families who are most vulnerable during this period.

BRAC’s protection team handing over hygiene materials to district police of Cox’s Bazar

BRAC’s primary health facilities are providing necessary health support to Rohingya community in camp 1 east

Click here to learn more: response.brac.net

HCMP Protection sector conducting awareness sessions on prevention of COVID-19 in the camps

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COVID-19: Relentless response of HCMP

As COVID-19 continues to affect millions of people, it has pointed to a global health crisis unearthing many socio-economic challenges. Cox’s Bazar is experiencing a compounded crisis as it is hosting the world’s largest refugee settlement where nearly a million Rohingya refugees live in tightly packed shelters in precarious conditions. Moreover, thousands of local and foreign humanitarian workers are situated here. To contain the spread of COVID-19, targeted actions are in place in a coordinated manner, yet further support is required to continue the battle against it. BRAC’s HCMP is currently reaching 548,950 people with awareness messages and other services.

All the sectors and teams engaged in the COVID-19 response work in a coordinating manner. A total of 29 COVID-19 cases were detected in the camps, 20 men and 6 women. The number of positive cases from the host community stood at little more than 673 in May 2020.

HealthHCMP continued operations of its primary healthcare centres and health posts, consulting 11,469 patients in the camps with necessary precautions. The community health workers and volunteers visited households from both the host communities and the Rohingya camps to disseminate messages on preventive measures on COVID-19, reaching 245,579 people.

ProtectionChild protection (CP) and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) teams distributed leaflets in Bengali, Chittagonian and Burmese languages among the people through household visits. Psychologists, psychosocial counsellors and trained volunteers from the protection team offered psychosocial support, legal aid and tele-counselling service in the Rohingya camps, the host community, as well as to HCMP colleagues. The protection sector also conducted community-based awareness sessions by the ‘Rohingya Role Models’ in the camps. A total of 72,809 people have been reached through all of the protection initiatives to raise awareness on prevention of COVID-19. Supported by UN Women, the protection sector has also led the production of 20, 593 reusable face masks in May.

Host communityA total of 6,012 families in the host communities received cash support in May 2020. Thousands of people from the host communities were reached through awareness messages, psychosocial support, and healthcare services.

Coronavirus: Let’s spread awareness, not fear

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*People with disability-PWD

BOYS GIRLS






HUMANITARIAN CRISIS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME | 03

Communication and awarenessCommunication has been the key component to raise awareness during this crisis. All the sectors played their part in the awareness campaign. The disaster and risk reduction (DRR) and RelNet volunteers held interpersonal sessions on COVID-19 preparedness. The education sector adopted alternative means to reach people in camps with awareness messages. In May, 3,400 leaflets have been disseminated among the people of host communities and Rohingya camps. Diversified communication campaigns by all sectors in HCMP reached 548,950 people with messages on COVID-19 prevention. Infrastructure, food and knowledge supportShelter, site management sector (SMS) and general food assistance (GFA) teams went beyond their regular activities and joined the awareness campaign. More than 1,000 trained SMS volunteers went door-to-door in the camps to disseminate awareness messages and demonstrated proper hand washing methods.The agriculture and environment sector distributed vegetable seeds among 941 households in the camps.

The shelter team built an isolation and treatment centre near the Army Check Post of Ukhiya in collaboration with and guidance and funding from UNHCR. They also supported building and repairing houses in the camps which were damaged by the Cyclone Amphan.More WASH facilities were installed, including hundreds of tippy taps and hand-washing stations which are accessible to persons with physical disabilities. The GFA team continued to provide food assistance through the four E-voucher outlets and in-kind services to thousands from the Rohingya community everyday. They also maintained hygiene and social distance at the service points.

ChallengesLockdown was imposed both in the host community and Rohingya camps. Service providers had to adopt new methods to maintain effective communication. Maintenance of hygiene and proper social distance remains a challenge in the camps, given the congested conditions and shared water and sanitation facilities. It has been challenging to reach out to the Rohingya populace with awareness messages, with the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Deprived of basic knowledge, many people from the Rohingya community were and still are reluctant to abide by the safety guidelines.







COVID-19 is changing our world in almost every way. One of the most visible ones is the wearing of masks.

Face masks are here to stay, and, as the outbreak expands and then possibly recurs, the demand for masks will continue to rise.

A project was initiated in the Rohingya camps to meet the demand of masks in Cox’s Bazar. Sayeka Ali* is one of the 127 women who are sewing hundreds of these life-saving items.

Sayeka learned to sew after joining the Multipurpose Women’s Centre in January of last year. This was shortly after her husband left her and her newborn daughter to remarry. He would visit her once a month, but he would take the rations she had received through relief efforts when he would leave. Joining the centre served as a healthy distraction at the time.

The centre is focused on providing Rohingya women with skill-based training, such as sewing, block printing and agriculture. They began mask production in April, in response to COVID-19. The masks produced are based on approved samples. Funded by UN Women and led by BRAC, the project operates in two camps, and maintains the hygiene measures necessary to keep the women safe from the virus.

During mask production, Sayeka spends her time with other women who share similar stories to her – fleeing persecution, subjected to violence and left alone without any discernible future.

HUMANITARIAN CRISIS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

More than 127 Rohingya women have been making masks in the women’s centres, and as of last week they made more than 30,000 masks.

Sayeka produces 25 to 30 masks each day and earns BDT 15 (USD 0.18) for each, totalling approximately BDT 8,000 (USD 94.25) per month.

Orders for the masks are continuing to come in, and Sayeka and her friends are busy.

“The learning centre helped me realise that I can rely on myself,” Sayeka says. Today, she proudly supports her family with her own earnings and has developed a strong community of women whom she now works with.

In light of World Refugee Day, these stories reflect the dedication of the 79.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide in improving their own lives as well as those of their host communities. The threat of COVID-19 is exponentially compounded for these people, who are living in such situations in refugee camps.

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Click here to learn more : response.brac.net

Meet the women sewing for safety in Cox's Bazar






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The super Cyclone Amphan made its landfall at Bangladesh’s coast on the evening of 20 May, as Cox’s Bazar was grappling with a pandemic while hosting the world’s largest refugee camp. Heavy rain accompanied with stormy winds swept over the district. HCMP maintained regular coordination with the District Disaster Management Committee, ISCG Emergency Preparedness and Response Working Group and the RRRC office, for a clear understanding of the situation and to prepare to manage the aftermath of the cyclone.

HCMP’s branch-wise emergency response teams were instrumental in disseminating the warning messages, and were prepared for the response needed. An adequate amount of necessary goods were stockpiled in warehouses near the Rohingya camps for emergency response, to cover approximately 20,000 households.

Communication and preparedness activities were conducted by trained CPP volunteers with relevant stakeholders for preparedness and response in the camps and the host community.

A total of 700 site management volunteers disseminated cyclone preparedness messages through megaphones and loudspeakers inside the Rohingya camps. All the community facilities such as the learning centres, child-friendly spaces, and community centres were prepared as standby safety shelters for the Rohingya community. A total of 63 community-level awareness sessions on cyclones were conducted by the majhees and imams, including the preparedness activities of WASH, RelNet, site management, and operations teams.

A rapid damage-needs assessment has been carried out after the storm and rain by the site management sector. The team identified 24 shelters which were completely damaged and 396 shelters were partially damaged in various camps. Five latrines and one bathing cubicle were completely damaged while 55 latrines and eight bathing cubicles were partially damaged in camp 14. In addition, 26 learning centres in different camps were damaged, with one being completely damaged. A primary healthcare centre from camp 8E and a child-friendly space from camp 15 were partially damaged.

BRAC HCMP provided immediate support to the affected community after the cyclone, based on the need assessment. The shelter team distributed emergency shelter supplies to the affected families.

Tackling Amphan: Preparedness and response

CASH SUPPORT IN COX’S BAZAR

*In May 2020

Households reached with cash support

BDT distributed through cash support

PWD reached through cash support







4,571children and adolescents registered in learning centres

150 learning centres operational

49,098 household hygiene sessions conducted

1,942referral services for immunisation for mothers and children

1,563 mental health services provided in May

501referral services for immunisation for mothers and children in May 2020

5,116 total maternal health services provided

Our support to host communities consists of targeted, multi-sectoral assistance to vulnerable households, including:

• Learning centres are offering non-formal education programmes. We are also developing the capacity of mainstream schools through engagement with teachers, students and community leaders.

• Child-friendly spaces are implementing our Humanitarian Play Lab model.

• WASH interventions are supporting over 80,000 households, including construction and maintenance of deep tube wells, piped water supply networks and latrines, hygiene sessions conducted with men, women, boys and girls in schools, tea stalls, and formation of village WASH committees.

• Diagnosis and treatment of communicable diseases, including TB and malaria.

• Disaster risk reduction, including quick evacuation schemes, retrofitting, renovating and repairing cyclone shelters.

• Agriculture and environment rehabilitation including planting trees to mitigate deforestation, and improving agricultural practices and home gardening, and vocational skill enhancement through distribution of agricultural inputs.

• Ultra-poor graduation programme is providing assets through interest-free loans and grants, combined with coaching, mentoring and enterprise development training to create pathways out of poverty.

• Alternative learning programmes providing apprenticeship-based training and life skills to out-of-school youth.

• Customised microfinance products, including loans for women and small enterprises.

• Cash-based interventions are supporting low income families with cash support every month.


SECTOR-WISE SNAPSHOT: Host communities







Water, sanitation and hygiene

Education

Agriculture and environment

941 households received vegetable seeds in May

94,235households received vegetable seeds in camps

HCMP’s agriculture and environment sector works to restore the living environment and promote sustainable agricultural practices across camps and host communities. This includes the planting and distribution of agricultural input packages, and training on seeds and tools.

We are the largest provider of educational opportunities in the response, with over 60,000 children (53% girls) enrolled in almost 840 BRAC facilities. With support from UNICEF, BRAC is developing learning competency framework and approach (LCFA) materials, focused on early grade learning, basic literacy, numeracy, life-saving information, psychosocial support and life skills. We have trained 765 Burmese language instructors (from camps) and 840 teachers from host communities to provide quality learning in safe, dignified environments. 21 multipurpose centres and eight adolescent centres are being used to deliver pre-vocational courses, life skills training, and literacy and numeracy skills.

N/A no children and adolescents registered in learning centres in April due to COVID-19

N/Alearning centres operation is suspended in April due COVID-19

N/Ano management committees meeting done due COVID-19

Shelter and non-food items

We support 167,000 people with secure shelters in camps, continual site improvements such as bridges and roads, and distribution of non-food items. Our work also includes gas-equipped community kitchens, transitional shelter options and the first large scale bamboo treatment plant in Cox’s Bazar.Our bamboo treatment facility, the first large scale plant in Cox’s Bazar, ensures bamboo viability for 10-12 years.

147 transitional shelters constructed in May

498 households received shelters maintenance in May

1,069materials distributed and maintenance for emergency shelter in May

We support almost 700,000 people through integrated WASH interventions in camps. This includes construction and maintenance of deep tube wells, piped water supply networks, latrines and handwashing stations and hygiene promotion. BRAC was the first to form WASH committees to establish ownership of facilities, and continues to pioneer in sustainability through community maintenance team development, WASH corridor and hybrid powered water pumps.

Learn more: response.brac.net

SECTOR-WISE SNAPSHOT: Camps

43 latrines constructed in May

26 bathing cubicles built in May

3 hand washing stations built in May







Protection

Child protection

Communication for Development

HCMP is supporting 50,000 vulnerable Rohingya women, girls, men and boys through psychotherapeutic activities, skills development, legal aid, awareness training, dignity kit distribution, referral services and leadership training, livelihood and community-based protection in camps. Services are offered through 15 women-friendly spaces, 10 community centres, eight information points, a skills development centre and a community outreach network.

128 radio listener groups created in May

119 legal counselling conducted in May

48 community group functional in camp

We support over 100,000 children through child-friendly spaces (CFSs) implementing BRAC’s Humanitarian Play Lab model. We also reach adolescent boys and girls through 900 pocket-based interventions.

N/A

no child-friendly spaces functioning due to COVID-19 emergency

25,432 tele-counselling provided

We bring information to 100,000 households in 34 camps through 800 Rohingya volunteers (84% women). In emergencies, we intensify our efforts to reach 500,000 people. Messages are reinforced through 3,000 community and religious leaders and 3,000 adolescent boys and girls, and 1,440 community action plans ensure access to services for all.

N/Ano advocacy meeting took place due to COVID-19 crisis

3.6 Minterpersonal communication sessions conducted in households

Health and communicable diseasesBRAC is the largest primary healthcare provider in the camps, providing essential and life-saving health and nutrition services, including prevention and treatment of communicable diseases. We have provided more than 1 million basic health services in the community via our health network of 24/7 primary healthcare centres, health posts, community health outlets and community health workers. Social mobilisation and awareness raising programmes regarding malaria are being run in the camps.

11,469 outpatient consultation in primary healthcare centres and health posts in May

1,308 malaria tests conducted in May

1,616 TB presumptive tests conducted in May








Site management

Livelihoods and food security

5,322 community awareness meetings held in May

156 total CiC coordination meeting conducted

13 protection cases referred in May

We support more than 165,000 people in seven camps with site management support focusing on eight key areas - support to government officials in charge of camps; community governance and participation mechanisms; protection mainstreaming; care and maintenance; information management; emergency preparedness and response; relocations; and capacity building.

We provide technical and life skill trainings that enhance confidence, and increase capacities and opportunities. Trainings on homestead gardening were completed, with vegetable seeds, tools, manure and stationeries distributed among the participants during the training period.With support from WFP, BRAC provides general food assistance (GFA) to the refugee population through a combination of in-kind and E-voucher modalities of food assistance.


Nutrition

37,791

supplementary food delivered to pregnant and lactating women via the blanket supplementary feeding programme

9,625

children, pregnant and lactating women reached with supplementary food in the targeted supplementary feeding programme

We provide knowledge and nutrition supplements for women and children in the camps through a community-based approach. Members of the community are engaged in awareness sessions to improve their understanding about the importance of nutrition, their nutrition sources and how to preserve nutrition during cooking processes. They are then provided with supplements as needed. Our nutrition projects has been postponed from February 2020. New projects will start after the current health emergency is resolved. Data has been provided till January.

Ayesha Abed Foundation

We provide training to women from the Rohingya camps and host communities on artisanal skills through sub-centres and a production centre in Cox’s Bazar. The trainees receive a monthly stipend. After graduation they get the opportunity to join AAF on a longer-term basis to support themselves and their families.

319 trainees enrolled from camps

437 trainees enrolled from host communities

177 trainees enrolled in main production centre

562.32MT food assistance-in-kind distributed in May

6,668households reached through in-kind support in May

23,405households reached through e-voucher outlets in May







PROGRAMME DIRECTORSajedul [email protected] +88 02 9881265 Ext 3530

AREA DIRECTORHasina [email protected]+88 017-13036185

COMMUNICATIONQuazi Mustafizur Rahman

[email protected]+88 017-38937985

PROFILE ON THE GROUND

2,426 staff providing critical services in camps and host communities

5,651 volunteers from both host and Rohingya communities

46% of BRAC HCMP staff are women

mailto:[email protected]



humanitarian crisis inaugurated the 144-bed sari-itc on...

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