INTER-AGENCY RAPID NEEDS ASSESSMENT REPORT: Wadi Salih locality :Umkher and Dolodio 15th- 17th September 2019

This Report is a product of Inter-Agency Assessment mission conducted and information compiled based on the

inputs provided by partners on the ground including; government authorities, affected communities/IDPs and

agencies.

Stagnant water pond in Umkher town.

Background

On 16th September 2019An inter-agency (I-A) team co-led by OCHA and HAC visited Umkher town - Wadi Salih locality, central Darfur (N 12,319367 ; E 22,743983 ). The objective of the mission is to assess the humanitarian needs of affected people by floods in the above-mentioned locality. On 17th September the team assessed the needs of affected people by fire incidence in Dolodio village is located at: N:12.52988° & E:23.154.

The mission has been planned based on reports received from HAC state level that

770 HH were affected by flood in Umkher town in Wadi Salih locality and 46 HH in

Dalodio village in Garsila locality.

Umkher Town

Umkher town is the capital of Umkher administrative unit about 83K West Garsila .

The town is surrounded by two ponds; where 75% of the town’s houses are built in

the middle of the ponds. Therefore, during the rainy season, the two ponds filled by

water and impacted houses located between the two ponds.

In addition to the risk of affected by flood due to the location of houses; Umkher

town suffered from frequent prevalence of watery Diarrhea in September.

Nevertheless, no cases were reported in health facility this year. However the risk

remains very high as the rain season continue and due to the poor sanitation status

in the area.

Between July and October (the raining season) the road to Garsila and umkher is

very difficult to access because low lands and small streams are crossing the areas.

Access is impacted also by the security situation which is remain tense and

unpredictable.

Three humanitarian partners are operating in Umkher town, CRS who are conducting

general food distribution, IMC who are working in health and nutrition. IMC will exit

in October 2019.

HAC State and locality were very cooperative in facilitating this mission, the team

visited the targeted area without any obstruction. The communities and local

authorities were also cooperative and allowed the assessment team to work without

interference

Mission Participants:

The Assessment team has been comprised of HAC, OCHA, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP,

NCA and SC. DRC and IMC joined the mission from Garlisa.

Main objectives of the mission:

• To assess the hazard of the flood in the areas.

• To conduct humanitarian needs of affected people by flood and fire.

Methodology

semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with administrative

authorities and traditional community leader and with affected population

including women and men.

Direct observation was also used as assessment methodology. Then the team

divided into sectors to gather information on their respective sectors. After

gathering the information, the team used debriefing sessions to cross check

information.

The findings are based on information collected during group discussions held with

local authorities, community leaders, affected individuals including women and

men, household visits and team observations.

Key findings:

• According to the community leaders’ and local authorities, the total size of

households in Umkher is 2,21 HH, out of them 771 HH were affected by floods.

The population are mixed of host community and displaced people. ( source of

information is local authorities).

• The main livelihood practices in the area are farming, animal husbandry and

firewood collection

• Critical needs are reported in all sectors with WASH and health being the

priorities. Sanitation needs to be addressed immediately to avert a major

health crisis as the water still stagnant all over the areas and the rainy season

continue. The water is enough in term of quantity but it does not meet the

standard in term of quality no water chlorination campaign has been observed

or reported. In addition, periodic biological test is not taking place.

Sectors Findings

Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL)

Key findings

• Affected house hold lost their property including food items.

• Scarcity and high prices of food items in local market in Um Khair because the road is in bad condition in rainy season affected the. In addition, accessibility to other surrounding markets is interrupted during the rainy season including Garsila market, which is the main market for people in Um kher.

• Low variety of food items, sacristy of vegetables in local market has been observed.

• The cultivated areas in Um Khair this has been decreased in comparison with last year due to the insecurity in the beginning of the year.

• Farmers complained from the spread of locust which is affecting their crops.

• Livestock is affected by flash flood and heavy rains: 10 goats died.

• Traditional local labors had no accessibility to their work stations because of flash flood and heavy rain.

Recommendations:

• Increasing food rations that provided through general food distribution by

WFP-CRS partnership for affected people.

• Rehabilitation of road network for better linkage of the affected areas with

the surrounding areas to increase access to other markets.

• Distribution of cultivation and protection seeds for rainy and winter

season, including vegetable, sorghum, millet and groundnuts.

• Training of agriculture and livestock restocking for the farmers.

• Restocking of livestock for the affected people.

• Provision of IGAs/microfinance projects for affected people.

WASH

Key findings

• Most of the population has no access to clean safe water. 16 out of 20

hand pumps have been broken down. Majority of the population are

relying on nearby seasonal streams for their water consumption which

is contaminated.

• The two solar pumping systems are not functioning. One of them has

been implemented by NCA; which, its invertor was stolen. The

second one was implemented by WES. Its 12 solar panels were

stolen.

• Although NCA provided spare part out let shop for hand pump spare

parts, to support water committee, the prices of spare parts are

expensive and non-affordable.

• The community has trained hand pump mechanics, but the prices of

spare parts are non-affordable (2,000SDG/hand pump pipe). 4 tap-

stand which were run by a big masonry tank is no longer functioning.

The tank was filled up by solar-powered submersible pump. Criminals

stole some solar panels resulting in paralyzing the system.

• There is no adequate water supply at schools. Two schools share one

hand pump while the third one has a tank filled from other sources.

• The environmental sanitation is very poor. Several household latrines

have been flooded. As a result, 211 HHs have lost access to latrines

and currently practice open defecation in home yards and bushes. All

the schools have permanent latrines apart from the girl’s school which

has one latrine block collapsed and it constitutes high risk for safety

and health of students.

• The soil is prone to water logging. With initiative from locality and

support from actors, the community-built embankments to block 2

streams and prevent water flow into the town. This protected the

village from floods during past years. But the late productive rains

eroded these embankments partially, leading to water flow into the

town and destruction of houses. The flood also has affected the area

around the health post making access to it so difficult for facility

visitors.

• No solid waste management system is in place. Only the medical waste

is well managed and incinerated for final disposal on site. In the

community, piles of solid waste were observed dumped in streets and

ponds. Similarly, food remains, and bones are discarded and scattered

in the market area.

• No vector control measures are currently applied in the community.

There is a big pond with stagnant water and aquatic weeds extending

widely through the middle section of residential area-providing a

breeding ground for vector.

• Although there is hygiene promotion committee, no hygiene

promotion activities as most of households have no hygiene items

such as soap, Jerrycans and other water use items. No hand washing

stations noticed anywhere with exception to the health facilities.

• Weakness of water committee and lack of ownership for water

facilities .

Recommendations

• Enhance Commitment of the community to return the tools that have

been stolen from solar power stations.

• Strengthen of water committee and advocacy for ownership of water

facilities.

• Rehabilitation of water network in the town (water distribution points,

pipelines and re-installation of existing water tanks)

• Provision of 1,500 PE pipe 2 inches for water network.

• Improvement of access to water by rehabilitation of non-functioning

water points.

• Provision of chlorine tablet 33mg for water treatment.

• Enhanced protection by supplying the affected households with NFIs;

sleeping mats, plastic sheets, mosquito bed nets, blankets and water

containerProvision of cleaning tools for waste management

• Support vulnerable families with hygiene kits

• Encourage community for Cost recovery contribution for water source

management.

• Refresher training to the hand pump mechanics

• Improvement of drainage by removal of stagnant water and burial of

ponds.and rehabilitation of existing dam

• Provision of health and hygiene promotion activities by activating

hygiene committee.

Education

The community has reported that the education situation in the area is devastated,

where some basic schools (latrines, classrooms) were affected by the flood. The

community reported also that no education supply has been provided in the

nearest past years. In addition to that, there is a high number of out of school

children (particularly girls). Team has managed to visit two basic schools

(girls/boys) in the affected areas and the findings as follows:

• Boys basic school has 8 classrooms (5 permanent/ 3 temporary), some

classrooms were affected (roofs, walls).

• One latrine was destroyed (has fallen), and the other two blocks of latrines

have been damaged (un-functioning) and cannot be used by the pupils for

its risky.

• There are 11 teachers (9 permanent).

• Girls school has 8 permeant classrooms, some classrooms were affected

(roofs, walls).

• One block of the latrine was destroyed (the hole has fallen). However, there

is a functional latrine in another block that can be used.

• There are 7 permeant teachers.

• Un-functional water source (there is a hand pump near to both schools, but

it’s not functioning).

• Lack of learning and teaching materials.

• Despite the risky condition of the schools’ environment, the children are

accessing education as the schools have reopened (schools are classified as

group B).

Recommendations

• Rehabilitation of the affected classrooms

• Maintenance of the connected hand pump.

• Latrines construction (all the affected latrines cannot be rehabilitated)

• Provision of education supply (teaching, learning, and recreational

materials).

• Education in Emergency (EiE) training for teachers and parents and

teachers’ association Conduct enrolment campaigns to enroll Out of School

Children.

Health

Key findings:

• Currently IMC is running the PHC in Umkher, which will pull out on 31

October.

• The PHC runs by one medical assistant, eight community health workers,

13 midwifes, seven nuitrionist and one storekeeper.

• The most common diseases are malaria, bilharzia and eye infection due to

the lack of vector control activities

• The health facilities lack essential drugs including malaria and drugs for

under 5 children.

• No referral system in place and no ambulance to evacuate serious and

urgent cases. The road to Garsila in rainy season is very difficult.

• No trained medical doctor or lab technician.

• The PHC lack equipment for small operations.

• Weak and not effective antenatal and postnatal services. Lack of

reproductive drugs.

• The midwifery kits need to be checked and replaced. 70 patients in

average are visiting the clinic daily. The number increase during the local

market days and reach to more than 100 people.

Recommendation:

• Deployment of technical staff, medical doctor, lab technician.

• Provision of ambulance to enable emergency cases evacuation.

• Strengthen of reproductive health components, including replacement of

midwifery kits.

• Implementation of integrated vector control activities.

• Provision of essential drugs and under 5 drugs.

• SMOH to look for alternative health partner who take over the

responsibilities of IMC to run the clinic

Nutrition:

Key findings:

• Umkher PHC runs by IMC provides outpatient Therapeutic care program

(OTP) and Treatment supplementary feeding program (TSFP). Severe cases

with medical complication refer to Garsila hospital.

• Currently 162 cases registered in OTP.

• The nutrition section where the services provide is not suitable, the flour is

cracking, this can cause infection.

• Unsustainability of nutrition supplies provision in the clinic increase the

rate of defaulters.

• Lack of Integrated nutrition services with reproductive health care

programme to improve mothers and child health.

Recommendations:

• Rehabilitation of Nutrition section in PHC and strengthen of infection

prevention system.

• Sustainable provision of nutrition supplies.

• Conduct joint supportive supervision missions to monitor availability of

supplies.

• Capacity building of outreach workers.

• Conduct training on rational use of nutrition supplies for nutrition staff.

ES and NFIs:

Key findings:

• According to executive administrator, community leaders, and native

administration (Shartyi) of Um kheir administrative unit, on 6th & 11th

August, heavy flood happening because the town is surrounded by two

water ponds, which causing many problems to the people living there, such

as spread of diseases, and destroying of houses / farms, thus, the effect, is

Vary from shelter to another, because some affected partially, and some

completely, so that in details as following:

• 771 HH were affected by flood

• 62 HH out of these 771 HH, were completely damaged

• 211 HH and 1 basic Latrines damaged completely1.

Therefore, there an urgent need for NFIs distribution for those people, particularly

persons with special needs (PSNs). Most of the groups of concern are at risk due to

lack of NFIs. The Items needed are: Plastic sheets, Blanket, Sleeping mates; Cooking

sets; Jerry Cans; Sanitary kit and Mosquito nets

Recommendation:

• Distribution of NFI full standard package to all 771 affected household,

comprising of 1 plastic sheet, 1 kitchen set, 2 jerry can, 2 blankets and

2 sleeping mats, and 2 mosquito nets

Protection:

Key Findings:

• Security situation in Um kheir is reported to be tense. In July, one of

nomads has been killed, when he assaulted one the farmer in his farm

land. Since that time, the population of the area are paying about

2,900,000 SDG as blood money. The team realized the presence of

armed men riding motor-cycles, in & around all villages/ roads

surrounding Garsila town; which create fear and unsafety. As reported

by local community, such presence of armed men on motorcycle will

keep the possibility to commit crimes and escape immediately to

Fourbaranga town and then across border to Chad.

• There is a police post with low capacity in term of staffing (15) person,

in comparison with population 14,221 individuals, 221 HH. Recently

additional few military and police personnel were deployed to

maintain the security in the area but still not enough.

• On the other hand, in group discussion with women, reported GBV

cases by armed Arab tribes’ men, including harassments, beating, and

rape, when women carrying livelihood activities such as cultivation, or

firewood collection. The cases were not reported to police due to the

lack of information how to report, fear of retaliation and stigma. No

services for available for the victims and absence of UNFPA resulted to

huge gap, in provision of clinical management in the existing health

facilities in the area.

Recommendations.

• Increase police and military personnel, to be deployed in the area, to

improve security situation, as well as establishment of police post in

surrounding villages.

• The extension of the prestige of the state and the rule of law.

• Disarmament of nomads prevent the use motorcycle as other areas in

Darfur.

• Strengthen capacity of peaceful co-existence committee and

protection committee.

• Proper clinical management of rape, including referral pathway.

• Training of staff on SGBV in the clinical and deployment of trained

medical doctor.

• Awareness session on GBV and how to report to police.

• Distribution of Sanitary kits to women, and girls under reproductive

age.

Child protection

In general, no child protection service is provided for the children in Um-Kheir area,

while there seem to be serious child protection concerns. The affected community

has reported that, during the flood incidents, no children were physically affected.

• No presence for social workers at Um-Kheir area.

• There is a high number of out of school children (particularly girls).

• High risk of Gender-Based Violence, it is important to note that sexual

violence is largely going unchecked and unreported (where some women

were reported that there's exposure to family violence and sexual, physical

abuses in Um-Kheir area).

• No community-based child protection networks at Um-Kheir that can

support in addressing child protection concerns.

• No women and youth committees.

• No child-friendly space, or youth center.

• Lack of Birth registration as many children are not registered.

• Child marriage is an issue of high concern.

• The serious issue regarding child labor (this issue may lead to, emotional and physical abuses of children under 18 years)

• No justice system for children in the place (as there is no family and child protection unit

Recommendation

• Increasing food rations that provided through general food distribution by

WFP-CRS partnership for affected people.

• Rehabilitation of road network to better link the affected areas with the

surrounding areas to increase access to other markets.

• Distribution of cultivation and protection seeds for rainy and winter season

seeds, including vegetable, sorghum, millet and groundnuts for people

affected.

• Training of agriculture and livestock restocking for the farmers

• Restocking of livestock for the affected people.

• Provision of IGAs/microfinance projects for affected people

Dolodio village

Team meeting with community leaders in Dolodio villages

• The mission team departed Garsila on 17th September to Dolodio village to

assess the needs of the affected people fire incidence.

• Dolodio village located approximately 18 km East of Garsia town.

• Upon arrival the team met with local community leaders. The community

leaders informed that the total population of Dolodio village is 165 HH out

of them affected 53 HH by fire incidence. The reason of fire occurrence is

not identified yet. The village suffered from periodic fire incidence since

2016. The community requested investigation by the government on

causes of fire and they are ready to move to another place after the result

of investigation.

Key Findings:

• 53HH affected by fire, the fire continues daily, the number will increase

• The fire occurs during the day time for unknown reason.

• The affected population lost their properties including food item.

• No death reported among the population and their livestock.

• The village has one hand pump which is not functioning. People uses

untreated water from the WADI which is 7-8 km away from the village.

• The village has no schools or health facilities. The locals access these

facilities from Kolney village, however the health post provides only

nutrition services by IMC on weekly bases in market days. The distance

between the two village is approximately ½ km

• No health services in existing health post in Kolney. People travel to Garsila

for health services.

• No trained midwives in the villages, the delivery practiced by traditional

midwives.

Recommendations:

• Distribution of NFIS kits full packages to the affected household.

• Rehabilitation of existing handpump and provision of additional hand

pumps.

• Provision of primary health care services in the existing health post and

provision of ambulance to refer emergency cases.

• Training of midwives from the village.

• Provision of integrated WASH, Nutrition and Health services in kolney

health post.

• Food assistance for affected household.

Dabanga for food item storage brunt during the fire incidence

Mission participants:

NO

Sector Name Agency Phone number

Email Address

1 Coordination and common services

Zeinab Wahba

OCHA 091253282 wahbaz@un.org

2 Coordination and common services

Ehab Ahmed HAC 0968400041 N/A

3 Water Sanitation and hygiene

Mukhtar Idriss

NCA 0990982216 Mukhtar.Idriss.Abdulrasoul@nca.no

4 Water Sanitation and hygiene

Salma Abdalla

SCI 0930016242 Salma.abdalla@savethechildren.org

5 Water Sanitation and hygiene

Elsadiq Eltahir

DRC N/A Elsadiq.eltahir@drc.ngo

11

Health/Nutrition

Magdi IMC N/a N/A

12

Education Noha Adam Humida

UNICEF 09143367988

nahumida@unicef.org

13

Food security and livelihood

Abdulsahfi omer

CRS 0991662211 Abdulshafi.omer@crs.org

14

Food security

Noureldin Arbab

CRS 00928777495

Noueldin.arbab@crs.org

and livelihood

15

Food security and livelihoods

Hassan Adam

SMOA Hssan9223342gmail.com

16

Food Security and livelihoods

Mukhtar Haron

SRCs O126508347 N/A

Protection Ikhlas Ali Hamid

UNHCR 091635353297

hameda@unhhcr.org

Children protection

Noha Adam Humida

UNICEF 09143467988

nahumida@unicef.org

17

Emergency shelter and non-food items.

Ikhlas Ali Hamid

UNHCR 091635353297

hameda@unhhcr.org