We are providing urgent aid to families and individuals who have been displaced as a result of conflict in the Cabo Delgado region of  Mozambique.

Partnering with ADPP Mozambique and joining forces with Action Aid Mozambique, we have received £280,000 from the START Fund to deliver this humanitarian intervention.

Since late 2017, the northern province of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique has faced ongoing conflict with Islamic militant insurgency, often targeting civilians, with the intent of creating an Islamic state in the natural gas rich province.

Access and humanitarian operations in the region has remained a challenge since this insurgency, with the humanitarian situation remaining acute, especially following the impact of Cyclone Kenneth in April 2019, leaving 374,000 people in need, of whom an estimated 200,000 are still living in destroyed, damaged homes or makeshift shelters.

Since March 2020, there has been an upsurge in attacks, with thouands now fleeing their homes and seeking sanctuary is more stable areas of the region.

With no formal resettlement centres in the districts of Montepuez (20,393 displaced people) and Chiure (3,264 displaced people) most of these displaced people are either living with friends, family, charitable host community members (some are hosting multiple families) or in makeshift shelters.

Furthermore, there is no consistent food available, making food security a key concern. This overcrowding and lack of provisions are especially concerning given that Cabo Delgado has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the country and is currently experiencing a Cholera outbreak.

Our response is aiming to reach approximately 3,000 households or 18,000 individuals (80% of the newly displaced people in the two targeted districts) including host communities that are hosting new arrivals due to the lack of established reception centres.

World Jewish Relief is co-ordinating the humanitarian response, and through our partnerships, we will be responding in the following ways:

• Immediate food needs (World Jewish Relief/ADPP)

Every beneficiary household will receive one package consisting of;

25 kg rice, 50kg maize flour, 5kg beans, 2l oil, 1kg salt, 2 kg sugar, 25 kg rice, 50kg maize flour, 5kg beans, 2l oil, 1kg salt, 2 kg sugar

• Medium-term food security and livelihoods (World Jewish Relief/ADPP)

Agriculture input; 1 hoe, 2 kg of maize seeds and 5 packages of horticulture seeds (a selection of kale, cabbage, tomato, onion, lettuce, cucumber); this will allow the most vulnerable households to plant their own food and not rely solely on aid once the distributed food is exhausted.

• Awareness raising and prevention of Covid-19 (ActionAid & World Jewish Relief/ADPP)

Due to the heightened risk caused by Covid-19 outbreaks within the region along with the particular vulnerability of the displaced people, we will be ensuring all aspects of the activities are done following correct protocol (training of staff, provision of PPE, enforcing social distancing at all activities) along with awareness raising for the affected populations. This will involve the printing of leaflets and distributing of them along with other items, as well as, mass sensitisation campaigns at distribution points.

• Distribution of essential shelter items (ActionAid)

Local government are not currently permitting the construction of settlement centres and are not wanting tents to be distributed until they have formed a plan. To respond to the shelter needs in-accordance with local government, we are therefore including the distribution of mats, blankets, mosquito nets, and torches into the dignity kits listed above.

• WASH needs for families, prioritising women and girls (ActionAid)

This will involve the distribution of (a) dignity kits which will consist of capulana (Mozambican wrap-around dress/skirt), toothpaste, toothbrush, sanitary pads, and underwear and (b) hygiene kits which will consist of bucket, certeza (water treatment product), and soap.

• Prevention of Gender Based Violence (GBV) risks and protection concerns (ActionAid)

Due to the heightened risk of GBV caused by the extensive and unmanaged displacement, we will train of 60 community activists on gender-based violence issues, including a referral systems to protect, defend and report cases in both districts. In addition, at all distributions and activities, we will be distributing leaflets and conducting mass sensitization campaigns to highlight the risks of GBV, how to protect oneself, and how to report/respond to incidents.

We are not launching a wider appeal at this stage. You can support our emergency work by donating a one-off sum or signing up for a monthly direct debit to our Disaster Fund.

The START Fund provides rapid financing for off-the-radar emergencies and to fill critical gaps in humanitarian financing. The multi-donor pooled fund, supported by the British, Irish, Dutch, and Belgium governments and the European Commission, is managed by Humanitarian NGOs delivering the fastest-collectively-owned, early response mechanism in the world. World Jewish Relief have been members since 2016.