Highlights
A digital literacy initiative in partnership with Open Learning Exchange Nepal was launched in Baitadi, raising the total number of districts covered by the One Laptop per Child programme.
WFP continues to prepare its latest Special Operation for Emergency Logistics Preparedness to be launched at the beginning of November 2016. The Special Operation will build on the successes of WFP’s logistics operation during the earthquake and emergency WFP Nepal preparedness measures.
WFP Assistance
The Country Programme (CP) supports the Government of Nepal in enhancing the food and nutrition security of vulnerable communities and increasing resilience to disasters. The CP covers four areas:
Livelihoods creation provides seasonal employment and livelihood training, rehabilitation of rural roads and trails, irrigation channels and other community assets.
Under the livelihood creation programme, WFP implements the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women in Nepal Joint Programme, a five-year initiative that promotes the empowerment of rural women through livelihood activities.
Education support is provided to the Ministry of Education to achieve holistic approaches to student well-being by improving nutritional intake through school meals. In addition, to help increasing knowledge related to nutrition.
Nutrition support is provided to the Ministry of Health to prevent chronic malnutrition among pregnant women, nursing mothers and children aged 6 to 23 months.
Capacity development includes Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM), the Government’s Food Security Monitoring System (NeKSAP) and Emergency Preparedness Response.
The Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) 200875 transitions from the Emergency Operation (EMOP) 200668 and will support vulnerable earthquake-affected populations in Gorkha, Nuwakot, and Dhading.
This PRRO 200787 continues to support refugees from Bhutan through food assistance. WFP further supports the refugees with a Reclamation Gardening Programme, wherein the population are supported with vegetable seeds, saplings, manure, gardening equipment and trainings.
Operational Updates
The school meals programme completed Phase I of the School Infrastructure Project in Bajhang. Over 1,500 students in 20 schools will benefit from newly constructed water system, latrine and kitchens.
WFP and the Department of Education signed a memorandum of understanding for two Pilot Studies: School Meals Modality and Nutrition Sensitive Literacy. Input for school meals, including cash transfer to schools, will be provided by the Department of Education, allowing WFP to invest in capacity development activities focused on the efficiency and efficacy of the school meals programme.
VAM’s collaborative work on crop forecasting with the CGIAR research programme on climate change, agriculture and food security was highlighted at the Climate Smart Villages global meeting in Kathmandu.
The IR-EMOP Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) finished in August 2016. The implementation of MCHN and Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) started on 7 September and will conclude in January 2017 in six drought-affected districts including Bajura. The MCHN programme provided supplementary feeding to children aged 6-23 months while the FFA activities involved adult populations in Kalikot and Bajura districts, covering 6,000 drought-affected households.
The logistics team continues to serve the humanitarian community through its bilateral logistics service provision. The services include secured storage, transportation, office space, and general logistics services from two of WFP’s logistics hubs, the Humanitarian Staging Area and its hub in Gorkha. The provision has been envisioned to create a platform to keep critical emergency response platforms open. To date, WFP is serving two partners (UNICEF and WHO) and handling 911 cubic metres of cargo.
The PRRO 200787 continues to support the refugee population with needs-based assistance. Distribution of salt for the vulnerable and micronutrient powder for children will be halted when there is no more available salt in early 2017. WFP continues to seek funding for PRRO 200787 to ensure the food needs of the refugee population are addressed.