IDR Newsletter (Winter) – Iraqi Mission
1. In-kind assistance project in Kurdistan successfully finalised
On 31 December 2017, PAH finalised the first module of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs project in Iraq. The “Polish Team for Relief Assistance in Kurdistan” project started on 1 July 2017. The objective was to provide food and hygiene assistance to Internally Displaced People from Mosul and Nineveh Governorate, local people of Irbil, new Internally Displaced People, mostly of Kurdish origins, and to Syrian refugees living outside the refugee camps.
PAH began delivering in-kind assistance in Irbil by conducting a needs assessment and registering the beneficiaries. To understand the type and scope of humanitarian needs, PAH’s staff consulted the representatives of Irbil local government and community. This was followed by interviewing families; those who met the required criteria were selected as beneficiaries of the project.
A further step was to maintain supplies for the emergency assistance. To proceed with the project, PAH required a warehouse to store packages with aid supplies. The call for tender was granted to Jeni Hawler Company. The counterparty was responsible for buying the packages, storing them in the warehouse, proper labelling and distribution to the beneficiaries.
The main part of the project involved delivering aid packaged to the beneficiaries in Khabat, Daratwo, Soran and Qushtapa. All the beneficiaries were informed about the location, time and aid provided. PAH staff members emphasised that distributed aid packages were free of charge. The beneficiaries were asked to share their experience and provide feedback. At the time of the distribution, PAH marked the site, controlled the crowd and, where possible, provided sun shelter and toilets for the beneficiaries.
The final part of the project involved monitoring and promotion. PAH staff phoned a randomly selected group of beneficiaries to find out more about the level of satisfaction, the quality of distribution and usability of the received products. The success of the project and support of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs was acknowledged during cluster meetings with other humanitarian organisations and in social media.
2. Beginning the new year by launching a cash-based assistance project
In-kind assistance project in Kurdistan revealed that there is a great need for cash-based assistance. The beneficiaries were provided with food and hygienic assistance, though the actual needs differed. The local market is established, which gives the beneficiaries the possibility to choose the goods and services they really need. As a result, PAH anticipates providing cash-based assistance, as well as in-kind assistance.