Nepal faced a severe incessant rainfall affecting 32 districts with floods and landslides. As per the information by Ministry of Home Affairs, around 385,000 people were affected. More than 13,000 households were reported displaced, 117 people lost their lives, 38 people missing and 80 people were injured.
Oxfam in Nepal with support from partner organization started its response immediately in Rautahat and Sarlahi, two of the severely affected districts. Building on Oxfam’s Humanitarian commitment, this response is being delivered ensuring four major components, Shelter, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), (Emergency Food Security Vulnerable Livelihood (EFSVL) and Gender and Protection. Ready to eat food items such as bitten rice, noodles and dry foods were immediately distributed to 450 households in Rautahat with support from Oxfam’s partner organization Rural Development Centre (RDC). Various relief items were gradually distributed in Rautahat and Sarlahi, amongst which included 1,410 food baskets, 900 hygiene kits, 887 tarpaulins, 900 buckets, 900 mugs.
Nepal monsoon response has been divided into three phases; During the first phase, rubber boats and trained task force were mobilized for life search and rescue, and ready to eat food items were distributed from the emergency fund already allocated to the Oxfam’s partner. Progressively, Oxfam took the role of District Lead Support Agency and facilitate coordination amongst humanitarian agencies with District Disaster Management Committee to follow ‘One Door Policy’ benefitting maximum number of affected community people in Rautahat. Oxfam supported WASH cluster as co-lead in reporting to the national cluster, Similarly, Integrated Rapid Assessment (IRA) is being carried out and early recovery intervention will be designed based on the assessment.
Oxfam aims to ensure transparency, accountability, post distribution monitoring and multi stakeholder feedback and administer complain mechanisms while reaching 18,000 households in the period of 12 months.
Lastly, we would like to thank all the team members involved in this response for working whole heartedly to support affected communities.