New field offices opened in Yemen (Harradh District), Somalia (Dhobley, Dollo and Baidoa) and Ethiopia (Gambella Region) as well as new operations launched in Eritrea aimed to strengthen NRC’s response to displacement of persons by providing sustainable solutions to the problems that they face. Challenges linked to insecurity and weak capacity among local humanitarian networks continued to present barriers to effective delivery of life-saving services and durable solutions.
In a move to position the organisation more strategically in terms of accessing displaced and vulnerable people, NRC formed a partnership with the African Union through a Memorandum of Understanding and established a formal process aimed at building alliances and a common direction with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
In Ethiopia, NRC assisted a total of 81,950 women, men and children living in Dollo Ado, Tigray, Benishangul-Gumuz and Gambella regions. 75,510 people received shelter assistance, 4,833 benefitted from education programmes and 1,607 quenched their thirst and lived in more dignified situations through water provision, sanitation and hygiene promotion services.
In Somalia, NRC expanded its operations to Baidoa, Dollo and Dhobley in South Central both as a strategy to reach new IDPs and a way to offer assistance and livelihood support to returnees. A total of 420,000 beneficiaries were assisted through the dedicated efforts of 268 national staff and a budget of USD 33.64 million.
In Kenya, 417,957 people benefitted directly from NRC humanitarian action mostly in Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps. NRC also concluded its work in Molo and Borabu where thousands of people affected by Kenya’s Post-Election Violence received shelter and livelihood support.
In Yemen, response to internally displaced persons in the north and south necessitated introduction as well as expansion of core competencies such as education and food security and livelihood assistance in order to add value to the lives of returnees as well as strengthen resilience of those still in IDP camps.
In Djibouti, a new strategic field office was opened in Ali Sabieh where NRC was able to bring humanitarian assistance directly to refugees living in Ali Addeh and Holl-Holl refugee camps.
NRC launched a light footprint programme in Eritrea in October 2013 supporting quality education through solar power installation targeting 6 rural schools in Anseba, Central, Gash Barka, Northern, Southern Red Sea and Southern zones
“Our commitment to our mission to provide assistance, protection and durable solutions to refugees and internally displaced persons continues to give NRC the recognition that it deserves in the Horn of Africa and Yemen region. This helps us to build functional partnerships with key stakeholders in the advancement of our humanitarian goal”, says Hassan Khaire, Regional Director for NRC in the Horn of Africa.
