IDP Revised Plan for 2020

Integrated Development Programme- Haor and Indigenous Peoples in Plain Land

June 23, 2020, Dhaka

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 Background of Contingency plan

 Priorities and efforts shifted towards COVID- 19 prevention and response after 26th
March’2020 by stopping mass gathering, group meetings, schooling activities etc

 IDP different platforms/ groups/channels are engaged for COVID-19 public

awareness

 It also engaged to implement BRAC initiated COVID-19 responses

 IDP revised its AOP and developed a multi-tier contingency plan considering different
scenario (partial lock-down, total lock-down, till June, till-September) as per PRL
guidance

 IDP budget is revised and repurposed to tackle COVID 19 pandemic in the community
by omitting activities that require mass gathering .

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COVID 19 Response Achievements in IDP areas ( Haor & IP) during March-April‘2020

 COVID-19 awareness messages reached 561,500 population in IDP areas ( both in Haor and IP).
Hand washing points established at all IDP Field Offices and Delivery centers.

 21,100 HHs (haor & IP) received cash support (BDT 1500 each) from BRAC.

 IDP linked additional 21,108 HHs with other sources of support either cash,/food /others (GOB
Support-16,545 HHs, Other Sources - 4,563 HHs)

 # 13,624 new bKash wallet opened for VDO members ,SK, SS, UPG members in Haor and IP for
smooth and transparent transaction. (till to date)

 Special campaign to prevent COVID -19 transmission of BORO harvesters/community carried

out in Haor and other Upazillas ( 120 Uzs) through disseminating awareness messages (by miking
, local dish cables and 16 community radios),setting hand washing points and temperature
screening.
 Campaign achieved ZERO infection during harvesting, and 100% harvesting completed on time.

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COVID-19 Response Achievements in IDP areas ( Haor & IP ) during March-April’2020

• Online training organized on COVID 19

awareness for all IDP field staff ( 544) and Online Training
provided Mask, gloves and sanitizer for safety
600

• Digital Communication skill training 544

500
conducted ( Mobile Photography &
Videography and Storytelling) for selected 400 Staff
staffs ( 148 staff).
300
• Database developed of 133,000 HHs of VDO
and other associated stakeholders (DSG, 200

teachers, LSP, SK, SS); 74 69

100

• Developed virtual monitoring system

0
through phone calls, apps to capture field COVID-19 Digital Photo &
data/validate information and update reports Awareness Channels Videography

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Rapid Assessment of COVID-19 effects on livelihoods, health, gender dynamics and
programme support in Haor and IP areas in Plain lands.
The study carried out during 10-15 May (on April data ) with 562 sample both in Haor and
Indigenous Peoples in Plain Lands.

99% respondents received COVID 19 awareness message from BRAC. Miking was popular and
useful medium for most of the people to get the messages.

86% respondents said they lost their daily income and 80 % HHs faced food crisis during last
month –April ( 87% in Haor and IP 90%)

38% families take 2 meals a day (who used to take 3 meals ) and 62 families three meals as a
coping strategy

38% respondents said school going children now studying at home, 35% said they are spending
leisure time and rest are assisting their parents in HH work

44% respondents said that women’s HH workload increased due to lockdown and while all
members are at home.,
Overall 79% delivery took place at home due to lock down and 21% at institutions. Delivery by
Skilled Birth Attendants decreased by 17% from normal period.
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Activities with new modalities (May & onwards, 2020)

Community mobilization and Gender

• POs facilitate sessions with leaders in small groups (4-6 members). Leaders, then disseminate
the information & action points with other VDO members within a week.

• Field visit checklist for POs is revised and as per revised checklist , PO follows up with VDO
leaders through small group meeting/ one-to-one visit / phone call to review VDO actions . Focus is
given on COVID-19 awareness , health, hygiene, and ensuring food security etc.

• VDO leaders supported to identify food insecure HHs for cash support by BRAC and Govt.

• Field staff and VDO leaders maintain close collaboration with local government (LGI, UDMC, UP,
UNO, Upazila health complex) for coordination and assisting to access support for vulnerable
people and COVID 19 responses.

• #169 VAWC incidents are addressed by VDO leaders and ensured support to the survivors
through phone calls and by linking them with relevant stakeholders from Ups/UZs and law enforcing
agencies

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Activities with new modalities (May & onwards, 2020) (cont..)

HNPP and WASH

SKs received refreshers by Sector Specialists through small group (4-6 members) and
by conference call. SKs trained all SSs.

Trained SS and SKs providing door to door services on awareness, hand washing,
social distancing and usage of masks following the special guideline for COVID 19.

SK and SS identified #28 suspected COVID patient (as of May) in 4 haor upazilas and
suggested next course of actions as per HNPP guideline.

ANC & PNC services and educations are continuing by maintaining social distance and
without touching . Pregnant and postpartum mothers received health education by
phone calls with SKs.

During the period, #207 deliveries took place in the delivery centers. All 10 delivery
centers received PPEs and orientation; and Paramedics provide services by wearing
alternative set of PPEs.

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Activities with new modalities (May & onwards, 2020) (cont…)
Ultra Poor Graduation (UPG):

• UPG members followed up over phone or HH visit to ensure timely achievement

of graduation indicators. 70% were covered through direct HH visit and rest 30% of
HHs were followed-up over phone.
• Initiated the asset transfer to UPG members through mobilizing vendors at
local level instead of purchasing from cattle market.

Livelihood and Climate Change:

• 4,950 homestead gardening completed through motivation for ensuring nutrition

and food security through frequent phone follow-up by PO & Local Service Providers
.
• During COVID 19 situation, #1020 livestock vaccinated and # 898 AI support
provided through door step support by PLEW instead of arranging campaign.
• The LSPs are providing telemedicine support for livestock diseases over phone call
with guidance of POs and sector specialists

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Activities with new modalities (May& onwards, 2020) (cont..)

Education

98% (# 7591) • Trainers and sector specialists oriented teachers to continue

students are the lessons with students at household level and through
covered through
HH level teaching conference call in alignment with BEP.
• Lessons delivered with 6 students (class I-V) by assigned
teacher moving one house to another in a day.
93% (# 878) • Teachers delivered special lessons for Class V students on
students of class-
V reached
Mathematics, Science and English. Per day 3 groups (3-4
through students/group) covered through 20 mins conference call
conference call
each.

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 Activities with new modalities (May & onwards, 2020) ( cont…)

BDT 35.38
lac savings
returned (728
HHs by
bKash

BDT 6.23 BDT 83.46

crore loan lac savings
realized by deposited by
21,621 16,402
POs follow-up with borrowers members
entrepreneurs through Microfinance
phone call (60%) and HH
visits (40%).

Bkash
wallet open BDT 9.28
target 50% crore loan
by June, 70- disbursed to
80% by 2,420
Borrowers
Dec’2020

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Activities implemented in new area: Ajmiriganj (April & onwards, 2020)

• Formed 240 Village Development Organization

through small group consultations (4-6 participants)
by engaging existing Pallisamaj (PS) & VOs.

• Identified 400 new UPG members by door-to-door

visit and consultations with existing VOs and PS .
Conducted UPG training in small groups with 6-8
participants.

• Recruited 10 SKs and 100 SS for essential health

and mother care support to the community.

• To open 20 pre-primary schools, spot selection and teachers’ basic training is completed( in 3
groups) . From July’20, household schooling will start considering the local COVID 19 situation. .

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Challenges Faced…

Digital communication, conference call and managing operation was difficult due to
weak network connection, limited electricity, unavailability of mobile phone by
participants / students) in haor and IP

Teachers door to door visit to individual student requires time, hence syllabus
might not be completed for all the students.

Proper ANC,PNC support to mothers is affected due to avoiding touch.

Due to lack of proper PRA methodology to avoid gathering, community

consultation and engagement has been affected.

Physical field verification/spot check is limited towards ensuring quality of new way of
working /new initiatives due to COVID-19 situation and restrictions.

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 Lessons learnt

VDO leaders active engagement and ownership played important role for creating mass awareness at
community level.

Staff equipped to utilise digital channels to implement programme activities saving cost and travelling
time, considering the weak communication facility in Haor context.

Digital transactions ensured transparency and minimized potential risks of misappropriation and health
hazards .

COVID-19 and health awareness messages in IP language (Santali & Sadri) helped in creating better
understanding among IP communities.

Due to pandemic food insecurity and income vulnerability has increased in hard to reach areas; less
vulnerable and non-poor have moved to poor categories, so the expected service delivery targets may
go up.

A study on livelihood security might be helpful to better understand the impact of COVID 19 pandemic in
haor context and IP areas.

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Thank You

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