Innovative Approaches to NFIs from DRC
Shelter Centre Meeting – Geneva, Friday October 10th 2014
Giulia Frontini – Catholic Relief Services
Faith. Action. Results.
1
ToC
1. Context
2. Cash based assistance
3. Integration of ICT4D
4. Q & A
Faith. Action. Results.
2
Context
OCHA (July 2014) DR
Congo: Humanitarian
Snapshot:
• 2.6 mil IDPs
• 13,000 Angolan
returnees &
185,000 Rep. of
Congo returnees
• 117,907 Refugees
High, varied
humanitarian needs
Eastern DRC remains highly volatile. The south
of Irumu Territory in Province Orientale, Masisi
in North Kivu and the "triangle of death" in
Katanga - are pockets of insecurity where
attacks, clashes and other armed incidents
threaten the lines of civilians, continuously
pushing thousands of people to flee for safety.
Faith. Action. Results.
NFI Trends (DRC)
From distribution to voucher fairs
• 2008 : Pilots of Fairs (CRS,UNICEF and others)
• 2013: 127,658 HHs (640,000 individuals) = $10.8 million - all actors
• 2014: Assistance delivered: Voucher Fairs (64%) & Distribution (36%) – all actors
CRS’ NFI programming
• DRC, CAR, Burundi, Turkey (Syria Response), etc.
• Project Name: Displaced and Returnee Populations Invite Recovery in Eastern
DRC
Donors: USAID (OFDA & FFP)
Scope: Non-Food-Item, Food Assistance, Cash-for-Work
Project duration: 1 year (27 May 2014 – 26 May 2015)
Direct beneficiaries: 27,300 HHs (163,800 individuals)
Zone of intervention: 4 provinces (North & South Kivu, Katanga, Maniema)
Large scale innovation (modality, ICT4D, sectorial synergies,
etc.) to improve the quality and pertinence of NFI assistance
Faith. Action. Results.
DRIVE: Modality Response Tree
Humanitarian Crisis
& Needs Assessment
Strong needs, context & market
assessments allow for a more
tailored response to identified
needs on the ground
Feasibility Study
& Market Study
1
2
3
Direct
Distribution
Cash Based Assistance
(Voucher Affairs)
Mixed
Modality
Faith. Action. Results.
Fair Methodology
PRIOR
DURING
AFTER
NFI Vendor Identification &
Registration (tenders, contracts, etc.)
Voucher Count
Vendor Payment
Needs Assessment to identify
beneficiary’s NFI needs
Vendor Registration
Vendor Exit Survey
Fair Preparation
Vendor Stock Verification
(before and after fairs)
Beneficiary Post
Fair Monitoring
Market Assessment
& Price Monitoring
Voucher Distributed
to Beneficiaries
Market price Monitoring
Onsite monitoring (price, beneficiaries
and vendors)
Faith. Action. Results.
NFI Fairs: the added value
Advantages/Opportunities:
• Increased choice & diversity for beneficiaries (distributions & local
markets) placing beneficiaries at the center of assistance
• More tailored response (increased utilization and retention rate)
• Cost effectiveness
• Decreased logistical costs
• Preserving dignity & empowering HHs (high beneficiary satisfaction)
• Stimulation of local market structure
• Provides access to less traditional NFIs (clothing, shoes, etc.)
Lessons Learned:
• Markets are dynamic and able to meet increase in demand
• Ability of the commercial sector to mobilize stock rapidly
• Strong needs/market/feasibility assessments and analysis a must (mixed
modality)
• Opportunity to support local artisanal NFI
• Sensitization, sensitization, sensitization
• Rigorous procedures and protocols to mitigate risks
Faith. Action. Results.
ICT4D
Beneficiary / Vendor
Registration
NFI Voucher Fairs
M&E Exercises
(registration, payment, etc.)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
But can also be used for: • IDP Camps
• Inventories
• Distributions
• Anything that
can be tagged
Market Study
Feasibility Study
Needs Assessments
On site monitoring
Post Fair monitoring
Final Evaluations
Etc.
Faith. Action. Results.
NFI Fairs: ICT4D solutions
Faith. Action. Results.
The Fair Model
1. Beneficiary
Registration
2. Voucher
Distribution
Beneficiaries are pre-registered
and given a barcoded ID card
3. Vendor
Registration
Vendors register
at the fair
4. Vendor
Check-Out
5. Voucher
Scanning
Reports are available shortly
after vouchers are counted
Faith. Action. Results.
ICT4D: the Added Value
Instant Report
Creation
Electronic
Record
Keeping
Increased
Effectiveness &
Efficiency
Streamlined
registration
Accurate
Financial
Transactions
Knowledge Transfer
Partner Capacity Building
Adoption of Good Practices
In Figures:
• 100% Accuracy in monetary
transactions (financial
reconciliations)
• 100% Electronic forms
• Real time data
• 50% Reduction in required labor
• 50-75% Reduction in time to
conduct the fair / registration /
post fair monitoring
• 45% Reduction in cost to carry
out post fair monitoring
Lessons Learned:
• Fail fast and small
• Buy in from management, and
other key stakeholders ,is key
• High learning curve
• Cost effective if solutions
deployed for large scale
programs
Faith. Action. Results.
No.
Steps
Tools development
Paper*
1-2 days
1/
Enumerators training and tool
1 day
Organisation field testing
Printing of questionnaires
2 / Data
Collection
3 / Data
entry
1 day
ICT4D*
Comparative Advantages
2-3 days**
**Only applicable when creating new tools or formulaires
1 day
Steeper learning curve when utilising ICT4D, more interactive
learning process
N/A
Average time for 1 enumerator
to administer 1 questionnaire
45 min
(paper vs. iPod) [1 paper
questionnaire of 5-6 pages]
30 min
Average number of
questionnaires
6-8 days
administered/per person /per
day
10-12 days
Data collection (400 HH/10
enumerators)
8-9 days
6-7 days
Creation of database and/or
data entry mask
1 day
N/A
(1) Greater accountability towads beneficiaires through
signatures and photograph options
(2) Reduced potential for fraud
(1) GIS mapping of households and/or intervetions sites
(2) Generation of data in real time enabling real time revision
and verification
(3) Feedback et capacity building takes place directly in the
field
(4) Minimised data collection and data entry errors
Database and data entry is created/entered in real time
Data entry (5 data entry clerks) 5-6 days
N/A
Cleaning of data base
1 day
Reduction of errors linked to the utilisation of paper based
forms
12
$ 4,343
55% reduction in time
45% reduction in spending
1-2 days
TOTAL (days)22
TOTAL cost (USD) $ 7,570
12
For more information on CRS NFI
programming:
• Giulia Frontini (Co-Facilitator)
giulia.frontini@crs.org
• http://www.crs.org
For more information on DRC’s NFI &
Shelter Cluster :
• Steven Michel (National Lead)
smichel@unicef.org
• http://www.rdc-humanitaire.net
Faith. Action. Results.