Introduction
Somalia has faced persistent challenges with acute food insecurity and malnutrition despite some recent improvements. The country continues to grapple with the prolonged impacts of recurring droughts and floods, conflict and insecurity, poverty, and inadequate health and nutrition services.
Currently, According to FSNAU Post Deyr IPC analysis, approximately 4 million people, representing 21% of the total population, are facing Crisis or worse acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 and higher). While projections for April-June 2024 indicate a slight improvement to 3.4 million people (18%), the crisis remains severe. Malnutrition, especially among children under 5, is also extremely concerning - around 1.7 million children are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2024, with over 400,000 likely to develop severe acute malnutrition.
Several factors account for the high malnutrition in Somalia. Frequent droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall severely disrupt food production and access to nutritious foods. Ongoing conflict and violence frequently displace communities and limit humanitarian relief. Poverty forces families to cut down on quantity and diversity of foods. Somalia also has very low coverage of nutrition interventions, clean water, and sanitation services - all of which increase disease risk and undermine nutrition further. Harmful infant feeding practices such as sub-optimal breastfeeding are also widely prevalent.
Concern Worldwide has maintained programming in Somalia since 1986, working to save and transform lives in some of the worst-affected regions. Their operations concentrate largely in South Central areas like Mogadishu, Lower/Middle Juba and Gedo, where acute malnutrition prevalence remains well over emergency thresholds. Concern’s multi-sectoral programmes provide direct nutrition treatment for at-risk mothers and children, alongside integrated food security, health, hygiene and livelihoods assistance.
Bardhere town is located in the Gedo region along the Jubba River in southern Somalia. With an estimated population of 126,000 inhabitants, it serves as the center of Bardhere district as well as the main economic and transportation hub connecting Somalia to Ethiopia and Kenya. The town has historically depended on the Jubba River for water supply, irrigation and income generation through fishing and animal rearing
Torrential rains in October/November 2023 brought on by El Niño phenomenon caused unprecedented flooding across Somalia. The Jubba River burst its banks, inundating surrounding regions. In the riverine Bardhere district, the floods raged through the town washing away the main bridge that had spanned across the Jubba River for decades.
This bridge was a vital lifeline for Bardhere Town and its residents on both banks of the River. The bridge connected the two sides of the town enabling movement of people and goods and supported key infrastructure like water pipes and electricity lines. Its destruction has effectively severed the town into two disconnected parts with movement between them now only possible via scarcely available canoes at heavily inflated costs.
Justification
The impact of the recent El Niño event has been profound, particularly evident in the critical collapse of the Bardera bridge, which has had a devastating effect on the population of Bardera. With the bridge divided into two halves, the flow of essential supplies has been severely disrupted, leading to a rapid depletion of food stocks and a staggering increase in prices for basic necessities. Consequently, many families are now facing the harsh reality of unaffordable essentials.
Adding to the crisis, the town's primary water infrastructure, situated along the collapsed bridge, has been rendered useless, resulting in a complete disruption of piped water supply. As a result, residents are left with no choice but to retrieve water from the flood-contaminated Jubba River, risking their health and exacerbating the already dire situation.
This dire scenario has not only compromised food security but has also triggered a cascade of issues, including high prevalence of Malnutrition, deteriorating health conditions, and widespread economic devastation across Bardhere District. A recent malnutrition MUAC screening conducted by the Jubland Ministry of Health presented during the annual review meeting revealed alarming levels of malnutrition in Bardera on top of the recently published seasonal IPC Acute Food Insecurity And Acute Malnutrition Analysis on Feb 15th 2024[1], underscoring the urgent need for a comprehensive assessment to accurately gauge the requirements of the affected population and guide to inform effective response.
Therefore, it it became necessary to initiate full fledged a SMART survey in the district promptly. This survey will serve as a crucial tool for gathering essential data on various critical aspects, including mortality rates, levels of malnutrition, outbreaks of diseases, and priority needs. The insights gleaned from this survey will play a pivotal role in informing and shaping targeted, life-saving interventions tailored to the specific needs of Bardhere's affected and vulnerable communities, thereby mitigating the impact of the crisis and facilitating the path towards recovery and resilience
[1] https://fsnau.org/downloads/IPC-Somalia-Acute-Food-Insecurity-Malnutrition-Jan-Jun-2024-Report.pdf
Application Requirements
Interested consultants shall submit the following documents which shall be evaluated to determine selection:
Interested applicants that meet the requirements should send their complete documents with the subject line: “Application for Bardhere SMART Survey” to: som.vacancies@concern.net by 4th April 2024 5pm Mogadishu Time (EAT).
Application submitted after the deadline will not be considered
Concern Worldwide is an international humanitarian organization committed to the relief, assistance and advancement of the poorest people in the least developed countries of the world. Founded in Ireland in 1968, Concern Worldwide has nearly 4,000 pe... Read More
