Haciendo sostenible la asistencia humanitaria: poner a las mujeres a cargo

[Articulos Individuales de la edicion de Intersecciones de Otoño del 2019 se publican en este blog cada semana. La edicion completa puede ser encontrada en MCC’s website.]

“No soy inútil”, Mona le comentó al coordinador del proyecto (seudónimo utilizado con fines de seguridad). “Aprendí en este trabajo que puedo hacer muchas cosas por mis hijos y por mí misma, sin necesidad de ayuda”. Como la única cabeza de su familia, Mona tenía pocas oportunidades de mantener a su familia. Después de participar en un proyecto de asistencia humanitaria sostenible en Siria, Mona ahora puede mantener con confianza a sus hijos.

A medida que la crisis en Siria continúa en su noveno año, el equipo del CCM Líbano y Siria tienen como objetivo satisfacer de manera sostenible el alto nivel de necesidad humanitaria que sigue existiendo en el país. Aunque la Guerra activa ha disminuido recientemente en la mayoría de las zonas de Siria, 11,7 millones de personas siguen necesitadas. La seguridad alimentaria sigue siendo una preocupación principal, ya que la crisis ha afectado gravemente la economía y bienestar económico de las personas. Dado que 6,5 millones de personas continúan sufriendo inseguridad alimentaria, el CCM identifica el acceso a los alimentos como una preocupación importante.

El abordar el acceso a los alimentos en un contexto de crisis puede enfocarse desde muchos ángulos. Después de evaluar un gran proyecto de asistencia alimentaria en Siria, el CCM descubrió que garantizar el acceso a los alimentos libera ingresos para ser utilizados para otros servicios básicos, como las necesidades médicas y los uniformes escolares. Cuando las familias carecen de alimentos, se ven obligadas a recurrir a estrategias de afrontamiento, como restringirse a una comida diaria. A medida que disminuye el acceso a los servicios y bienes básicos, aumenta la gravedad de las estrategias de afrontamiento. Las familias desplazadas y los hogares encabezados por mujeres corren el mayor riesgo de recurrir a estrategias de afrontamiento severas, ya que carecen de seguridad y estabilidad.

Las mujeres obtuvieron no solo confianza y nuevas habilidades, sino también un ingreso que podrían llevar consigo al finalizar el proyecto.

La guerra tiene efectos devastadores en individuos, familias, comunidades y naciones. Los hombres, a menudo, son reclutados para luchar u obligados a huir, mientras que las mujeres deben cuidar a sus familias. El número de hogares encabezados por mujeres solteras en Siria ha aumentado considerablemente desde que comenzó la crisis siria. Esto ha provocado que las mujeres jóvenes asuman responsabilidades y tareas vitales para la supervivencia de la comunidad, dándoles poder y responsabilidad que antes no poseían. Enfocarse en las mujeres en intervenciones de asistencia humanitaria es enfocarse en familias enteras, mejorando la sociedad siria en general. Es por eso por lo que una organización asociada del CCM, el Foro para el Desarrollo, Cultura y Diálogo (FDCD), creó un proyecto con estas mujeres en mente.

El FDCD es una organización no gubernamental (ONG) con sede en Beirut, Líbano, con una larga historia de lucha contra el extremismo violento, diálogo interreligioso, construcción de paz y respuesta de emergencia. La extensa red de asociados y amigos de la FDCD en la región de Medio Oriente y África del Norte (MEAN) le permite realizar un trabajo significativo. Los voluntarios se encuentran en todo el Líbano y Siria: esta red de voluntarios permite que el FDCD implemente directamente proyectos dentro de Siria. Por lo tanto, el CCM se asoció con el FDCD para crear un proyecto piloto destinado a servir a los hogares encabezados por mujeres solteras, abordando una necesidad humanitaria, junto con un enfoque a largo plazo en la asistencia humanitaria sostenible. De esto surgió un pequeño proyecto de cinco meses para proporcionar capacitación en procesamiento de alimentos y habilidades comerciales para las mujeres sirias.

En el corazón de este proyecto estaba la pregunta: “¿Cómo hacemos que la asistencia humanitaria sea lo más sostenible que sea posible?” El FDCD, con la ayuda del CCM, reestructuró un proyecto anterior centrado en la asistencia alimentaria para equipar a los hogares encabezados por mujeres con habilidades para producir algo profundamente necesario en las comunidades sirias: alimento.

El FDCD seleccionó dos ubicaciones para el proyecto, con diez participantes y un coordinador local por ubicación. Un facilitador para ambos lugares proporcionó consistencia en la implementación del proyecto, viajando entre los sitios del proyecto para proporcionar capacitación en habilidades comerciales. Todas las participantes del proyecto provenían de hogares liderados por mujeres solteras, con hijas, hijos y otros miembros de la familia de quienes eran las únicas responsables. Al diseñar el proyecto, coordinadores locales hablaron con las mujeres para determinar la hora ideal de inicio y finalización del día laboral, asegurando que el proyecto proporcionara a las participantes la flexibilidad necesaria para trabajar durante las horas en que sus hijos e hijas estaban en la escuela. El diseño de este proyecto eliminó la necesidad de que las mujeres pagaran por el cuidado de sus hijas e hijos o las obligara a dejarlos solos en casa.

Cuando las familias carecen de alimentos, se ven obligadas a recurrir a estrategias de afrontamiento, como restringirse a una comida diaria. A medida que disminuye el acceso a los servicios y bienes básicos, aumenta la gravedad de las estrategias de afrontamiento. Las familias desplazadas y los hogares encabezados por mujeres corren el mayor riesgo de recurrir a estrategias de afrontamiento severas, ya que carecen de seguridad y estabilidad.

Las diez mujeres se reunieron en sus respectivos centros cinco días a la semana para asistir a clases de habilidades comerciales y mercadotecnia, mientras que también aprendían el arte de mouneh. Mouneh es un proceso de enlatar alimentos para que duren mucho tiempo. Las capacitaciones de habilidades empresariales incluían clases de todo tipo, desde cómo comercializar los productos, cómo establecer precios y las mejores prácticas de saneamiento. Las mujeres obtuvieron no solo confianza y nuevas habilidades, sino también un ingreso que podrían llevar consigo al finalizar el proyecto.

Aunque el proyecto se centró únicamente en equipar a las mujeres con habilidades para ganarse la vida, surgieron tres resultados diferentes. El primer resultado fue que las veinte mujeres en el proyecto aprendieron a producir mouneh, dándoles así una habilidad concreta para mantener a sus familias. Al finalizar el proyecto, el 23% de las mujeres incluso informaron haber encontrado capacitación formal o contratos. El segundo resultado fue una mayor seguridad alimentaria para 300 familias sirias durante los duros meses de invierno, ya que una vez que las mujeres aprendieron a hacer mouneh, el FDCD distribuyó cuatro kilogramos de productos mouneh a 300 familias vulnerables durante los primeros meses de invierno. Por último, el proyecto contribuyó a la cohesión social en Siria, ya que todas las mujeres que participaron en el proyecto eran personas desplazadas internamente, provenientes de diversos orígenes y regiones de Siria. Los coordinadores del proyecto informaron que, a medida que las mujeres se reunían diariamente para aprender y enseñarse entre sí, las barreras entre ellas pasaron lentamente a un segundo plano.

El diseño del proyecto no necesita limitarse a un objetivo o resultado. La configuración del conflicto es compleja: el abordar los medios de vida de las mujeres en esos entornos inevitablemente también será complejo y desafiante. El satisfacer las necesidades básicas a través de la asistencia humanitaria, a su vez, plantea preguntas sobre cómo las mujeres que dirigen los hogares por sí mismas podrían estar equipadas para satisfacer más de las necesidades de sus familias. En el futuro, el CCM puede aprovechar las lecciones aprendidas de este proyecto mientras busca expandir sus esfuerzos humanitarios sostenibles en Siria.

Hayley Schultz participó en el programa Servir y Aprender Juntos del CCM en 2018-2019 como asistente de respuesta de paz y desastre para la organización asociada local, el Foro para el Desarrollo, Cultura y Diálogo.

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Aprende más

Stevenson, Wendell. “Remembrance of Tastes Past: Syria’s Disappearing Food Culture.” The Guardian.

December 7, 2016. Disponible en: https://www.theguardian.com/worl/2016/dec/07/syria-refugees-disappearing-food-culture-kibbeh

Syrian Humanitarian Needs Overview. UNOCHA. https://hno-syria.org/ The Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue: http://www.fdcd.org/

Making humanitarian assistance sustainable: put women in charge

[Individual articles from the Fall 2019 issue of Intersections will be posted on this blog each week. The full issue can be found on MCC’s website.]

“I am not useless,” Mona relayed to the project coordinator (pseudonym used for security purposes). “I learned in this job that I can do many things for my children, and myself, without needing any help.” As the sole head of her household, Mona had few opportunities to support her family. After taking part in a sustainable humanitarian assistance project in Syria, Mona is now able to confidently provide for her children.

As the crisis in Syria continues into its ninth year, the MCC Lebanon and Syria team aims meet the high level of humanitarian need that continues to exist in the country in a sustainable way. Though active fighting has recently decreased in most areas of Syria, 11.7 million people remain in need. Food security continues to be a main concern, as the crisis has severely disrupted the economy and people’s economic well-being. As 6.5 million people remain food insecure, MCC identifies access to food as a significant concern.

Addressing access to food in a crisis setting can be approached from many angles. After evaluating a large food assistance project in Syria, MCC found that ensuring access to food frees income to be used for other basic services, such as medical needs and school uniforms. When families lack food, they are forced to resort to coping strategies such as restricting themselves to one daily meal. As access to basic services and goods decreases, the severity of coping strategies increases. Displaced families and female-headed households are most at risk of resorting to severe coping strategies, as they lack security and stability.

War has devastating effects on individuals, families, communities and nations. Men are often recruited to fight or forced to flee, while women are left to care for their families. The number of single female-headed households in Syria has greatly increased since the Syrian crisis began. This has caused young women to take on responsibilities and tasks vital for community survival, giving them power and responsibility that they did not previously possess. Targeting women in humanitarian assistance interventions targets entire families, enhancing Syrian society overall. That is why an MCC partner, the Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue (FDCD), created a project with these women in mind.

Women gained not only confidence and new skills, but an income that they can carry with them now that the project is over.

FDCD is a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Beirut, Lebanon, with a long history of countering violent extremism, interfaith dialogue, peacebuilding and emergency response. FDCD’s extensive network of partners and friends in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region allows it to accomplish meaningful work. Volunteers are based throughout Lebanon and Syria: this network of volunteers allows FDCD to directly implement projects within Syria. MCC thus partnered with FDCD to create a pilot project aimed at serving households headed by single women, addressing a humanitarian need while paired with a long-term focus on sustainable humanitarian assistance. From this emerged a small five-month project to provide training in food processing and business skills for Syrian Women.

At the heart of this project was the question, “How do we make humanitarian assistance as sustainable as possible?” FDCD, with the help of MCC, restructured a previous food assistance-focused project to equip female-headed households with skills to produce something deeply needed in Syrian communities: food.

FDCD selected two locations for the project, with ten participants and one local coordinator per location. One trainer for both locations provided consistency in project implementation, traveling between the project sites to provide training in business skills. All project participants came from households led by single women, with children and other family members for whom they were solely responsible. When designing the project, the local coordinators spoke with women to determine an ideal start and end time for the work day, ensuring the project provided participants with the much-needed flexibility of working during the hours their children were at school. This project design eliminated the need for women to pay for childcare or force them to leave their children home alone.

The ten women gathered in their respective centers five days a week to attend classes in business skills and marketing, while also learning the art of mouneh. Mouneh is a process of canning food to last for a long period of time. The business training skills involved classes on everything from how to market one’s products, how to set prices and best sanitation practices. Women gained not only confidence and new skills, but an income that they could carry with them upon the project’s completion. Thus, the project was successful in making humanitarian assistance more sustainable, a success that can in turn inform future MCC programming.

When families lack food, they resort to coping strategies such as restricting themselves to one daily meal. As access to basic services and goods decreases, the severity of coping strategies increases. Displaced families and female-headed households are most at risk of resorting to severe coping strategies, as they lack security and stability.

Though the project centered solely on equipping women with livelihoods skills, three different outcomes emerged. The first outcome was that the twenty women in the project learned how to produce mouneh, thus equipping them with a concrete skill to support their families. At the conclusion of the project, 23% of the women even reported finding formal training or contracts. The second outcome was increased food security for 300 Syrian families during the harsh winter months, as once the women learned how to make mouneh, FDCD distributed four kilograms of mouneh products to 300 vulnerable families during the early winter months. Lastly, the project contributed to social cohesion in Syria, as all the women participating in the project were internally displaced people, coming from diverse backgrounds and regions in Syria. Project coordinators reported that, as women gathered daily to learn from and teach each other, the barriers between them slowly faded into the background. As the crisis in Syria continues, the MCC Lebanon and Syria team and our partners in Syria are looking for new ways to provide humanitarian assistance in a sustainable way. Project design does not need to be limited to one goal or outcome. Conflict settings are complex: addressing women’s livelihoods in those settings will inevitably also be complex and challenging. Meeting basic needs through humanitarian assistance in turn raises questions about how women leading households on their own might be equipped to meet more of their families’ needs. Going forward, MCC can build on lessons learned from this project as it seeks to expand its sustainable humanitarian efforts in Syria.

Hayley Schultz participated in MCC’s Serving and Learning Together program in 2018-2019 as the peace and disaster response assistant for a local partner, the Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue.

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Learn more

Stevenson, Wendell. “Remembrance of Tastes Past: Syria’s Disappearing Food Culture.” The Guardian. December 7, 2016. Available at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/07/syria-refugees-disappearing-food-culture-kibbeh

Syrian Humanitarian Needs Overview. UNOCHA. https://hno-syria.org/

The Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue: http://www.fdcd.org/

Food vouchers and diet diversity among refugees from Syria

The ongoing armed conflict in Syria has contributed to what many observers describe as the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War. The statistics related to those displaced from their homes are staggering and grow on a daily basis as families abandon their communities and livelihoods in search of safety.

More than 1.2 million refugees from Syria have sought safe haven in Lebanon. The recently arrived refugees face a myriad of challenges, including steep housing prices, limited employment opportunities and dwindling humanitarian assistance from international agencies such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP) and, for Palestinians from Syria, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). This article explores the impact of an MCC-funded food voucher project on household diet diversity among refugees from Syria.

As resources held by displaced Syrian families become scarce, many IDPs
face the difficult decision of deciding between spending their limited funds on food or on shelter. While households experiencing food insecurity typically employ a number of strategies to save money on food, a commonly-employed tactic used by refugee families is reducing the diversity of their diet by increasingly relying on low-cost, carbohydrate-heavy foods such as rice, oil and sugar. While cheaper and more filling in the short term, the long-term consequences of a poorly balanced diet can quickly result in poor health outcomes such as stunted growth, diabetes or cardiovascular issues. In the fall of 2013, MCC, with funding from MCC’s account at the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, launched a food voucher program to address the food insecurity faced by the newly arrived refugees. In particular, the voucher program sought to increase diet diversity and the nutritional value of food consumed by refugee families.

Cross-sectional surveys were conducted of refugee households at six month intervals to evaluate the food consumed by household members. The survey asked respondents to report which of 12 pre-defined food groups had been consumed by anyone in the household in the previous 24 hours to calculate a Household Diet Diversity Score (HDDS). The food groups included:
• Cereals—bread, pasta, rice, couscous, bourghul
• White tubers or roots
• Vegetables—dark leafy greens, spinach, cilantro, onions, tomatoes, etc.
• Fruit—apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, mangoes
• Meat—beef, chicken, lamb, liver
• Eggs
• Fish—canned fish (tuna), fresh fish, dried fish
• Legumes—beans, hummus, chickpeas, fuul, lentils, nuts
• Milk—full portion of milk, cheese, lebneh, yogurt, processed cheese
• Oil, fat, or butter
• Sweets and sugar
• Coffee, tea and spices

The surveys found that the food vouchers contributed to refugee households consuming a more diverse diet. Surveys from July 2013, administered before households began receiving food vouchers, indicated that the average HDDS was seven. In June 2014, after families had received food vouchers for nearly 11 months, the average HDDS had risen to 7.7, a significant increase, indicating that refugee households were eating a more diverse diet as a result of receiving the food vouchers. More tellingly, the median HDDS rose from seven in July 2013 to eight in February 2015, indicating that more than half of households receiving food vouchers consumed at least eight food groups in the 24 hours prior to being surveyed. The impact of the vouchers was greatest on the families who initially reported the worst dietary diversity. By February 2015, the minimum HDDS doubled from two to four, suggesting that the food voucher program allowed the most vulnerable families to access and consume a more diverse diet.

Households were also classified as having low dietary diversity (three or fewer food groups consumed), medium dietary diversity (four to five food groups consumed) or high dietary diversity (more than six food groups consumed). By February 2015, 86% of households were classified as having a highly diverse diet.

Families who received the vouchers reported in focus groups the impact that the vouchers had on the household diet. One mother reported that prior to receiving the voucher, “We usually ate one small meal of grains a day, if we ate at all. My daughter was malnourished because we couldn’t eat a diverse diet, and she became anemic.” After receiving the vouchers, however, the family was able to purchase enough food to eat three meals a day. The mother reported, “Our children are able to get the nutrition they need.”

This voucher program has aided some of the most vulnerable refugees who have few other options, allowing them to follow a healthier diet and freeing up their other limited income to use on other pressing expenses such as rent. Food vouchers can play a critical role in helping newly arrived families access the food necessary to maintain a healthy diet. Vouchers afford heads of households the dignity of choice when shopping and, just as importantly, empower them to protect the health and promote the well-being of family members through a diverse diet.

Rashid El Mansi is the program coordinator for Popular Aid for Relief and Development. Maggie Goble is a former MCC worker now in Kansas City, KS. Zenobia Taylor-Weiss works for MCC.

Learn more:

UNHCR Syria Regional Refugee Response. Inter-agency information sharing portal. Available at http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/country.php?id=122

Fisk, Robert. Pity the Nation: The Abduction of Lebanon. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990.