Venezuela
2022-09 Factsheet - Venezuela
September 2022
Oct 2022 > Cluster Alojamiento, Energía y Enseres, Chiriviche de la Costa, 2022
Highlights
- By the end of September, the Shelter, Energy and NFI Cluster reached 37,303 direct beneficiaries through partner organizations and 151,980 indirect beneficiaries through interventions in institutions and community spaces providing essential services to population. Activities covered 16 states and Capital District. As key figures for the response, 66 constructions and rehabilitations and 141 distributions of NFIs were made for spaces. 8 Shelter Emergency Units, 90 street solar lamps and 45 systems to generate electricity were installed. Also, 6,584 portable solar lamps and 3,123 habitat kits were delivered directly for the most vulnerable population, 2,519 kits were provided for people on the move, and 8,459 people had access to temporary collective shelters.
- After the visit from Martin Griffith, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, the Humanitarian Response Plan for Venezuela 2022-2023 was published during the third quarter of the year (August). In the Shelter, Energy and NFI Cluster, the plan aims to reach directly more than 346.000 people, and indirectly (through support in community spaces and institutions providing essential services to population) more than 1.5 million people. 26 partner organizations presented 25 projects in the sector, and the financial request is 53,9M USD.
- During the third quarter of the year, 6 projects with a Component on Shelter, Energy and NFI were approved for the first assignment of the Venezuelan Humanitarian Fund. Also, four new organizations were proposed by the Cluster for the new process of capability evaluation of the Venezuelan Humanitarian Fund.
- During September, the National Shelter, Energy and NFI Cluster held a meeting with the Risk Management and Civil Protection Vice-Ministry and with Sphere standards focal point in Venezuela. Information was shared on the trainings to strengthen risk mitigation and response capacities in organizations, where the Vice-Ministry plans to participate. Also, the need to work together with Civil Protection and Fire Brigades.
- On September 26th, the reopening of the formal frontier between Colombia and Venezuela was announced in an act held by the Governments. The commercial procedures and implications were not fully defined when the reopening took place.
NFI
Shelter
Need analysis
- In the needs analysis for the development of the HRP 2022-2023, six critical problems were identified (population health, nutrition and good security, human mobility, protection risks, access to basic services, and access to education) and groups in more vulnerable situation identified (children and adolescents, women, elder population, indigenous, people with disabilities, LGTBI and refugees). A multi-sectoral needs analysis review will take place in the coming months in order to address the needs evolution as well as to refine the geographic prioritization for the response in 2023.
- The Cluster participated in conjoint visits with Miranda’s Government and Health Ministry authorities to verify the infrastructure condition of Hospital Victorino Santaella, one of the most important hospitals providing services in Miranda state. Specific needs for equipment and repairs were identified in several areas. This is part of a conjoint need review taking place in the technical roundtables for health and nutrition in Miranda State. Specific needs have been received and shared with partner organizations.
Response
- By the end of September, 37,303 direct beneficiaries were reached by Shelter, Energy and NFI activities (54% female and 46% male) covering 16 states and the Capital District. The states with the highest number of direct beneficiaries were Apure, Zulia, Sucre, Miranda, Amazonas, Bolivar (prioritized states for 2022-2023 response), and Táchira and Barinas (border and transit strategic states). Also, interventions in institutions and other spaces providing essential services to population have reached indirectly 151,980 people of concern.
- As part of the Shelter Response, 66 constructions and rehabilitations of spaces providing essential services to population were completed. 21 in schools, 12 in temporary collective shelters, 15 in individual shelters with specific needs identified, 10 in community centers and spaces, 5 in health centers and 3 in spaces managed by authorities and other spaces. Also 8 shelter emergency units were installed in schools, coordination authorities for disaster response and prevention and community spaces in Miranda, Bolivar, Zulia Tachira and Merida states. 8,459 people occupied temporary collective shelters in Táchira, Apure, Zulia and Sucre states, and 190 received several trainings on safe construction practices to contribute to the sustainability of shelter interventions in Zulia communities, and preparedness for disasters in Tachira.
- As for interventions to improve access to Energy, 90 street solar lamps were installed to prevent protection risks in communities, schools and community centers, 45 systems to generate electricity were installed in authority centers for disaster prevention and response, schools, community centers, and hospitals to benefit the population of interest. 445 portable solar lamps for spaces providing essential services to vulnerable population were also installed. 81 people were directly benefited from energy interventions receiving trainings on alternative energy.
- Regarding access to basic NFIs, 28,472 individuals were benefited directly by distributions, including 3,123 habitat kits, 2,519 delivered for people in mobility, including the assistance of vulnerable indigenous population and people affected by disasters, and 6,139 portable solar lamps delivered to persons of concern to mitigate protection risks. 141 distributions of NFIs were made for community spaces and institutions to provide essential services to population in need.
- In the states of Zulia, Barinas, Apure, Falcón, Mérida, Sucre, Amazonas, Táchira and Bolívar part of the response was associated with the preparation and response to disasters caused by recent floods, benefiting 6,536 people in need. These interventions included trainings in safe construction, distribution of NFIs including solar lamps, habitat kits, kits for people in mobility, kitchen sets, plastic sheeting, and flashlights, among others, for vulnerable population affected as well as for institution providing the response. Also, energy generation systems and emergency housing units were delivered for authorities with the responsibility of responding to disasters and emergencies.
Gaps / challenges
- Specific opportunity areas to be addressed in developing the environmental sustainability of the shelter response have been identified, including the possibility to develop standards for energy for cooking interventions and specific recommendations for NFI Kits distribution. An action plan in this regard was elaborated and revised together with advisors from ECHO-funded support to “greening” the Global Shelter Cluster.
- Risk mitigation, risk management and preparedness remain areas that needs to be strengthened. The Cluster will organize further specific trainings on this subject for the fourth quarter of the year.
