Venezuela
2023-08 Factsheet - Venezuela
August 2023
Sep 2023 > Cluster Alojamiento, Energía y Enseres, 2023
Highlights
- By the end of August, the Shelter, Energy and NFI Cluster reached 19,672 direct beneficiaries and 346,623 indirect beneficiaries through partners interventions in institutions and community spaces providing essential services to population: temporary shelters, education, health, and community centers, among others.
- During July and August, the national cluster of AEE, in coordination with UNHCR as lead agency and in alliance with the Vice Ministry of Risk Management and Civil Protection, developed a 5-day training workshop regarding emergency preparedness and response in the states of Miranda and Táchira, with the aim of strengthening the capacities of local and regional authorities in charge of responding in case of emergency (Civil Protection and Firefighters). The topics presented were risks identifications and needs assessments in emergency contexts, and management of temporary accommodation considering infrastructure and protection criteria. The importance of defining the roles and responsibilities of all the actors involved to respond quickly, effectively and in a coordinated manner during the development of an emergency was highlighted. Considering their success, this workshop will be replicated in other states.
- In August, the Subnational cluster of the states of Amazonas, Apure and Barinas was officially activated. The main objective of these coordination spaces is to address the needs of vulnerable population by strengthening partners capacities, promoting synergies, and mitigating duplications, as well as improving equitable access and continued access to essential services of shelter, health, education, water and sanitation, electricity, alternative sources of energy and access to goods. Among the member organizations that participate in the Subnational Cluster of Amazonas, Apure and Barinas, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNFPA, World Vision, Caritas, DRC, IRRC and Red Cross stand out.
NFI
Shelter
Need analysis
- Electrical service failures continue to be a high priority/need for the population: supply cuts have an impact on the continuity of other essential services such as access to water, critical health services to preserve life, education, telecommunications, among others.
- Regarding infrastructure, there are significant gaps identified in Health and Education spaces. The Government of the state of Zulia stated at the intersectoral table held in September with different humanitarian actors that the rehabilitation of hospital health centers and CDIs is a priority, in addition to the provision of medical equipment and furniture equipment. In education spaces, most buildings need some type of adaptation or conditioning to comply with the minimum measures of habitability, health, or safety. Additionally, there are gaps in meeting the food needs of students: many of the centers do not have the school kitchen enabled or operational.
Response
- By the end of August, 19,672 direct beneficiaries were reached by Shelter, Energy and NFI activities (51% female, 49% male, 23% indigenous). Interventions in institutions and other spaces providing essential services to population reached indirectly 346,623 people of concern. The response covered 14 states and the Capital District. States with the highest number of total beneficiaries were Miranda, Bolivar, Zulia, Sucre and Amazonas (prioritized for the HRP 2022-2023), Apure and Tachira (transit and border states), and Carabobo with communities of interest for organizations.
- Regarding Shelter Response, 59 constructions and rehabilitations of spaces providing essential services to population were completed in health spaces, schools, community spaces and safe spaces to allow access to essential services for the most vulnerable. Also 40 shelter emergency units were installed in coordination with authorities for disaster response and prevention in Miranda, Falcón, Aragua, Mérida and Apure. 8,680 people on the move occupied temporary collective shelters managed by partner organizations in Táchira, Apure, Zulia, Sucre Falcón and Miranda states.
- As for interventions to improve access to Energy, 156 street solar lamps were installed to prevent protection risks in Zulia, Táchira, Miranda and Carabobo states. 98 systems to generate electricity were installed in education centers, coordination authorities for the disaster response and community spaces, and 1733 portable solar lamps were installed and delivered to beneficiaries in communities, community centers and to strengthen response in coordination authorities for disaster management.
- Regarding access to basic NFIs, more than 10,000 people were reached. 1273 habitat and 15 individual kits for people in mobility were delivered, and 204 provisions of non-food items were made to equip spaces for the provision of essential services including health centers, coordination authorities, education centers, community spaces, health centers and temporary shelters.
Gaps / challenges
- Capacity building in relation to temporary shelters is ratified as a cross-cutting need. Currently, knowledge about technical and applicable international standards is not uniform at the field level. It is a priority to define a joint strategy from the sector that integrates the different types of temporary shelters present in Venezuela, and build capacities on the basic principles of constitution and management.
- There is an opportunity identified to jointly develop with civil protection protocols or contingency plans for prevention and management of natural disasters that include: training at the community level in risk management (early warning, evacuation routes, communication channels, activation of risk committees at both the municipal and community levels), as well as mapping of shelters or temporary housing for emergencies that meet minimum international standards.
