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Ivorian Refugee Emergency Response Update

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From the January 4 to 9 2011, ActionAid conducted an assessment in Nimba and Grand Gedeh with the purpose of obtaining firsthand information on the situation refugees from the Ivory Coast were faced with as a result of the ongoing political crisis in neighboring Ivory Coast.

Findings from the assessment revealed that;

• The major problem confronting the refugees was the lack of food and there was limited availability of food in host communities and no
agency had provided food assistance.
• Refugees were scattered in bordering communities with women and children consisting of approximately 80 percent.
• Refugees had access to limited safe drinking water and access to basic services such as medication and referral mechanisms were
challenging.

Based on the above ActionAid International provided the amount of forty thousand United States dollars (US$40,000) from its Strategic Crisis Program funds to assist 2000 refugees with food and non food items. With the understanding that the amount was inadequate to cater to all refugees, the team decided to focus on assisting the vulnerable who included lactating and pregnant mothers, children, the physically challenged, the elderly and chronically ill people. Five communities in the Zoegeh district of Nimba county (Gblarlay, Teahplay, Glalay, Biaplay and Duolay) were indentified for the caseload. Meanwhile, AAL also donated 3, 3 metric tons of cooking salt to UNHCR to supplement the UN ongoing food distribution.