ALGERIA (Sahrawi refugees)

AREA OF EXPERTISE

Multisectoral

FUNDING

• Funding: ECHO (European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department)
• Direct beneficiaries: 38,450 women and 1,393 disabled people directly benefit from this program.

Since 1976 and the creation of refugee camps south of Tindouf, Saharawi refugees are almost totally reliant on international aid to cover their daily, vital needs.
Owing to the Saharawi refugees' conditions of living, hygiene in the camps is identified as a major issue. One aspect, which has been confirmed by the Ministry of Health, is an increase of infectious disease owing to non-use of sanitary towels.

In response to this major problem, since 2005, TGH has run 4 consecutive programs distributing hygiene kits for women. The contents of the kit were gradually increased. Containing 4 soaps, a bottle of shampoo, a pack of washing powder and two packs of sanitary towels, each kit is designed to meet a vital need: bodily hygiene. Indeed, while it is distributed to women, the hygiene products are used by the entire family.

The evaluation carried out by TGH during a previous project, allowed us to identify new needs, particularly in the area of promoting hygiene. The hygiene kits distribution project was therefore strengthened by organizing hygiene awareness sessions for the women and girls who had received the kit.

The main tasks linked to the program are:

• Preparation and launch of bids for tenders
• Procurement and transportation of the products to Tindouf
• Kits packaging
• Distribution of kits in the wilayas
• Monitoring distributions
• Monitoring post-distribution aspects
• Training the hygiene-promotion intermediaries (women)
• Implementing the hygiene promotion material (leaflets, signs, etc)
• Preparing the contents of the hygiene promotion sessions
• Implementing the hygiene awareness sessions