Emergency Shelter and Camp Management Cluster

Technical Working Group on Guidance for Common Standard

Meeting on 31.01.2015, 10 AM to 12 AM Zowe House, Min of L, H and UD

Annex 1 Participants List

Annex 2 Common Standard for HH NFI Kits

Annex 3 Common Standard for Shelter Tool Kits

I.  Opening, Agenda and Objectives of the Meeting

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Felix Tukula from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and UD. Mr. Tukula opened the meeting and introduced the objective and agenda – to define common guidance for agencies involving in the distribution of HH and Shelter NFIs and present them to the ES (Emergency Shelter) and CCCM (Camp Coordination and Camp Management)

Cluster and the Cluster Chair for endorsement.

II.  Presentation and Discussion on HH NFI Kits

  1. Klaus presented a document on NFI kits based on information from various agencies currently responding in at field level, notably by the Red Cross Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT) in their ongoing assessments.
  2. MRCS presented their 2 types of kitchen sets – one made of steel, the second made from plastic.
  3. The group identified the need to coordinate their recommendation with the Health, WASH and Protection Cluster, all of which may involve in the provision of some items currently included in the recommendation attached, particularly on Mosquito Nets, Washing and Personal hygiene soap. Oxfam raised the issue of target group for the proposed NFI kits and Klaus responded that for now the target group could be assumed as the displaced people – app. 170 T individuals 34 T HH. MRCS raised the need to be in touch with UNICEF as they are in the process of distributing “Survival Kits” including Soap and Mosquito nets at large scale.
  4. Furthermore the size of the mosquito nets was discussed with the group finally opting to go by double size mosquito nets as a recommendation in order to allow for sufficient space for mothers to accommodate their children with them under one net. Felix and Shadreck pointed out that double size mosquito nets will be more flexible for people to use when moving from large tents to individual family shelter solutions and finally back to houses.
  5. IOM informed that DoDMA has been tasked to take the lead on provision of energy saving stoves to affected families. ESC to coordinate with DoDMA when recommending provision of energy saving stoves through cluster partners. Concern Universal informed that there is an agency specialized the topic – CLIOMA – that could provide input (Contact: Mr Conor Fox, 0995469484).
  6. IOM raised the question of clothing being included in HH NFI Kits and the group decided to leave the topic for the moment, while raising the issue with the protection cluster and raise with Protection Cluster whether a standard for provision clothing to flood victims should be worked out.
  7. There was a discussion on whether Jeri Cans or Buckets are preferable in the Malawi context that ended with the group agreeing to leave both options in the recommendation.

III. Recommendation by TWIG on Common Standard for HH NFI Kits

The HH Non Food Items listed in Annex II were endorsed by the group for approval through the ESC and its Chair at the next ES and CCCM Cluster meeting. Klaus and Felix were tasked to check with other clusters for overlaps in the list. If at all possible, distributions should be done in one packages and not item by item. Supplementary, the distribution of energy saving stoves is promoted by the Shelter Cluster in coordination with DoDMA.

IV. Presentation of RC Shelter Tool Kit and Tarpaulin

  1. MRCs presented their Standard Tarpaulin and Shelter Tool Kit and left the sample for reference with Min of L, H and UD. MRCS has app 10.000 of these kits in country or under way.
  2. The content of the toolkit was examined was appreciated by the group. There was discussion on the issue of whether it should be one Shelter Tool Kit per family or for some families to use commonly. The group could not decide between recommending 1 kit per family or 1 kit per 2 families and decided to put the matter for discussion at the nest ESC/CCCM Cluster meeting, while acknowledging that an informed decision on the question will need further and more detailed assessments on field level (topic to be taken forward to the next ESC/CCCM Cluster meeting also).

C.  The Shelter Tool kit can only be applied if supplemented with wood poles or planks. Ideally 4 wooden beams 4 m long and section of 75mm x 75mm or 3" x 3". The group agreed that in Malawi 4 x 2 – app 6m long beams are most commonly available in the market. Shadreck kindly agreed to request Regional Housing Office in Blantyre to provide quotations on the pricing for these before the next ESC/CCCM Cluster meeting 5th of Feb to Felix and Klaus for sharing with the cluster. IOM pointed out, that distribution of shelter tool kits is less of a priority to displaced families provided with tents. Group agreed to recommend giving priority to people not having individual family tents or no solution so far for transitional shelter.

  1. Klaus pointed out, that the presented shelter kits need to be distributed along with training on how to use the kit in order to make best use of the provided materials and not just handed out to affected HHs.
  2. Furthermore the issue of lack of firewood and related concerns on environmental degradation caused by large camps depleting surrounding forest stocks was raised by Save The Children. UNHCR suggested to promote the use of saw dust based briquettes or coal. Oxfam added that those could be promoted and if so, markets may well start to cater for such need rapidly. Topic was referred to next ES/CCCM Cluster meeting.

V.  Recommendation by TWIG on Common Standard for Shelter Tool Kits

The group endorsed to adopt the presented RC Shelter Tool Kit and Tarpaulin (see Annex III) as common standard, but could not agree on whether to distribute the same to one or two families each. Consultations on the latter shall be initiated through the next cluster meeting and further assessments are urgently needed to inform this decision.

VI. Closing

Felix closed the meeting and thanked the participants for their contributions and participation.

Felix and Klaus to draft the minutes and circulate (including annexes) to cluster members