Field activities resume after end of COVID-19 lockdown

After field activities in Bolikhamxay and Khammouane Provinces had been paused due to the country-wide COVID-19 lockdown, May saw field officers returning to their open air duty stations. Staff in both the TC TB project and the Food and Nutrition Security project have resumed their field activities under COVID-19 safety measures. In order to keep communities and staff safe, all field officers have been equipped with face masks and hand sanitiser, and in the case of the TB project, face shields. All staff have been instructed in how to implement social distancing and good hygiene practices.

The TC TB team has received face shields for resuming their field activities safely

The Food and Nutrition Security project team are continuing to hand out animals

Regarding the Food and Nutrition Security project, the lockdown period coincided with the season of preparing land for planting and crop production. In accordance with these seasonal tasks, the project had intended to train farmers in such preparatory activities and in the establishment of SRI demonstration fields. These plans, as well as the continuation of irrigation system instalments and distribution of animals, were affected by the lockdown. Nevertheless, the 20 Farming Instructors and 4 Community Development Facilitators managed to support their Farmers’ Clubs remotely through phone calls and instant messenger services. They were also able to inform target villages about COVID-19 prevention measures. This process was aided by the Farmers’ Clubs’ structure, preparing them for autonomy after project completion: While a Farmers’ Club consists of around 50 members, they are divided into smaller core groups of around 10 people. Each core group is led by a Step Up Farmer who, at the beginning of the project, received training on leadership and management, in conjunction with Farmers’ Clubs Committees and village authorities. These community leaders were now the ones who were able to drive forward project activities on the ground, even without project staff being present in person. Now that COVID-19 restrictions have been eased, the team reviewed their work plans and discussed them with our partners at the Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office (PAFO). Project staff are confident to be able to continue with activities without too much setback due to the lockdown period.

A Farmers' Club member checking the progress of their demonstration plot

The TC TB team are back in target communities, screening for presumptive TB cases

TC TB project staff received permission to resume activities from the Province Health Office (PHO) immediately after the lockdown restrictions were lifted. As people affected by TB are particularly vulnerable to infections, especially infections which affect the lungs as COVID-19 does, HPP Laos and the National TB Program have a particular responsibility to continue providing TB services to affected populations. During lockdown, TB staff remained in contact with people affected by TB and their families through phone and messenger services. As with Farmers’ Clubs, another HPP approach came in handy for this purpose: Whenever a new TB client is found, the team establish a TRIO with the client and two family members or friends. TRIOs support the person affected by TB in taking their medication regularly, and they receive training in nutrition and home gardening to strengthen the client’s overall health. While staff were unable to visit TB-affected households in person, they knew that clients were not alone, they could rely on their TRIOs. Through these communications channels, the project team also shared information on COVID-19 prevention with target communities. Now, active case finding and treatment adherence support activities have recommenced. The project team, being experienced in working in TB, are already well-versed in social distancing and good hygiene practices, and are eager to get back out and support communities in the fight against TB.

Making projects COVID-19-proof to ensure participants’ safety and health

Lao PDR confirmed its first cases of COVID-19 on 24 March 2020. Since then, several restrictions have been imposed on the general public as well as the public, private and non-governmental sectors. Currently, from 1 to 20 April 2020, the country is in a lockdown period in an attempt to contain the so far low number of infected cases and prevent a larger outbreak as seen in, for instance, neighbouring Thailand.

Adhering to these regulations, HPP Laos and Humana FPP staff are now all working from their homes. Field activities with in-person contact to beneficiaries have been paused and new ways of community engagement are being developed and trialled. For the TC TB project, this means that project staff are continuing to provide treatment adherence support to TB clients by phone and instant messenger services. They also inform target communities about COVID-19 symptoms and prevention through these channels. The WHO has stressed that TB clients are particularly vulnerable to contracting COVID-19, and thus TB service providers have a responsibility to continue their activities in a context-appropriate way. The Global Fund, our TC TB project’s donor, has made additional funds available to increase awareness raising activities which incorporate both TB and COVID-19.

Field staff are continuing to keep in touch with TB clients by phone and instant messenger

While TC TB project staff are very experienced with social distancing in their everyday work, currently field activities have been paused to keep everyone safe. HPP Laos is working with the National TB Centre on how to restart activities appropriately.

In the Food and Nutrition Security project, Farming Instructors and Agriculture Development Facilitators are also remaining in close contact with FC committees and Step Up Farmers through phone calls and messages. They are supporting community leaders to continue project activities autonomously. Such activities include finalising of irrigation systems, tending to their demonstration plots and home gardens, and looking after animals they have received from the project. The project is also working on introducing COVID-19-specific activities: Humana FPP and their project partner, Health Poverty Action (HPA), will cooperate to make use of HPA’s recently installed loudspeaker systems in 68 target villages. HPA established these systems to broadcast nutrition-sensitive key messages to communities and has already provided communities with additional messages on COVID-19 prevention. The project partners also plan to support village authorities in any further activities towards raising their communities’ awareness on the disease.

FC members continue to tend to their demonstration plots while field staff support them remotely

FC members are also supported to look after their animals received through the project

World Water Week is for “Water for Society – Including All”

Humana People to People will be exhibiting at the World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2019, the week is hosted from 25 to 30 August under the theme “Water for society – Including all”.

The event is an annual focal point for the world’s water challenges. It is organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). The week-long event will see water interested experts, practitioners, decision-makers, innovators and young professionals from a range of sectors and countries meeting in Stockholm to network, exchange ideas, foster new thinking and develop solutions to the most pressing water-related challenges of today. Humana People to People will host an exhibition showcasing its approaches to and achievements in community-led water management initiatives.

Water use has been increasing worldwide by about 1% per year since the 1980s, driven by a combination of population growth, socio-economic development and changing consumption patterns, says the United Nations Water agency. The World Water Development Report 2019 reveals that over 2 billion people live in countries experiencing high water stress, and about 4 billion people are experiencing severe water scarcity at least one month in a year. Stress levels will continue to increase as demand for water grows and the effects of climate change intensify.

Access to safe water and sanitation and sound management of freshwater ecosystems are key to human health and to environmental sustainability. Humana People to People recognises safe drinking water and sanitation as basic human rights, as they are indispensable to sustaining healthy livelihoods and fundamental in maintaining the dignity of all human beings. Through its work, Humana People to People empowers families and communities to effectively manage their water supply with wide-reaching impacts, including addressing key inequalities, challenging harmful gender dynamics and nutrition, maternal and child health in rural settings.

During HPP Laos Child Aid projects, 38 community wells, 800 toilets and 4 community water supply systems were established.

As part of the food security and nutrition project in Khammouane, every target village will construct a small-scale irrigation system. Here, the field team are surveying existing water systems to meet the villagers' needs with the action.

The members of Humana People to People implementing Community Development Programmes and Farmers’ Clubs integrate access to clean water as a key component of, improving community and household sanitation conditions and increasing horticulture productivity among small-scale farmers. Notable transformations were observed in Zimbabwe and Congo were people driven and community focused water and sanitation projects were implemented. In D.R., Congo, an evaluation of a Community Water, Sanitation and hygiene project (CWASH) project showed that more than 85% of households benefiting from the CWASH project have access to improved water sources (taps and boreholes), compared to 17% among non-beneficiary households. Whilst in Zimbabwe a similar project which covered 8,000 families, rehabilitated 237 boreholes, installed 90 water pumps and constructed 350 cattle drinking troughs. The people centered approach has contributed to a 5% reduction in water-borne diseases being noted in the targeted communities.

Increased supply of safe and clean water helped to reduce the distance, time and effort spent in accessing the precious resource, particularly for women as revealed in D.R., Congo. One participant of the D.R. Congo CWASH project, Rose Kapandila Kinkulu, from Kinkulu village of Kasenga territory, Haut-Katanga province of D.R., Congo has this to say, “The new water pump has rescued me from travelling 5 kilometers to fetch water from the river two or three times every day. Having the pump also means I no longer have the pain of carrying a 20 liter bucket on my head for a long period.”

The availability of abundant water is making it possible to establish a thriving horticulture production among the benefitting families, helping to achieve dietary diversity which further contributes to improved nutrition status of the participating communities.

International human rights law obliges states to work towards achieving universal access to water and sanitation for all, without discrimination, while prioritizing those most in need. Fulfilment of the human rights to water and sanitation requires that the services be available, physically accessible, equitably affordable, safe and culturally acceptable.

Launching the Humana People to People Progress Report 2018

The Federation Humana People to People is excited and proud to release its Humana People to People Progress Report 2018, demonstrating the value of its work. The report provides an insight into the work of Humana People to People and its 30 member associations over the past year, including the shared commitment to attain impact, accountability and transparency. Interestingly, the report shows how simple, strong and low-cost development concepts can be taken to scale when they build on the strength of the many people who take a lead in improving their own conditions.

In 2018, working across five continents, members of the Federation Humana People to People implemented projects in sustainable agriculture and environment, community development, health and education in 1,134 project units. These projects reached more than 9.5 million people and represent a vital contribution to reducing the effects of poverty and supporting communities to address some of the world’s most significant humanitarian and development challenges.
Some case studies contained in the Progress Report highlight how Humana People to People's approach to development is transforming lives. Thus, the Humana People to People community-based and people-driven project design remains key in creating lasting development. The UN 2030 Agenda continues to guide the activities undertaken by Humana People to People and its members. Humana People to People will continue striving to help countries meet their Sustainable Development Goals, in the hope of alleviating suffering ad creating lasting positive change.