Description The project EU Aid Volunteers for Resilience and Response Capacities of vulnerable communities through the deployment of EU Aid Volunteers aims at improving the response and the resilience capacities of the most vulnerable local communities through needs-based humanitarian aid (HA) in Latin America, Africa and Eurasia with the involvement of 40 EU Aid Volunteers. It is implemented in 16 third countries and it is composed by a consortium of 2 Sending organizations (AAH Spain and WW GVC Italy) and 19 branch offices as hosting organizations between AAH and WW GVC (Colombia, Guatemala, Peru, Senegal, Niger, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Benin, Kenya, Tanzania, Mali, Mozambique, Philippines, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Lebanon, Georgia). The 2 sending organizations will deploy 40 European citizens in humanitarian aid operations as EUAV, 39 junior and 1 senior.
This main objective will be achieved through the Deployment and monitoring of EU Aid Volunteers in Latin America (SO1), Deployment and monitoring of EU Aid Volunteers in Latin America (SO2), Deployment and monitoring of EU Aid Volunteers in Asia and Middle-East (SO3). These specific objectives will be ensured through a defined coordination mechanism between EU and in-country partners (SO 4). The expected impact of the project is fully oriented to a whole process of skills creation and knowledge reinforcement related to the deployed EU Aid Volunteers, suitable to generate change and improvement on preparedness and resilience mechanisms among vulnerable populations, technicians and authorities at different level. Training, communication, dissemination and promotion of vacancies will be a crucial part of the project. The project will have a 24-months duration and the EUAVs will be deployed for a period of between 4 and 12 months, depending on the profile and needs previously expressed by each interested country. 12 apprenticeships are also foreseen and volunteers will be trained at both HQ.
More info about this project available here: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/echo/eu-aid-volunteers_en/eu-aid-volunteers-resilence-and-response-capacities-vulnerable-communities-through-deployment-eu-aid_en
In the framework of this project AAH deploys 1 EU Aid Volunteer to Mauritania. To know more EUAV opportunities in this and other countries with AAH please consult this page: https://www.accioncontraelhambre.org/es/euaidvolunteers  ;
Operational details & security context
Humanitarian Context
The city of Nouakchott has experienced rapid growth since its creation in 1960 as the capital of Mauritania. According to statistics from the National Statistics Office of Mauritania, the city’s population increased from around 2,000 in 1957 to 558,195 in 2000 and to 958,399 in 2013. The average annual growth rate was 4.61% from 2000 to 2013. This rapid growth of the city was caused not only by factors of attraction, such as the fact that the city is the commercial and economic center of the country, but also by certain factors of repulsion from rural areas where severe poverty and food shortages were severe in the 1970s due to drought and sandstorms. The influx of people has resulted in the formation of large spontaneous residential areas, or shantytowns, in areas near the center, as well as along major communication routes on the outskirts. Consequently, the quality of life of the citizens of Nouakchott has been considerably deteriorated by the blatant lack of decent access to infrastructure, basic social services, hygiene problem (the management of household waste and waste from health structures ), among others. Other urban problems are gradually becoming prominent, resulting from the development of the city into a veritable metropolis. These problems include the flooding of built-up areas, the lack of access to drinking water and other urban services, the erosion of the dune cordon, the silting up and the mobility of the sand dunes around the areas. peripheral residential, etc.
Present in Mauritania since 2007, Action against Hunger aims to contribute to the fight against malnutrition, increase nutritional security and improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable populations. The programming of Action against Hunger is based on an integrated multisectoral and participative approach which includes the fields of Nutrition / Health, Water-Hygiene-Sanitation (WASH), Food Security and Livelihoods (SAME) , as well as Advocacy and Disaster Risk Management. Accountability to beneficiaries, gender mainstreaming and the environment are an integral part of this work.
In this context, early warning and planning of interventions relating to preparedness and response to floods and other disasters are essential actions. These actions must operate quickly and sequentially to better detect and respond to seasonal shocks and crises affecting household food security.
As part of its interventions in the city of Nouakchott, Action against Hunger is looking for a “WASH Specialist”. The latter will provide technical support for two projects:
(i) “Urban Governance and Sustainable Development of the Urban Community of Nouakchott”. This latest project aims to strengthen the governance of local authorities in Nouakchott in order to integrate sustainable development to protect the environment and improve people’s access to urban services with EU funds.
(ii) “Management of water resources and risks of natural disasters in urban areas in the context of climate change with a focus on Integrated Flood Risk Management (IRM)”. This project is carried out through a vast network of partners (government technical services, NGOs and scientific committees) led by Action against Hunger with funding from AFD.
Security conditions
According to the contextual analysis made by Action Against Hunger, the teams intervening in Mauritania do not expose themselves to security risks on a daily basis. Action Against Hunger has security rules in place on each base as well as a referent security: the coordination of security management is ensured in the capital by the coordinator Logistics, under the responsibility of the Country Director. Security watch are regularly conducted.
– In Nouakchott region, where the position is based, the security conditions are relatively safe.
– In the area of the country bordering with Mali (Hodh El Chargui region): this area is subject to possible attempts infiltration by armed groups present across the border. Also, the mission Action Against Hunger Mauritania is in regular contact with the Action Against Hunger mission in Mali in order to make a close monitoring of the contextual and security situation in these areas in particular. Caucasian type expatriate cannot be based in this area and their visits reduced to a maximum of 5 days.
– In Guidimakha region, only travel in Action Against Hunger vehicles or in a partner vehicle (INGO, donor or Embassies) are allowed for expatriates. Expatriate nights in the field are only exceptionally accepted after agreement of the Country Director, and it’s not possible to spent two nights in a row in the same location.
Night travel are not allowed countrywide, except within urban area.
Due to security reasons with the initiative, EU Aid Volunteers’ deployments are only allowed to take place in the capital (Nouakchott).
Health:
Action against Hunger is aware of the growing concern generated by COVID-19. Therefore, we recommend adopting the most effective prevention measures established by the WHO.
They will also receive a security briefing before their deployment and an in-country induction in which prevention measures and contingency plans regarding COVID-19 will be shared and specified according to how the pandemic situation evolves in each country.
Please take into account that the conditions of the deployment might change due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mobility within the country might be restricted and working from home might also be frequent.
AAH values
We are an international non-governmental private organisation that is politically and religiously neutral and non-profit, which was established in 1979 in France to implement interventions worldwide. Our vocation is to fight against hunger, physical suffering and situations of distress that threaten the lives of men, women and children.
We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: Independence, Neutrality, Non- Discrimination, Free and direct access to people in need, professionalism and transparency.
More information is available here: https://www.accioncontraelhambre.org/en/our-principles
