Nepal COVID-19: Responding to the needs of vulnerable children and communities

World Vision completed phase I (30-day plan) of its Covid-19 response and moved into phase II on 27 April 2020. Focusing on supporting the Government of Nepal (GoN) to scale up preventive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, World Vision supplied much-needed medical and hygiene kits including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and IR Thermometers to the public health institutions and administrations. Besides, World Vision also disseminated behavioural change messages about coronavirus widely through a network of community radios and social media, supported local governments with food/non-food items to strengthen quarantine facilities established at the local levels and vulnerable communities with rations. Implemented across 15 districts of Nepal through three field offices with total fund USD 182,000, the 30-day long preparedness initiatives reached approximately 44,000 people, including 17,000 vulnerable children. Detail achievements of phase I is available in the download section of this article (below).

The phase II (COVID-19 Emergency Response - COVER) will contribute to four strategic objectives:

1. Amplify preventive measures to limit the spread of disease
2. Strengthen health systems and workers
3. Support children impacted by COVID-19 through education, child protection, food and livelihood.
4. Collaborate and ensure children are protected.

Keeping children at the core, these beyond 30-day initiatives will address short-term and long-term needs of the vulnerable families and communities and subsequently support them to restore their livelihoods through multi-sectoral approach in 13 working districts of World Vision International Nepal. Tentative budget plan for COVER is USD 3 million.