Unrest and insecurity in Syria have led to a constant flow of Syrian refugees into neighbouring countries since March 2011. The harsh living conditions in the Domiz refugee camp make it difficult for the children and youth to readapt to their lives. With support from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department, ACTED is making tireless efforts to provide children with adequate spaces where they can safely play and develop normally.

SANA’A [ACTED News] – A poor harvest in 2012 combined with fragile livelihood systems and food price volatility has contributed to increasing food insecurity in Yemen, affecting a staggering 46% of the population. In response to the crisis, ACTED has provided agricultural kits to 6,000 vulnerable households in Ibb, Raymah, and Ad Dhalee Governorates. This project is supported by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department and the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA).

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan [ACTED News]

BANGKOK [ACTED News] - ACTED recently selected 15 refugees living in two refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border to undergo a Training-of-Trainers (ToT) programme that aims to provide refugees from Myanmar with the technical skills to find a job in their home country once they feel ready and safe to return. This action has been undergone in the context of ACTED’s vocational training project funded by the European Commission.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan [ACTED News] - A national policy aimed at overcoming food and nutrition insecurity in Pakistan by 2030 was recently launched by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. This policy outlines approaches to ensure sustainable food availability, food accessibility, food utilisation as well as nutrition and stability in food supplies.

The overall district remained on Alert, since the livestock sector is on Alert across the two livelihood zones. This was attributed to the frequent outbreak of CBPP among cattle, tick-borne diseases remained a problem to most livestock farmers, but vaccination is on going. The crop sector remained on Alert across the two livelihood zones. This was attributed to poor crop yields, due to floods and water logging especially in low lands leading to food stocks becoming quickly depleted. However, the tractor scheme has come to open up land (block farms) for farmers from the OPM.

The district remained on ALERT across the 2 livelihood zones; this is majorly attributed to high prevalence of endemic diseases. However, positive changes are expected to occur since the district is doing mass vaccination of livestock with the suport from VSF Belgium and MAAIF against CBPP. The crop sector moved to Normal across the two livelihood zones, this was attributed to the great work done by partners, district and communities by opening land and distribution of seeds.

From the 24th to the 27th of April 2013, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations (MoES) and ACTED (Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development) will conduct a three day cross border visit for the Tajik Committee of Emergency Situations (CoES) to their Republican Search and Rescue Centre (Rosso) in Osh. At the event, MoES will officially open their Canine Search and Rescue Centre, funded through ACTED’s DIPECHO VII.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan [ACTED News] – There are still over 8,000 displaced families as tensions persist across the Tirah Valley of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan as a result of violent clashes in the area. These people have had to travel through difficult terrain from their hometowns to reach relative safety with reports of scarce food, water or personal belongings on hand.