Regional: Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 through Community-Led Interventions

Health / Disease control of communicable disease

This knowledge and support technical assistance (TA) will support the implementation of measures to prepare for and respond to needs arising from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by civil society organizations (CSOs), including community-based organizations and nongovernment organizations (NGOs). The TA will support CSOs to provide services in three areas: (i) community-based mitigation and prevention activities; (ii) social protection for vulnerable communities, including elderly care; and (iii) economic support for those with livelihoods affected by COVID-19. The TA will focus on opportunities for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to create new partnerships with CSOs in several countries where civil society activity in the COVID-19 response complements the ADB portfolio.

On 29 June 2021, additional financing from the Republic of Korea e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund, People's Republic of China Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund, and the Regional Cooperation and Integration Fund was approved. The additional financing increased the TA amount from $2.0 million to $4.480 million and expands the TA coverage to engage an additional 5 CSOs, for a total of 10 CSOs.

Community-based crisis prevention, mitigation, and adaptation capacity increased

Informal social protection programs stressed by COVID-19 impacts supported

Economic support provided for people with livelihoods affected by the COVID-19 pandemic

OUTPUT 1: 68 communities have been receiving support for increased capacity to implement COVID-19 prevention measures.

Engagement with some 68 communities in Mongolia (33), Cook Islands (31) and the Philippines (4) has started to provide (i) training on online devices, livelihood and hygiene (in Mongolia), (ii) support for installing hand wash points and distributing PPEs (Cook Islands), (iii) awareness-raising on COVID-19 prevention (Cook Islands, Philippines), and (iv) support for COVID-19 contingency and preparedness planning (Philippines).

Work on 21 community @plans has started. Activities have been initiated in some 21 communities; 4 in the Philippines and 17 in Cambodia/Thailand cross-border communities to (i) prepare contingency and preparedness plans (Philippines) and (ii) conduct community mapping assessments in cross-border communities in Cambodia/Thailand.

OUTPUT 2: Provision of food packs and basic needs to poor and vulnerable people has started and continues to be distributed to at least 150 households in Mongolia and 1,000 indigenous peoples in the Philippines.

In Mongolia, (i) set-up of hotline and telehealth services have started and continues in Mongolia; (ii) counseling services continue to be carried out for 100 survivors of domestic violence; and (iii) activities for the Family Development Program with initial 480 program participants in 5 project areas in Mongolia have been initiated.

In cross-border communities in Cambodia and Thailand activities related to ChildSafe Agents and outreach teams' delivery of emergency support, social and protection services to marginalized children, youth and families' have been initiated.

(ChildSafe Agents [CSAs] are community-based volunteers trained to identify children/youth and families in dangerous or abusive situations, or who need specific support such as employment, emergency support, or education.)

OUTPUT 3: In Mongolia, (i) paper and online versions of livelihood farming and production training materials for livelihood support activities and 20 different handbooks contents have been developed and completed; (ii) vegetable seeds have been purchased and will be planted in Spring by around 100 households; (iii) materials for greenhouse for 10 beneficiaries have been purchased; (iv) composting machines have been distributed; and (v) 2 families were recipients of chicken farms.

In Armenia, preparations for five one-day training sessions, one in each target region, with the involvement of around 25 community social workers and local youth volunteers have started. The training sessions aim to create sustainable capacity of volunteering and peer-support in the communities beyond the lifespan of this Project.