COVID-19 pandemic invited a crisis in Nepal like many other countries of the world, especially affecting the most vulnerable communities. The Covid-19 crisis has increased challenges for several people towards risky employment situations including migrant workers, their families, informal laborers, daily wage workers, small businesses and vulnerable communities due to potential loss of employment, debt obligations, travel restrictions, inflation, and water and food and shortages. The cessation of access to daily income for the vulnerable communities is one of the major issues brought by this crisis. Ensuring at least the minimum standards in food security of such communities is the key responsibility of the government. However, due to limited resources, the government is not able to reach every needy person with the relief materials. Hence, the national and international CSOs supported these communities by complementing the government. Opportunity Village Nepal with support from Good Shepherd International Foundation Nepal (GSIF Nepal), in response to the aforementioned context, has come up with a short-term project known as ‘COVID-19 Emergency Crisis Response Project – 02’ to support and complement the crucial initiatives taken by the government in responding to and mitigate the threat posed by COVID-19 pandemic under its broad COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plans.

This project is targeted to reach out 200 vulnerable people especially disabled people, wage labour, Dalit and marginalized people, seasonal migrant worker and youths (girls/young women) who have lost their job due to closing of adult entertainment sector and youth at risk/survivors of different forms of violence with providing immediate relief (food package) and cash support  to start up the different farm and off-farm based small scale business locally.

• Identification of vulnerable people 
• Distribution of relief materials (family food package)
• Develop and implementation of resilience livelihood plans
• Linkage, coordination and collaboration 
• Monitoring and follow-up

• 875 families (including 233 families of youth working in the entertainment sectors) who were highly affected by the lockdown were provided with food materials support in coordination with local governments

• The project has addressed the immediate needs of the most marginalized people to cope with resilience and with sustainable livelihoods

• 40 businesses were established/supported under its resilience livelihood plans.

• Frontline workers, other than medical professionals, particularly police, ward personnel were supported with masks, sanitizers, gloves, PPE and soaps by the project thus contributing in the process of preventing transmission of the virus.

• 69,118 people directly viewed or accessed the radio programs that included messages, conversations and live experience sharing on various aspects of prevention and dealing with difficult circumstances brought about by the pandemic.

• The program reached 325,945 people through social platforms of Ujyalo media.

• 5000 brochures developed jointly with District Police Office Kaski contributed in raising awareness on the issues of suicide, GBV, sexual abuse and other social problems that are likely to increase at the time of pandemic.