Local MENTOR staff in CAR, 2010
The MENTOR Initiative awarded significant UK Aid grant to continue providing emergency assistance to crisis-affected communities in the Central African Republic (CAR).
The £14 million—four-year programme—funded by the UK Government, will see The MENTOR Initiative continuing as Consortium Lead Agency working with its long-time health partners Cordaid and International Medical Corps UK as well as welcoming Solidarités International into the partnership as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) lead. Together, the Consortium will continue to address acute and protracted humanitarian health needs in three of the most vulnerable and conflict-affected prefectures in CAR (Ouham-Pendé, Basse Kotto and Haute Kotto).
After Yemen and Syria, CAR is the third largest humanitarian crisis in the world. According to OCHA’s most recent Humanitarian Needs Overview, 2.9 million people will be in need of humanitarian assistance and protection in 2019, of whom 1.7 million are in need of acute and immediate humanitarian assistance. This is a 16% increase since last year, and represents 63% of the country’s total population of 4.6 million people.
Commenting on the new grant, Richard Allan, The MENTOR Initiative’s CEO said:
“The MENTOR Initiative and its partners have proven highly capable of delivering flexible and reliable emergency health services in challenging settings. Each partner brings their specific areas of expertise to the Consortium, ensuring the delivery of a range of essential services. We are thrilled that more than 374,800 people will be able to access quality health services for life threatening diseases, in an environment where healthcare would, without this intervention, be practically non-existent.”
Phase III of the DFID-funded Consortium in CAR will build upon the collaborative work of Phases I and II, making use of the technical and operational expertise and experience of all partners. The life-saving assistance will cover essential health care provision through a combination of community, primary and secondary levels, maximising the access of affected communities to basic healthcare services. There will be a particular focus on child and maternal healthcare; the treatment of malaria, acute respiratory infection and diarrhoeal diseases; malnutrition screening and treatment; and the promotion of vaccinations by providing logistical support to the Ministry of Health teams. Community health workers and female focal points will also raise awareness of disease prevention and the availability of health services. Referral services for severe disease cases at the community level, which need urgent secondary level care, will be enhanced and strengthened. The Consortium will provide an integrated approach with the inclusion of essential WASH activities in support to health facilities and combined health and hygiene promotion at the community level, together with targeted pilot projects designed to promote construction and the use of household latrines.
The Consortium Phase III is planned to run from April 2019 to March 2023.
Media enquiries
For media enquiries, please contact Benjamin Willis on ben@mentor-initiative.net
or call MENTOR HQ on +44 (0)1444 412 171
