WASH recovery delegate Malawi 193 views0 applications

We help to strengthen resilience of vulnerable people exposed to hazards and crisis situations and we respond to disasters and conflicts to save lives and alleviate suffering. In the Netherlands with more than thirty thousand volunteers and internationally through technical assistance, supplies and money. Together we act before, during and after disasters to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people.

We do this without regards to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinion. Our seven principles guide our humanitarian work: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

The International Assistance department is responsible for all Netherlands Red Cross international support for victims of disasters and conflicts and for vulnerable people exposed to hazards.

The International Assistance department has opened a vacancy for a WASH recovery delegate to support Malawi Red Cross to implement the WASH recovery activities after cyclone Idai.

Position title: WASH recovery delegate Malawi

Duty station: Blantyre

Time period: 12 months

Starting Date: 1 June 2019

Status: Accompanied posting

Purpose of the position

To support the Malawian Red Cross Society (MRCS) in its flood response during the recovery phase and ensuring access to safe drinking water and sanitation in flood affected areas and displacement centres.

Background

On march 14^th the Cyclone Idai made landfall in Mozambique and continued to Malawi, where the heavy rain resulted in extreme flooding and caused structural damage of houses and sanitation facilities across 14 districts in the Southern Region. In total, an estimated 922,900 people have been affected across 14 districts, with 56 deaths and 577 injuries reported and more than 125,000 people displaced. The impact of Cyclone Idai, which has exacerbated rainfall across Malawi, has worsened the situation for the affected people. The President of Malawi has declared a State of Disaster. The WASH recovery acitvities are focussing on the 5 most affected districts: Zomba, Chikwawa, Nsanje, Phalombe and Mulanje.

During the floods many people take shelter in official or non-official evacuation sites. A significant number of these sites are schools. Though many of the schools used as evacuation site have some basic sanitation, none of the known sites in the affected districts have the facilities to care for the basic needs of water and sanitation for this influx of people. This is again a bigger problem in the schools that remain open and continue to receive large numbers of students during the day. The latrines present are in most cases in very bad state and small in numbers, together with a variety of run down old latrines structures, putting the health situation of these locations at risk.

While open defecation in Malawi is at an average of 6% in the rural communities in Malawi, latrine coverage in the community affected by the floods is significantly lower. Open defecation is now a serious concern as latrines were often poorly constructed and not able to resist any floods. Also some of the water points have been affected while other villages have more problems maintaining their water points and many people lost their income and are not able to pay their monthly fees for water supplies.

Malawi Red Cross has developed a country response plan of 18 months, and asked support from all their partners. Under the coordination of the Danish Red Cross, The Netherlands Red Cross is taking care of the WASH recovery activities in the in country response plan in the 5 selected most affected districts.

Position in the organization

The WASH recovery delegate reports to the NLRC programme manager, who is representing NLRC’s Country office in Lilongwe. The WASH recovery delegate works together on a day to day basis with its counterpart of the Malawi Red Cross. Furthermore the WASH recovery delegate reports to the Idai response coordination team, headed by the Danish Red Cross. Distant support lines are available at NLRC headquarters (such as WASH advisor, logistics, project administration, project officer)

Summary statement and responsibilities

• Support MRCS in the delivery of safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene to the floods affected population, in accordance with national and international humanitarian standards such as the SPHERE standards.
• As per the sectoral definition of priorities, assess and select the most suitable solutions (most cost-effective/effective) and jointly with MRC develop interventions related to WASH.
• Give technical advice to MRCS in implementing above named WASH interventions to recover the functionality of / rehabilitate / reconstruct or install new water distribution systems or sanitation facilities according to the identified needs and opportunities.
• Encourage MRCS to base the interventions on culturally appropriate and gender sensitive concepts.
• Based on the acknowledged WASH interventions, identify suitable ways for community engagement, and as appropriate, for participation in planning, construction, operation and maintenance of WASH facilities and services
• Based on the local context, to include menstrual hygiene management support as part of specific hygiene promotion interventions and the overall WASH response, ensuring women and girls special needs are considered and reflected.
• As per necessary, include activities for sanitation and hygiene promotion aimed to ensure appropriate use and maintenance of sanitation facilities at community and household level (development of IEC material).
• Assist the MRCS project team in project cycle management – timely reporting, adherence to budget lines, adherence to procurement rules, quality monitoring and evaluation, in compliance with internal control measures NLRC and MRCS agreed in their Commitment Note.
• When requested by MRCS; interact with government and partners (including UN, Donors, NGOs, CSOs, etc.) in the different stages of the emergency programme implementation.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Advanced university degree or equivalent experience in Civil Engineering, Programme Communication, Mechanical Engineering, Geology, Hydrogeology, or Sanitation Engineering, or other related field.
• Experience working with Red Cross and Red Cross volunteers, government agencies, local authorities, international organizations, NGOs and communities in the field of water, sanitation and participatory approaches in health and hygiene promotion.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience with either the UN and/or NGO, government or private sector.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience of responding to first phases of an emergency.
• Experience in project and financial management and budget control minimum 3 years
• Project monitoring and accountability minimum 5 years
• Financial and narrative reporting skills minimum 5 years
• Fluency in English (verbal and written). Good written and spoken skills in the language of the humanitarian operation an asset.

Key competencies

We expect the WASH recovery delegate to be a team-player, working hand in hand with its counterpart of the Malawi Red Cross. We need somebody who is able to work under hectic circumstances. A hands on person, who can take initiatives, but who can also role out the plan of action. Organisational and cultural sensitivity is a must.

We offer

• A full time appointment (based on 40-hour work week) for 12 months
• A flexible and human centred working environment in an international environment with a variety of international organizations.
• Well balanced employment conditions with space for initiative and development.