Highlights
The storm that hit the Sahrawi refugee camp in Laayoune on 15 August affected 849 families (4,245 people), including 406 families that have had their house completely destroyed.
Severe to moderate damage to six out of the eight schools, and five out of the seven kindergartens, is putting 8,109 children at risk of not being able to go back to school.
UNICEF has supported the local education authorities to develop a plan to ensure that children are able to return to school on 6 September, in time for the start of the new school year. Emergency repairs were agreed upon which will allow for the partial use of damaged schools as an interim measure. Additional short-term measures include the use of tents as temporary learning spaces.
The detailed rehabilitation plan was finalized and validated during the 23 August education coordination meeting. Further contingency planning by humanitarian actors is ongoing, to strengthen preparedness activities for potential heavy rains in the coming weeks and months.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
The most affected sector remains education, with six out of the eight schools and five out of the seven kindergartens having been exposed to severe to moderate damages. While the back-to-school campaign is scheduled to start on 6 September, 8,109 children are at risk of not being able to go back to school (from KG to intermediate school).
On 23 August, the local education authorities co-chaired with UNICEF an emergency education coordination meeting to validate the immediate Education emergency response plan, as well as the school rehabilitation plan for the damaged schools.
The immediate plan aims to ensure that all children will be able to start their school year on 6 September. Along with double shifts and the temporary use of eight school-tents as learning spaces, the plan includes emergency consolidation of damaged buildings so that they can be partially used, without putting children’s safety at-risk. UNICEF will support the NGO International Committee for the Development of Peoples (CISP) to undertake this rehabilitation work. To cover both the short and medium-term rehabilitation needs, UNICEF will need to secure US$286,000. The education contingency plan is being updated by the education authorities, with the support of UNICEF and education humanitarian stakeholders, to ensure the strengthening of any preparedness activities for possible upcoming heavy rains.