The situation in Burundi remains volatile with increased reports of abductions and killings within the country’s capital, Bujumbura. Human Rights Watch has documented an alarming new pattern of abductions and possible disappearances, particularly since December, 2015. Many of those arrested or missing are presumed dead. Since the December attacks, the regime is further cracking down on the few dissenting voices that have not fled the country and its Imbonerakure militia is taking an ever more prominent position in the fracturing security forces. The refugee exodus continues neighboring countries at a rate of 1,000 arrivals per day. UNHCR estimates that 245,617 refugees have left their country since April 1^st 2015, with 129,748 in Tanzania, 73 867 in Rwanda, 21, 156 in Uganda and 20,846 in DRC.  The effects of prolonged instability continue to have a significant toll on Burundians who have remained in the country. Within Burundi, it is estimated that 25,081 have been internally displaced, many of whom have lost their means of livelihoods. In addition, severe hunger and malnutrition have begun to take hold to take hold. ACT Alliance members in Burundi are concerned about the deterioration of the situation in Burundi and the impact on the economy and their livelihood systems. The members (LWF, Christian Aid and NCA) are planning to respond through food and non-food items distribution, GBV and protection, social cohesion, WASH, agricultural support to communities to restore their livelihoods, ensure food security and instill resilience in the affected communities. Appeals_04_2016_Burundi Conflict Crisis_BDI161

Heavy fighting erupted between Armenian and Azerbaijan forces on 2 April along the southern, south-eastern and north-eastern parts of the line of contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. This is the largest fighting since the ceasefire agreement of 1994. As of 05.04.2016 official sources from the government of Armenia state that 29 soldiers and 3 civilians (among them a 12 year old school boy) have died and 101 are injured (including 2 children); and 28 announced for missing in action as a result of the fighting. Unofficial sources estimated this number to be higher. Seriously, wounded soldiers are being moved to Armenia. The fighting was most prominent near the villages of Agdere (Martakert), Khojavend (Martouni) and Hadrut (Hadrout). As a result, a total of 14,400 people are affected. According to ACT Alliance member, the Armenian Inter-Church Charitable Round Table Foundation (ART), the majority of the population in the affected territories has been evacuated to the regional centres. People fleeing the conflict have been left with nothing but only the clothes they wear; and most of them also without documents.   RRFS_01_2016_Armenia_Azerbaijan_Nagorno-Karabakh-Conflict-RRF1

In Zimbabwe, food security has extremely been compromised by erratic rains in the 2015/16 season. According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZIMVAC) 2015, there is a nationwide cereal deficit of over 650,000 MT while an additional 350,000 MT will be required to feed livestock. This has put 1.5 million people at risk of starvation. The figure is currently being revised upwards following the current ZIMVAC lean season assessment, which has tentatively projected the “at-risk” population to 3 million. Highest levels of food insecurity are in the Midlands, Masvingo, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North provinces.  As the 2015/16 lean season assistance programme comes to an end at the end of March 2016, an additional 1million people who had been receiving assistance through the from WFP and other development partners will immediately become vulnerable, thus ballooning the food insecure population to 4 million people. The ACT Zimbabwe forum through DanChurchAid (DCA), Christian Aid (CA) and other local implementing partners will contribute to immediate assistance of 62,380 beneficiaries through cash transfer programme to enable households buy food, emergency preparedness and planning through Community based DRR to better prepare for drought and promote resilience and food security by providing drought tolerant seeds to the affected provinces in Zimbabwe. Zimbwabwe Drought Appeals 2016  

This 2016 Darfur Programme (DP) Appeal has become the 13th annual appeal since the start of the Caritas Internationalis (CI) and ACT Alliance (ACT) collaboration, beginning in 2004. Since the start of this collaboration, the DP has been able to actively respond to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that continues to erode the Darfur region. This erosion has left a majority of the Darfuri population in the midst of a vicious cycle; torn away from their homes – and having to call IDP camps their new home – being stripped of their livelihoods and living in poverty. It has been estimated by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) that this ongoing conflict has left nearly 3.3 million people internally displaced and 4.4 million people - including IDPs and the host communities - in need of humanitarian support and assistance (OCHA, October 2015). The numbers will inevitably increase throughout the year; however, 2015 has proven to be one of the worst years yet; pressure continues to be mounted on those existing camps and basic services. Recent years have shown that the ongoing nature of the Darfur crisis has created a steep deterioration of funding. After more than 10 years of conflict in the region – and with no foreseeable end in sight – donors have become discouraged and disenchanted by the idea of putting funds towards Darfur, and Sudan, in general. Thus, the DP has been negatively affected and, in 2014, was forced to reduce its budget twice throughout the year. It is for this reason as to why the 2015 year saw a much smaller scope and range of activities than previously. After having witnessed the incremental decline in funding across Sudan, the 2016 Appeal has therefore had to build out a budget which is much more realistic with the current donor trends.   APPEALS 2016 Narrative Cover Letter Darfur Appeal Budget 2016 Appeal 2016 Overall Logframe Final Appeal 2016 - Intervention Sectors  

The Mozambican government’s Disaster Management Technical Commission (CTGC) on January 16^th, 2016 announced an orange alert, only one step removed from the maximum state of disaster readiness, a red alert. The move was prompted by a combination of torrential rains north of the Zambezi and a severe drought in southern Mozambique. The soils in the north of the country are now saturated, and the weather forecast is for 300 millimetres of rain in the next 15 days in Nampula, Niassa and Cabo Delgado provinces. In Cabo Delgado, the Messalo, Muagide and Megaruma rivers are now all at flood alert level. According to report by SETSAN (National Secretariat Food Security) published in January 2016, 176,000 people are facing worrying food insecurity, additional 575,000 people are at risk of food insecurity by March 2016, and 50,360 people are currently receiving food aid. The worst hit province is Gaza province, and the report indicates that about 77,375 people in Gaza province are currently facing stressed acute food shortages and require humanitarian assistance to help protect their lives, and additional 27,000 people are at risk to pass to this category. ACT forum in Mozambique is planning to attend to 8,940 households with  a total population of 47,570 affected communities through food distribution, WASH, Food security through improved agricultural practice and community managed DRR   Appeals_01_2016_Drought in Mozambique_MOZ161

  The Syrian crisis is an ongoing multisided armed conflict since the unrest began in March 2011, with international interventions taking place in Syria, neighboring countries and beyond. ACT Alliance, through its JSL Forum members in the region, and their work on the ground, has observed the increasing needs of directly and indirectly affected population, especially among children and youth. In responding to the humanitarian needs of vulnerable people affected, ACT Alliance will continue to provide humanitarian assistance in this complex environment. Some of the sectors of response include:  Food security, health, WASH, Education, Basic needs, NFIs, livelihoods & early recovery, child & youth forums, SGBV, psychosocial, youth forums et all.  ACT members will coordinate their work collaboratively in the JSL Forum in the three countries of response through the new Appeal SRY161. Appeals SYR161_JSL_Hum_Response    

Appeal Target: US$ 8,818,426. The conflict continues to negatively impact the country’s economy as sustainable development is now virtually at a standstill leaving about 4.6 million of the population mainly women and children in need of urgent life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection. ACT forum in South Sudan is planning to attend to the affected communities through food, shelter and NFIs distribution, WASH, health and emergency nutrition, early recovery and CMDRR, livelihoods restoration as well as education and psychosocial support. Appeals SSD151_South_Sudan_Protracted_Conflict

Preliminary Appeal Target: US$ 657,278. The Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu was battered by exceptionally heavy rains since the 9^th of November 2015. There were 3 intensive rain spells, the first from 8^th and 9^th November, the second from 15^th- to 17^th November and the third from the 30 of November onwards, and still ongoing, with some days of respite from downpours. Nearly 400 people have died and over 1.8 million people have been displaced. In response to this unprecedented crisis, ACT members UELCI, CASA & LWSIT are making a preliminary appeal to respond to the needs of the people and communities affected by the flooding. The preliminary appeal aims to provide food and non-food items to 6550 families in Chennai and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu. In addition, the preliminary appeal aims to provide shelter repair for 4550 families in the two districts. Appeals IND152Prel_India_TN_Flooding

Appeal Target: US$ 1'831'561. ACT members The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Finn Church Aid (FCA) are providing assistance to the displaced and vulnerable communities with protection, education, food security, nutrition and psychosocial support through the Appeal CAF151, issued at the end of April 2015. Due to late funding and critical security issues, implementation could not take place as quickly as anticipated, therefore, the appeal is extended till 30th April 2016 (instead of 31st December 2015). Appeals CAF151_War_affected_Communities_ extended

Rapid Response Funds Payment for US$ 59,454 (US$ 30,000 UELCI / US$ 29,454 CASA). UELCI will provide immediate life-saving relief (food and non food items) during the crisis stage along with early recovery for 1,950 flood affected families in Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh. CASA will meet the immediate food and NFI needs of flood affected people in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu state. RRF9_2015_India_TamilNadu_Floods

Preliminary Appeal Target: US$ 626,826 ACT member Community World Service Asia (CWSA) is aiming at providing life-saving support to earthquake-affected families in the 4 most devastated districts of the most affected Province: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), with the following objectives:

• Re-establish health services, provide mobile emergency services and patient follow up in the most affected areas
• Ensure immediate food relief for vulnerable, homeless families
• Supply emergency winterization kits to vulnerable, homeless families
• Enhance quality in the earthquake response by building the capacity of aid workers and by mobilizing earthquake-affected communities to hold providers of aid accountable

Appeal Target: US$ 268,794. Community World Service Asia and Norwegian Church Aid will respond to 37,000 flood-affected individuals including male, female, children and elderly people that are displaced and do not have access to primary health care and basic WASH services in Sujawal District in Sindh and Rajanpur District in Punjab. This is in response to the urgent needs identified by the joint assessment conducted by the members, taking into consideration the response currently undertaken and planned by Community World Service Asia, the government and other NGOs in District Ghotki. NCA response in based on NCA assessment, current situation and needs in Sindh and Punjab. NCA will respond to the ongoing emergency for the first 6 months funded by an internal grant focusing on water supply months and part of the same beneficiaries will be targeted for early recovery in the areas of their origin. (Revision 1: Changes in areas of response; NCA has increased beneficiaries from 10,000 to 17,000 individuals; prolonged water provision from 3 to 6 months). (Appeals) PAK151Rev1_Floods_Sindh-Punjab