Rationale & Methodology 

Abandoned Turkish company grounds serving as informal settlement for non-displaced households , Benghazi, taken by ACTED staff December 20th 2017

Benghazi is one of the most conflict-affected areas in Libya, ranked as alevel six “catastrophic problem” in terms of severity of needs, matchedonly by Tripoli, according to the 2018 Humanitarian Needs Overview. Furthermore, Benghazi plays host to the largest proportion of internallydisplaced persons (IDPs) in the country (45,195 individuals) and thelargest proportion of returnees (146,900 individuals), according to theInternational Organization for Migration (IOM) Data Tracking Matrix (DTM)from August 2017.  

In September 2017, REACH completed a multi-sector needs assessment(MSNA) in eight Libyan Mantikas, which included 453 household surveysin Benghazi, allowing for statistically generalisable results for all assesseddisplacement categories with a confidence level of 95% and a margin oferror of 10%.  While the MSNA provided an in depth picture ofhumanitarian needs in Benghazi, there is a gap in up to date informationon the precise situation in IDP camps, collective shelters and informalsettlements in Benghazi.

To give evidence of the relative vulnerability among households living inthese camps/settlements, and thus inform targeting of cash activities,ACTED performed a household level survey with 162 randomly selectedhouseholds across five sites between December 19, 2017 – January 4,2018.  The five sites, which include Bodhema, Helis, and ShouhadaBouzgheiba and  Abubaker Alrazi School (collective shelters),  and theTurkish company (informal settlement for non-displaced households),were selected based on discussions with local authorities and localorganizations operating in Benghazi.  ACTED strove to include schoolcollective shelters, Tawergha IDP camps, and non-displaced informalsettlements in the sample.

The sample size for household surveys was defined based on populationfigures in each site in order to achieve a 95% confidence and 10% marginof error of the results per location.  Survey questions were harmonizedwith the MSNA to ensure comparability of the findings.  A comparativeanalysis between REACH MSNA data and data collected as part of thisneeds assessment will enable conclusions to be drawn about the relativevulnerability of this sample compared to the average situation facinghouseholds in Benghazi.

Multi-sector Needs Assessment in Selected IDPCamps and Informal Settlements,  Benghazi Libya

January 2018

Helis Tawergha IDP Camp 

Female-headed 

Profiles of Assessed Sites  

Bodhema IDP  Camp 

Abubaker Alrazi School(IDP collective shelter) 

Souhada BouzgheibaSchool (IDP collective

shelter)

Turkish Company(non-displaced

settlement)

15 HHs

24 HHs 22 HHs

47 HHs

54 HHs

289HHs

96 HHs

35 HHs

30 HHs

24 HHs

Abubaker School

Bodhema Camp

Souhada School

Turkish Company

Helis Camp

Benghazi average(REACH MSNA)

% of households reporting the following vulnerabilities 

26.7%

25.0%

31.8%

12.8%

11.1%

13.2%

Pregnant Women

Chronically ill 

The 162 surveyed households are comprised 855 individuals (average household size of 5.3 individuals).  The gender/age composition was asfollows: 201 men, 235 women, 221 boys, and 198 girls.

6.7%

4.2%

0.0%

8.6%

22.2%

9.9%

26.7%

33.3%

27.8%

36.3%

29.8%

55.6%

Food Security   

Abubaker School

Bodhema Camp

Souhada School

Turkish Company

Helis Camp

Benghazi average(REACH MSNA)

Average Food Consumption Score (FSC)

Average FSC

Poor

Borderline

Acceptable

Average Reduced Coping Strategy Index (rCSI)

Abubaker School

Bodhema Camp

Souhada School

Turkish Company

Helis Camp

Benghazi average(REACH MSNA)

Average rCSI

High use(10+)

Mediumuse (4-9)

Low use (0-3)

83.5          1.0%           3.1%         95.9%   

45.6           6.7%          33.3%         60.0%

6.4           22.7%         30.8%         46.5%

25.1          100%           0.0%            0.0%

  24.7          92.6%           7.4%           0.0%

23.7          100%           0.0%            0.0%

 30.3          95.5%          4.5%            0.0%

19.1          87.2%         10.6%           2.1%   

58.2           4.2%          29.1%         66.7%

64.1           4.5%           9.1%          86.4%

62.4           6.3%          14.9%         78.7%  

 57.8          9.3%           9.3%          81.5%  

The FCS is a composite indicator score based on dietary frequency, food frequency andrelative nutrition importance of different food groups and their consumption by assessedpopulation groups.  Ranging from 0 to 112, the FCS will be ‘poor’ for a score of 28 and less,‘borderline’ for a score of 42 or less, and ‘acceptable’ above a score of 42.

The reduced Coping Strategy Index (rCSI) is often used as a proxy indicator fior household foodinsecurity.  rCSI combines: (i) the frequency of each strategy; and (ii) their (severity). Higher rCSIindicates a worse food security situation and vice versa, with a score from 0 to 56.

= non-displaced

= displaced

= Site population

= Sample size

Cash and Livelihoods  

Abubaker School

Bodhema Camp

Souhada School

Turkish Company

Helis Camp

518LYD

839LYD

575LYD

795LYD

660LYD

Average monthly household income by location

Top 3 reported challenges to accessing income inthe last 30 days

Assessed Sites

Average in Benghazi(REACH MSNA)

No work opportunities

Low wage

Salary not regularly paid

41.4%

35.8%

28.4%

Dysfunctional banking

Salary not regularly paid

Low wage

50.0%

30.6%

7.3%

Average monthly household expenditure per sector

Housing

Energy

Debt

Water

Other 

Household goods

Health

Education

Food

0LYD

27LYD

27LYD

34LYD

42LYD

72LYD

115 LYD

131LYD

441YD

Primary payment modality in the last 30 days 

% of household who relied on the coping mechanismsfor lack of income/resources/cash in the last 30 daysor report exhausting mentioned coping mechanismsalready

HH member above 18 accepting high risk,dangerous, or exploitative work

Ask strangers for money

Migrate for economic reasons

Purchased food on credit

Withdrew children from school

Additional job taken by family

Sold household furniture

Sold family gold

Depend on support from family/hostfamily/external assistance

Spent savings

Reduced expenses on health or education

Borrowed money

.

0 20 40 60 80

Top 3 barriers to accessing market items 

Top 3 barriers to accessing financial service providers

Some items are too expensive (84.0%)

No means of payment  (13.6%)

Some items not available  (5.6%)

1

2

3

Limits to the amounts that can be withdrawn (25.8%)

Long wait times (25. 3%)

Service provider not functional (20.4%)

1

2

3

Assessed locations

Average in Benghazi  (REACH MSNA)

Hard cash (87%) Checks (9%)

Mobile payment (2%) Credit/debit cards (1%)

Other (1%)

Shelter   

Type of dwelling

Collective publicspace

Abubaker School

Bodhema Camp

Souhada School

Turkish Company

Helis Camp

Benghazi average

(REACH MSNA)

100%

4.2%

100%

2.1%

7.4%

0.0%

Private space notusually used for shelter

0.0%

37.5%

0.0%

46.9%

51.8%

0.6%

Unfinishedapartment or house

0.0%

20.8%

0.0%

34.0%

24.1%

3.0%

Pre-fabricated

0.0%

37.5%

0.0%

12.8%

3.7%

0.0%

Nature of occupancy

of households reported having beenthreatened with eviction (37.0%) or havebeen recently evicted (1.9%)

38.9%  70m2 

= the average size of each household'sdwelling

86.4%

of households reported no or irregularaccess to electricity 

Healthcare   

% of households needing healthcare in the last 30days having received the healthcare they needed

Abubaker School

Bodhema Camp

Souhada School

Turkish Company

Helis Camp

Benghazi average(REACH MSNA)

35.8%

55.6%

50.0%

40.9%

46.2%

57.8%

The main reason  for HHs to have limited or no access tohealthcare is no/lack of money to pay for health care(65.1%)

Education

% of HHs with school-aged children who have droppedout of formal education

Abubaker School

Bodhema Camp

Souhada School

Turkish Company

Helis Camp

Benghazi average(REACH MSNA)

20.0%

20.8%

13.7%

8.5%

20.4%

1.2%

The main reason for their children not regularly attendingand/or dropping out of education services is no/lack ofmoney to send  children to school and/or pay fortransportation to school (30.8%).

Provided by public authority (53%)         Squatting (25%) Being hosted -free (15%)         Owned (5%)         Other (2%)

Assistance and priority needs

Conclusion

Abubaker School

Bodhema Camp

Souhada School

Turkish Company

Helis Camp

Total 

13.3%

8.3%

90.0%

21.3%

83.3%

48.7%

Abubaker School

Bodhema Camp

Souhada School

Turkish Company

Helis Camp

Total

% of HHs who received assistance in the last30 days 

% of  who receivedcash or vouchers

% who received inkind assistance

50.0%

50.0%

20.0%

20.0%

2.2%

13.9%

50.0%

50.0%

80.0%

80.0%

97.8%

88.6%

Of those that received assistance:

Source of assistance recieved

Top 3 priority needs

Shelter

Income/cash support

Health

1

2

3

The comparative analysis between the ACTED data on the fiveassessed sites and REACH September 2017 MNSA data forBenghazi indicate that households  across Abubaker School,Bodhema Camp, Souhada School, Turkish Company, and HelisCamp are significantly more vulnerable and have significantly higherneeds relative to the average Benghazi population.   

Families in these locations are living in cramped unfinishedbuildings, schools, makeshift houses made of  scrap metal platesand plastic, and in some cases even tents (average of 70m3 for afamily of 5.3 individuals).  Results indicate that they have lessdiverse and nutritious food consumption, much higher  reliance onnegative coping strategies, higher school dropout rates, and lowerrates of receiving healthcare when in need.

These barriers to accessing goods and services are largely financialin nature, underscoring the appropriateness  of a cash basedintervention.  The average monthly income for households inassessed locations is only 681 LYD (411EUR), with 84% citing“items too expensive” as the main barrier to accessing market items.Similarly, the main reported reason for households having limited orno access to healthcare is no/lack of money to pay for health carewhile the main reason for children not regularly attending and/ordropping out of education services is no/lack of money to sendchildren to school and/or pay for transportation to school.  

Tthe humanitarian response in many of these sites,particularly  Abubaker School, Bodhema Camp, and TurkishCompany has been limited and small scale (mostly provided fromlocal organizations).  In conclusion, in light of the high levels ofvulnerability, financial nature of needs, and gap in humanitarianresponse in these sites suggest that they would be an appropriateplace to target a cash intervention.  

Helis Tawargha IDP camp, December 2017

Local organizations (59%) International organizations (19%)

Governmental/local authorities (4%) Private donation (18%)