Action against Hunger is an international non-governmental, private, apolitical, non-religious and non-profit organization created in 1979. Its goal is to combat hunger and dangerous situations that threaten men, women, and children. Currently 500 expats and more than 5,000 employees are working for Action against Hunger in more than forty-six countries working in projects concerning four areas of focus: nutrition, health, food security and water and sanitation.
In Lebanon, the Syrian crisis continues to generate political, social, and economic pressure due to the war in Lebanon and keeps more than 1.5 million refugees in a situation of increasing vulnerability. In this environment of political, economic and social uncertainty, our teams have maintained their high levels of humanitarian response and aid to Lebanon. Likewise, our interventions have been maintained in the Bekaa and northern areas, as well as in the south of the country, with a special focus on working in partnership or in consortium with other organizations and on institutional strengthening of the relationship with both donors. institutional, such as with local authorities and entities.
The IYCF Specialist will be responsible of:
Under the supervision of the Nutrition HoP, the IYCF specialist will provide counseling to mothers/caregivers of children under the age two to promote, protect and support optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and nurturing care at household. The IYCF specialist supports caregivers with the aim to improve early childhood development. The IYCF specialist will complement the other aspects that aim to improve ECD including improved IYCF practices, responsive feeding, responsive care, stunting management, timely detection of acute malnutrition through community-based MUAC screening, and appropriate hygiene practices of children under five years, pregnant, and lactating women.
Objective 1: Assess feeding support needs by mothers and caregivers of children under two years of age (20 %)
- Assess mothers/caregivers and their children to identify specific feeding support needs, using rapid and full assessments, with face-to-face observations.
- Specify route of support to follow and referrals needed while consulting with the team
- Support in conducting other assessments as needed
Objective 2: Provide IYCF counseling to mothers and caregivers of children under two years of age, (50 %)
- Assist and support in the coordination with authorities and municipalities to implement activities in allotted areas of intervention and maintain relationships
- Plan household visits to support mothers with one-on-one tailored counseling to pregnant women and caregivers of children under the age of two on optimal IYCF practices and nurturing care. This includes, supporting exclusive breastfeeding for children under 6 months, continued breastfeeding, responsive care and feeding, optimal complementary feeding practices for mothers of children between 6-24 months, and assess for maternal wellbeing with referral when needed
- Provide tailored one-on-one counselling to caregivers with non-breastfed infants on optimal feeding use of artificial feeding (BMS) after all other feeding options have been explored., following SOPs developed by the nutrition sector and international and/or internal Action Against Hunger standards
- Occasionaly and based on need participate in other nutrition and health promotion activities linked with the nutrition context.
- Register and record all relevant data regarding the beneficiaries and the sessions conducted, keeping detailed track of the needed follow-up sessions to plan and needed services expressed on a timely manner.
- Develop and contribute to development of IEC material, as needed
Objective 3: Conduct referrals (internal and external) based on counseling as expressed by mothers and evaluated by IYCF specialist (10 %)
- Observe and collect information during activities sessions on the beneficiaries’ needs and vulnerabilities, keeping protection-related needs in mind, and proceed to referrals when issues are not related to nutrition arise.
- Support team in conducting daily and weekly referrals to ACF staff as expressed by mothers or assessed during counseling and support on needs related to nutrition-vulnerability, including WASH, food security, general health, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, etc.
- Refer mothers to mother-to-mother support groups, establish any if/where needed and support the activities of these groups
Objective 4: Document and report on all activities conducted on a regular basis details on target, progress, referrals, challenges, and needs (20%)
- Using Kobo, or other chosen tool, compile beneficiary information and other appropriate data collected for reporting purposes. Store hard and soft copies, follow Action Against Hunger internal archiving guidance and following donor requirements.
- Provide verbal and written reports, on a daily and weekly basis, on conducted activities, including type of support provided, targets reached, progress at work, follow-ups conducted, referrals made, challenges faced, lessons learned and needs
- Document all forms and files used for mothers/caregivers visited and counseled by keeping an updated register and storing all tablets, data, and documents in secure locations/files
- Attend debriefing meetings with line manager and other team members, as requested
Objective 5: Security
- Respect the security rules specified in the mission and base security plan and comply with the security plan and perform the security management tasks that can be assigned in its protocols.
- Communicate to the security managers of the working location any security related information or noncompliance with the security plan
Objective 6: Support humanitarian activities of Action Against Hunger
- Support the emergency interventions of the organization as per the employee’s abilities
- Support any activity that helps reaching our humanitarian goals, as per the employee’s abilities
- Promote gender equality within the humanitarian and/or development work
- Attend meetings and trainings as needed
- To uphold the Core Humanitarian Principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality and the Action Against Hunger Code of Conduct
We offer immediate incorporation to a dynamic international network with the following remuneration package:
- Based in: Zahle
- Formal work contract: 7 months
- Salary: according to ACF salary scale and according to the candidate’s previous experience (following the standard list of Action Against Hunger).
- LBP 250,000 daily transportation allowance on working days
- Social security registration and NSSF family allowance if eligible
- Complementary health insurance for you and your dependents
- Work accident insurance
- Life insurance (after 3 months of contract)
- School allowance for your children if eligible as per the official decrees (paid each year in October)
- 1.5 days of paid holidays per month
- Approx. 18 days per year of public holidays