CRS works in three priority sectors: agriculture and livelihoods, health, and emergency response and recovery. CRS supports households, communities and farmer groups to increase their agricultural production and diversify their incomes. CRS has also launched an impact investing initiative to strengthen social enterprises and bolster sustainable, responsible economic growth in the country and is developing a strategy to identify investments and support the impact investing ecosystem in Nigeria. In the health sector, CRS’ programs address HIV/AIDS, malaria, nutrition, routine immunization and polio eradication, and provide support to orphans and vulnerable children and their caregivers. In response to the Northeast emergency, CRS is providing access to life-saving food; shelter; and water, sanitation and hygiene resources and services for IDPs and conflict-affected host communities. CRS and partners work in 32 of the country's 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory with an extensive grassroots network and tremendous capacity to reach the rural poor.
CRS has been a sub-recipient (SR) on the Global Fund’s HIV grant since July 2011, where it has achieved the highest performance rating among the National Agency for the Control of AIDS’ SRs for two terms running. In partnership with State Ministries of Health and Local Government Areas, CRS also works as a sub-grantee with the Global Fund in support of malaria prevention and treatment. With funding from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, CRS provides intensive advocacy and program management training to the Association of Civil Society Organizations on Malaria Immunization and Nutrition.
Currently, CRS in Nigeria hosts two global USAID-funded initiatives. CRS hosts the country secretariat of the Core Group Partners Project (CGPP) that supports Nigeria’s polio eradication and routine immunization strengthening efforts at the community level. CGPP focuses on five northern states in Nigeria where children under five are at high risk of contracting the polio virus. CRS also hosts the Coordinating Comprehensive Care for Children (4Children) Project, a consortium of six organizations led by CRS, designed to improve access to HIV-sensitive services for OVC and their households. In Nigeria, 4Children provides technical assistance to 16 President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) OVC Implementing Partners and 33 state governments.
CRS presently implements a multi-sectorial agriculture-led livelihoods project to empower very poor households. CRS supports households to increase their agriculture production and incomes, as well as improve comprehensive nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene education in response to livelihoods challenges faced by many farming households in Northwest Nigeria.
Through funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CRS’ Strengthening Cassava Seed Systems and the follow-on BASICS program focus on helping farmers improve revenue and food supply with high quality certified cassava stems through a traceable value chain. At present, CRS’ cassava project is developing an economically sustainable and integrated cassava seed system characterized by the commercial production and sales of planting material that spans the seed value chain.
CRS launched its emergency response in Yobe State in 2014, initially providing emergency WASH and malaria programming through private funds, then by a USAID Food for Peace-funded emergency food security program and an OFDA-funded WASH program. In 2016, CRS launched a multi-sectoral response to provide life-saving food, WASH, and shelter assistance as well as agricultural support to facilitate a return to livelihoods in Borno state. To maximize beneficiary choice and promote local market functioning, CRS utilizes an innovative, cash-based e-voucher system as part of markets-based programming.
Through the Capacity for Inter-Religious Community Action, CRS focuses on a joint approach to deepening commitment to capacity strengthening and peacebuilding, particularly inter-religious engagement. |