The Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund

The Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund (CHAF) responds to smaller-scale, rapid-onset crises where there are unmet humanitarian needs. The fund enables Humanitarian Coalition members to respond quickly to provide assistance, such as:

emergency food
water
sanitation and hygiene,
emergency health care
shelter

Providing humanitarian assistance to the people who need it

The suffering of people caught up in a smaller-scale, sudden onset disaster is just as serious as a larger-scale disaster. However, these localized crises do not always make it to international news screens.

The CHAF ensures that funds are allocated quickly to the member of the Humanitarian Coalition that is best placed to respond to a given disaster. Combined, the members of the Humanitarian Coalition (Canadian Lutheran World Relief, CARE Canada, Islamic Relief Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Québec, Plan Canada and Save the Children Canada) are present in over 154 countries worldwide. When local disasters occur, members of local agencies can provide rapid and appropriate responses resulting from:

Their local knowledge
Their community-level relationships
The program capacity.

Timely assistance during the initial emergency phase

During an 18-month pilot phase, between April 2014 and September 2015, the CHAF provided $2.5 million to 8 responses to smaller-scale disasters. In September 2015, Global Affairs Canada made a three-year, $9.5 million commitment to the CHAF. Disasters that the CHAF responded to during the pilot phase included:

Iraq: hygiene products, education and child protection were provided for displaced people
Democratic Republic of Congo: food, household items and protection were provided for displaced people
Cameroon: improved nutrition for people displaced by violence
Niger: food, water, sanitation and hygiene for people displaced by violence;
Nepal: food and livelihood support for those affected by flooding and landslides
Bangladesh: water, sanitation and livelihood support for those affected by flooding
Turkey: shelter, water and sanitation support for the surge in refugees from Syria
India: water and sanitation for those affected by Category 4 typhoon in coastal regions

Project funding allocated through the CHAF for any single project ranges from $100,000 to $350,000, and project implementation periods are typically 4-6 months.

Past emergency operations

April 2019

Afghanistan - Floods

Through the Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund (CHAF), an allocation of $260,000 has been made to support Oxfam Canada in providing immediate assistance to approximately 5,730 people for four months in response to severe flooding in Herat province, Afghanistan. The operation will focus on the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene services, multipurpose cash and protection services, including a gender-based violence response.

For more details on this emergency operation supported by Canada, refer to the Humanitarian Coalition website.

March 2019

Malawi – Tropical Cyclone Idai

Through the Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund (CHAF), an allocation of $297,500 has been made to support CARE Canada in providing immediate assistance to approximately 15,000 people for four months in response to Tropical Cyclone Idai in Malawi. The operation will provide safe water and sanitation and shelter to Malawians displaced or affected by the cyclone.

For more details on this emergency operation supported by Canada, refer to the Humanitarian Coalition website.

Malawi – Tropical Cyclone Idai

Through the Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund (CHAF), an allocation of $297,500 has been made to support Plan Canada in providing immediate assistance to approximately 11,000 people for four months in response to Tropical Cyclone Idai in Malawi. The operation will provide safe water and sanitation and shelter to Malawians displaced or affected by the cyclone.

For more details on this emergency operation supported by Canada, refer to the Humanitarian Coalition website.

Mozambique – Tropical Cyclone Idai

Through the Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund (CHAF), an allocation of $595,000 has been made to support Oxfam Canada in providing immediate assistance to approximately 75,000 people for six months in response to Tropical Cyclone Idai in Mozambique. The operation will be delivered by COSACA, a decade-old consortium comprised of Oxfam, CARE, and Save the Children, leveraging each organization’s unique expertise and experience. Support to COSACA will provide safe water and sanitation, emergency shelter, and protection for Mozambicans displaced or affected by the cyclone.

For more details on this emergency operation supported by Canada, consult the Humanitarian Coalition.

February 2019

Cuba - Tornado

Through the CHAF, an allocation of $297,500 has been made to support Oxfam Canada in providing immediate assistance to approximately 3,400 people for 6 months in response to the tornado that struck Havana, Cuba. The operation will focus on the provision of shelter kits, water, sanitation and hygiene support.