Maintains - where and how we work as a humanitarian organization

Maintains works in six countries, gathering evidence and seeking practical insights to influence thinking and inform policy and practice within – and beyond – these countries. Through our research we aim to help displaced people, refugees, vulnerable urban populations, and many others. As part of our COVID-19 Series, we have also analysed how five of our six focus countries scaled up their response to the pandemic in the first few months of the outbreak in our Synthesis Report.

Bangladesh

Sector: Social protection

Well-designed social protection systems are proven to support vulnerable people during crises. Our research in Bangladesh is exploring the shock responsiveness of current formal and informal social protection systems, and investigating how to optimise their design, organisation and operationalisation. We work closely with the Government of Bangladesh to encourage new approaches to policy and practice.

Ethiopia

Sectors: Health, Nutrition

We are generating new evidence on the importance and role of health workers at community level. The research is exploring how health extension workers and other health professionals can support preparedness and strengthen shock responses, and why and how this assistance can vary. We are exploring the impact of COVID-19 and government response measures on poor and vulnerable groups in urban areas in Ethiopia, in conjunction with MERQ Consultancy PLC.

Kenya

Sectors: Health, Nutrition, Social protection

Maintain’s Research in Kenya is exploring how to design and roll out an enhanced single registry to improve the effectiveness of social protection and other interventions in times of shock. We are also investigating how health and nutrition systems can better respond to shocks, looking at early warning systems and financing flows, and applying lessons from other shock-responsive programmes.

Pakistan

Sectors: Health, Nutrition, Social protection

In Pakistan, Maintains is studying whether nutrition and health systems provide social services during floods and drought, and proposes recommendations for their improvement. Our Pakistan research will also inform additional investigations into the need for greater synergy between development and humanitarian approaches to nutrition, and how to optimise the delivery and targeting of shock-responsive social protection.

Sierra Leone

Sector: Health

Our research in Sierra Leone is exploring how health systems can continue to provide existing services, while managing new demands during flooding or disease outbreaks. It is also looking at the economic and financial costs of health shocks, how they are currently being financed, and how financing arrangements can be improved to support a rapid and effective scale-up.

Read more about our work in Sierra Leone.

**A junior doctor at work in a hospital in Sierra Leone that was hit hard by the Ebola crisis.**
Credit: Simon Davis/DFID

Uganda

Sectors: Education, Health, Nutrition

In West Nile, Maintains is studying the implementation, delivery and impact of the Education Response Plan for refugees and host communities. In Karamoja, research is investigating how health and nutrition systems can better respond to shocks, focusing on early warning systems and financing flows, and applying lessons from other shock-responsive programmes.