Improving safety, protection and access to WASH and other basic services for displacement/conflict affected communities in Babile and Tuluguled Woredas, Fafan zone  Somali Region Fafan zone has remained a priority area and continues to have a significant IDP population and affected host population that remain vulnerable under the current circumstances. Despite the emergency response efforts in the zone, there exists an increased need to continue with a sizeable WASH and protection interventions to ensure that minimum standards are maintained for the affected population.

Ensuring safe WASH provision to affected populations remains one of the main priorities for the WASH Cluster strategy and this project, using EHF fund, applies an integrated protection sensitive approach by combining hygiene promotion with environmental sanitation and access to safe drinking water. The target beneficiaries will include a broad range of vulnerable persons affected directly by conflicts in Babile and Tuliguled woredas.

The project aims to enhance the protection, health and well being of the most vulnerable and at risk conflict induced IDPs, returnees and affected host communities, and will be focusing on increasing the ability for the affected people to access safe water supply and to improved hygiene and sanitation practices through context specific approaches that take into consideration the limited access for WASH services. This project will improve the WASH situation of conflict induced IDPs in Babile Woreda kora, qoloji 1 qoloji 2 Obosha Anod Kora sites and Gebegabo/Bodley returnee site in Tuliguled woreda

DRC is targeting large and medium sized IDP sites (with more than 1000 People), where highest needs for WASH exist.  Furthermore, communities with critical water shortage will also be targeted. Through the proposed lifesaving and durable WASH activities, DRC will contribute to the risk mitigation of water borne diseases due to critical water shortage.

This project will directly reach 80501 IDPs (Source: DTM 18) and 4440 people form host community and 15600 returnees in Fafan zone. DRC is targeting large and medium sized IDP sites (with more than 1000 People), where highest needs for WASH exist and where the risk of AWD outbreak is significant. Through the proposed lifesaving and durable WASH activities, DRC will contribute to the risk mitigation of water borne diseases due to critical water shortage and likelihoods of AWD re-occurrence due to limited sanitation and hygiene facilities as well as of physical safety and GBV. DRC is additionally aiming in increasing the accessibility of the sanitation facilities for the most vulnerable, including elderly and people with disabilities.

The project will ensure active participation of the targeted beneficiaries and stakeholders throughout the project cycle. Locations for water distribution points will be selected together with the beneficiaries particularly women participating in decision making, since women and children usually fetch water for their families. In addition, DRC will construct latrines to increase access to improve sanitation. 

Protection and safety concerns will be given priority and considered providing safe and easy access to the facilities by women and children as well as disable people. The project strategy considers the needs and concerns of all the intended beneficiaries by programming around their specific situations. For hygiene and sanitation, actions will be taken to improve knowledge and behavior through targeted messaging, enabling this through the targeted distribution of hygiene and NFI items to the most vulnerable groups of people. Volunteer hygiene committees to be formed and trained to continue the hygiene promotion activities in the new sites and ensure sustained good hygiene practices are maintained in an existing site.