WASH Emergency Response in Chinakson and Gursum Woredas of East Harraghe Zone, Oromia Region The WASH Emergency Response in East Hararghe will target populations affected by twin crises of drought and IDP displacement due to civil conflict. The drought is part of a long-term trend in the region that is witnessing more frequent and longer duration droughts, due to climate change and decreasing rainfall. The high level of dependency on shallow groundwater is resulting in water system failure and overuse of sustainable deep groundwater resources. The civil conflict has resulted in complex movements of Somali and Oromia people with some destruction of basic infrastructure in borderland communities. The influx of IDPs has increase the stress on operating water facilities and increased problems with environmental sanitation, particular excreta management putting hosts and IDPs at elevated risk of infectious acute watery diarrhea. Across the 20 woread of East Hararghe 21,734 households have been displaced. 

The project will target 16,646 vulnerable IDP and host communities in 2 woreda of East Hararghe (Chinksen and Gursum) in locations where CRS/HCS is currently active on USAID fund DFSA program. CRS/HCS has already intervened with food security and education projects for the same populations and is designing a temporary shelter project in Chinaksen. 

The project will improve access to water supply, improve environmental sanitation and hygiene behaviors for at risk populations through a project that engages with woreda officials, local leadership and mobiles the health Development Army and Health Extension Workers.

The project aims to drill new boreholes to replace the existing nonfunctional wells. Three for Chinakson Woreda at Mekanisa Oromo, Tiro Sendare and at Chirile IDP sites. These boreholes were serving 11,646 communities and due to overload (over exploitation) and complete their design period, the boreholes are nonfunctional now. Similarly, the IDPs in Gursum Woreda are suffering with shortage of water at Areda Ibsa kebele. All infrastructure and pipe system was in place and the drilled borehole was nonfunctional due to some technical problem. As all water system are in place only drilling of one borehole is required. With this a total 5000 people will have access to drinking water.
It is their first priority for the zonal and Woreda administrations to replace these boreholes for the continuous supply of water through existing system. The drilling will be accompanied by WASHCo refreshing training on management skills.

As part of a hygiene promotion campaign the WASH response will raise general awareness of 16,646 individuals through campaigns and some strategic hygiene promotion events. Targeted distribution of point of use water treatment chemicals and hygiene kits (soap/jerry cans) will go to families that are dependent most at risk of AWD due to their water source and excreta management facilities. The hygiene promotion campaign and distributions will be implemented through the HDA/HEW network.

Targeted activities on temporary latrine construction will take place in priority locations, such as high concentration points of IDPs. In locations where latrines exist CRS/HCS will conduct service improvement tasks such as minor repairs as well as establishing latrine management committees. The sanitation will be conducted with the support of local officials and leadership of IDP groups.