Emergency flood response for WASH infrastructural rehabilitation and construction with immediate supply of potable water and prevention of COVID-19 mainstreamed in Kelafo and Mustahil woredas, Shebelle zone of Somali region Somali region is one of the most disaster-prone areas in Ethiopia. The region
experiences a frequently happening droughts, floods and disease outbreaks
resulting IDPs in many parts of the region. Shabelle zone is among the vulnerable
zones to all types of disasters (floods, droughts) that are commonly happen 2-3
times per year affecting the most vulnerable woredas specially Kelafo and Mustahil.
In Kelafo and Mustahil woredas, the flood has affected twice in 2017, three times in
2018 and four times in 2019.
The recent flood happened in October 2019 affected 27 kebeles (12 in Mustahil and
15 in Kalafo woreda) and again in April 2020 causing much displacement and
destruction in the communities’ livelihoods, schools, and health facilities. The flood
damaged the communities’ limited safe water supply systems and left 43,000 IDPs
without safe -drinking water and latrines. WASH and nutrition severity level is very
high. Active cholera cases are somehow under control, but always recurrent since
the root underlying causes were not addressed yet and risk prevails.
Inadequate safe water and latrines resulting to drink un-safe water, open defecation
and poor hygiene practices led to a risk of AWD outbreak. As a result, these
woredas scored for WASH cluster a preiority1 woredas under category (65-70)
among 44 woredas. This is led to list the two Woredas in prioriry1 category woredas
by health cluster having with gt50 Cholera cases and/or with more than 50 new
measles cases. Nutrition cluster put in priority1 category woredas for having gt1,000
SAM admissions. The complex situation of the emergency needs was further
exacerbated by desert locust infestations and upcoming COVID-19 pandemic.
ADRA’s proposed WASH Emergency integrated with the COVID-19 response,
which focus on WASH activities to prevent and control COVID-19 in meeting the
standard to prevent human-to-human transmission. Provision of safe water supply
in adequate quantities to affected populations in emergency treatment units and
flood affected IDP centers through a government water truck is one of the
interventions. ADRA will respond through water trucking with a provision of 2,160
m3 safe water through trucking for (45) forty-five days from nearby potable water
source. The project will also encompass chlorine disinfection of storage facilities
through the distribution of essential WASH NFIs amp water treatment chemicals
(Bishan Gari) in sachets, distribution of non-food items (NFIs-buckets) and provision
of 2 ROTOs (plastic water storage) in the two treatment centers. As an exit strategy,
ADRA will rehabilitate 6 un-functional hand dug wells (HDWS) damaged by the
flood and establishment and training of 6 WASHCOs members and system
caretakers in water rehabilitation in the targeted beneficiaries.
Moreover, there will be a provision of gender responsive sanitation facilities in
vulnerable communities with construction of 13 blocks of semi-permanent latrines
having 4 stances with 13 hand washing facilities. ADRA will support solid and liquid
waste management in the emergency treatment units and IDP centers. ADRA will
procure and distribute critical hygiene and prevention items (PPEs including soap,
hand-sanitizer, disinfectant for use in health facilities including a regular cleaning
and disinfection of surfaces, and public spaces) to facilitate Covid-19 infection
prevention and control.

ADRA will work with key influencers, WASHCOS, women and youth groups, health
workers and community volunteers while building their capacity on awareness
raising and promoting healthy practices through participatory interventions. ADRA
will do engagement with the existing community networks to broadcast messaging
 through IEC materials and mass-communication
channel. Furthermore, there shall be activities to build the capacity of 44 hygiene
promotion volunteers and 45 health workers for treatment centers in regard to hygiene and COVID19 prevention.