WASH Assistance for Returnees and Conflict IDPs in Nangarhar, Uruzgan and Jawzjan Provinces The ongoing conflict deepened poverty and contributes to a deteriorating humanitarian situation across Afghanistan. As many as 9.4 million people require some form of humanitarian and protection assistance in 2020. As per the REACH assessment and WASH Cluster strategy, WASH is still one of the big needs in the targeted districts. The IDP and returnee caseload in these areas has increased significantly during 2019, with reports showing a total of 15,000 households in the mentioned provinces being either new conflict-IDPs or recent returnees. In Nangarhar and Uruzgan a very limited number of organizations are present and only a few NGOs are functional in hard to reach (HRT) districts. ZOA has conducted assessments and wants to support conflict-affected and IDPs in the HTR areas in the two provinces of Uruzgan (Derawoud and Chora districts), Jawzjan (Sheberghan and Faizabad) and Nangarhar (Kot and Khugiani districts) facilitating access to water, hygiene, and sanitation. In December 2019 ZOA conducted a needs assessment among 378 sampled households in two provinces 114 households in Uruzgan, 172 in Jawzjan and 92 households in Nangarhar province. ZOA has involved men and women and CDC members during the needs assessment considering safe and secure access to WASH facilities. 

As per the WASH sector strategy ZOA intends to ensure the provision of safe water and sanitation to people with critical needs. ZOA maintains good relationships with the affected communities due to the long-standing working relationships from previous projects. The intervention will consist of hard and soft components. Besides providing access to safe water and sanitation facilities, hygiene training will be an important component. Hygiene promotion to very vulnerable families will be accompanied by the distribution of hygiene kits. This proven approach aims to enhance the health, dignity, and protection of vulnerable families men, women, boys, and girls. 3450 households are targeted in this project and will receive extensive hygiene training. Further, caretaker training/pump mechanic training will be provided in support of the new water points. Water Management Committees (WMCs) will be elected and trained in separate female and male groups. These groups will carry the management and maintenance responsibilities once the water points will be handed over. In order to make the intervention sustainable a small water user fees for the maintenance of the water points will be collected and administered.

Totally 6,900 people (female and male), including CDC members, will be directly involved in Protection training (GBV and rights of children), Hygiene and DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) training. The coordination with all stakeholders, especially with DRRD, District governments, and CDCs are very essential, and also with provincial authorities and DoEconomy. CHS and the AWAAZ complaint mechanism will be applied in order to be accountable to the beneficiaries and implement the project activities in a transparent way.

WHY ZOA DID NOT DO A CASH COMPONENT IN THE WASH PROJECT

 WASH components are often not available in the local markets
 WASH in this project is a public service and therefore individual cash contributions are not applicable. 
 Substantial technical support is needed for this WASH project, which can’t be covered by a cash component.