Emergency WASH Provision Among Most Vulnerable Displaced and Host Populations of Pibor County, former Jonglei State The latest IPC July 2018 projections indicated an estimated 7.1 million people in the country facing unprecedented levels of food insecurity and malnutrition. Recent SMART surveys conducted in May in Pibor County indicate 20.7 per cent GAM rates, way above the WHO emergency threshold of 15 per cent. Recent and renewed fighting, cattle related fighting incidents in Nauyapuru and Koradep villages(Boma) and Lekuangole coupled with the ongoing rainy season, could potentially worsen the WASH and nutrition situation among vulnerable populations (July 2018 Boma State Inter agencies Rapid Assessment IPC 2017). 

Most vulnerable and displaced populations needs are further worsened by protection concerns including gender based violence and sexual abuse, predominantly among girls and women. In 2017, a total of 445 GBV survivors sought services for rape, a 12% increase compared to the previous year. Recent rapid assessments in Pibor indicate possible IPC 5 outcomes in 2018, food insecurity has been identified as a risk factor for GBV, especially sexual violence, with women and girls forced to move long distances in search of food and water, exchange sex for food or turn to do petty jobs in insecure locations which increases their risk to sexual violence (Protection Trends 2018 FEWNET Food Security Outlook 2018).

Recent Interagency assessments in Pibor indicate deficient key water supply infrastructure due to both the lack of maintenance and damage sustained during the active months of conflict, compounded by recent mass flooding in Pibor which disrupted livelihoods and displaced of over 14,348 households in Pibor and its environs. Open defecation is widespread and risks exposure to water borne diseases both communities reported an increase in cases of diarrhea and Acute Watery Diarrhoea. Untreated water from River Kengen, Kubal and Lothila including makeshift ponds has been attributed as the main cause however, poor sanitation coverage including schools and lack of hand washing facilities, poor knowledge and practices on personal and environmental further fuel the situation.


The project will target 2000 girls, 2000 boys, 4000 men and 4000 women drawn from recently arrived internally displaced persons, host community members, children in schools. These will include elderly persons, pregnant and lactating women, people with disabilities drawn from the most vulnerable households. Among these will be beneficiaries at risk of gender based violence and sexual abuse, communities with poor access to nutrition and health, SAM/ MAM children. Inter-cluster synergies will be explored in targeted by close working with partners in nutrition, health, FSL, Protection.

SPOCI has been operational in Pibor since 2015 and currently implementing a 6 months UNICEF funded WASH program in Pibor (Vertet).  SPOCI is a member of State level Cholera Preparedness Task Force, National NGOs Steering Committee, member of the ICWG and WASH Cluster Accountability to Affected Populations Technical Working Group. In addition, SPOCI has for the past two years supported over 30,000 vulnerable populations with WASH/Education interventions through UNICEF among other partners support in Pibor. Through these, the organization has fostered strong linkages with communities, state/county line ministries of water and irrigation. This is in addition to strong and competent team including staff redeployment to scale up interventions based on needs.

Activities will ensure delivering a WASH Nutrition integrated package integrated to address the high level of malnutrition, by targeting SAM/MAM children and their families. These will be further integrated with other Health-related priorities, acknowledging that poor WASH services are a key driver to poor health, and ultimately resulting in high malnutrition. This is in addition to regular assessments to mitigate GBV risks  including sexual exploitation and abuse.