Emergency WASH Response for Drought Affected Communities in Somali Region The weak and erratic 2017 gu/genna season resulted in under performance of the belg harvest in Somali region, pushing the number of people in need of assistance to 9.5 million. The resultant in migration and  reduction of Terms of Trader has negatively influenced market dynamics. Consequently food accessibility of the drought affected communities has been challenged, increasing malnutrition rate in the region. To date, 36,578 SAM cases have been reported in the last six months, particularly among IDPs. The low performance of the gu/genna rain restrained the surface water sources, putting additional burden on ground water sources. Water recharge rate has been inadequate, resulting in depletion of water table and less yields from boreholes. Moreover, the overall hygiene and sanitation condition remains unfavorable with cases of AWD expected to rise with the approaching rainy season. Less than 3% of the kebeles and 1% of the IDP sites have latrine coverage the prevalence of open defecation is creating high risks for the spread of water borne diseases. 
According to the 2017 Gu Assessment, currently, a total of 403 kebeles across the Somali region are considered hotspot 1 due to acute water shortages. Around 27% of the boreholes are non-functional. While rehabilitation of surface and ground water sources will ensure more permanent access to water, water trucking remains the only plausible intervention for ensuring access to safe and adequate water. As an exit strategy from water trucking, 40 boreholes need quick repair while 40 additional boreholes will ensure long term, safe access to water. As per WaSH cluster in Ethiopia, some 7,265 latrines are required only for the IDP sites to bring the situation at par (as per minimum standard). The numbers are cited even higher in the Gu assessment report (June 2017): some 500,000 latrines are required across the region. Hygiene promotion measures and essential NFIs are required to complement sanitation facilities. 
Oxfam is proposing life saving water sanitation and hygiene promotion activities with gender and protection as key cross-cutting themes. The proposed project comprises of two core components: Water and Hygiene/Sanitation. The aim is to increase access to adequate and safe water while also to increase access to sanitation facilities including WASH NFIs, and complementing this with improved knowledge of personal and environmental hygiene. The action will be implemented across 15 woredas of four zones in the Somali region - Doolo, Jarar, Afder and Korahey. Exact targeting of woredas has taken into account where the needs are highest in terms of water/sanitation access, and risks of disease outbreak. The action is designed to primarily target IDPs. 
In the water component, 4 water schemes will be extended, increasing access to water for approximately 40,000 IDPs and malnutrition patients across Doolo and Jarar. One additional borehole will be treated in Afder, ensuring potable water is available for 10,000 IDPs. At each of the aforementioned boreholes, one WASHCo will be trained, thereby ensuring continuity. Oxfam will retain a portion of the budget for water trucking benefitting 150,000 IDPs for 30 days. This will act as a contingency in case the Dyre rains are delayed and the needs re-escalate, enabling Oxfam to maintain roughly the same amount of water trucking beneficiaries it is currently reaching, as more sustainable solutions are put into place. 
In the Hygiene/Sanitation component, 60 blocks of latrines will be installed across IDP sites in Doolo and Jarar benefitting 7,200 individuals. This will be complemented with the provision of environmental cleaning kits in 15 IDP sites, across the same zones, as well as the provision of WASH NFIs and hygiene promotion initiatives focused on disease prevention targeting 60,000 individuals. These actions serve not only to curb the spread of water and vector borne diseases, but also to put into place preventative measures.