Emergency WASH assistance to people in Pigi/Canal Food insecurity in South Sudan is rising because of flooding, conflict, and COVID-19, which is aggravated by WASH vulnerabilities of the population. In Jonglei and GPAA 84.7% of the people are projected to be in IPC4+ from April 2021, including the population of Pigi/Canal County (total population Pigi/Canal: 193,000 - HNO 2020). Cordaid has conducted a rapid needs assessment in Jonglei State, Pigi/Canal County, in December 2020 which confirmed that people are acutely food insecure: 87% of the assessed HHs are facing moderate or severe hunger. People are also livelihood insecure with 70% of the population in LCI ‘emergency’, selling one’s land, affecting future productivity. And the population is facing high WASH needs: only 3% of the assessed HHs uses an improved water source, 85% of the households practice open defecation, and there is a high need for WASH non-food items. The high level of food insecurity and high WASH vulnerability is affecting PLW, elderly, chronically ill, and children under 5 disproportionately. This increases the incidences of malnutrition and waterborne diseases, and other public health risks. MSF also reports similar findings as of April 2, 2021, that the WASH conditions are deplorable with no access to safe drinking water (only the water from the river channel is used and its quality is doubtful), no access to hand washing facilities and no access to latrines.
On top of the existing vulnerabilities for the population in Pigi/Canal, the ICWCG alert  on May 26, 2021 reports that there are families spontaneously returning to the County, more specifically to Khor-Fulus and Atar, so far a total of 2,434 individuals. These individuals are living in and returning to an area with limited access to safe water and high levels of food insecurity. 
Cordaid proposes to improve the access to safe water, and promote good hygiene practices for the 2,460 returnees, as well as to 4,800 people of the host community. By addressing the high WASH needs and targeting couple SAM/MAM caretakers at nutrition sites, this will improve food and nutrition security, and reduce the incidence of malnutrition, waterborne diseases and outbreaks of other diseases. Access to safe water will be improved by the installation of 4 water distribution points in the communities. At the same time, good hygiene practices will be promoted through house-to-house awareness raising, distribution of hygiene kits and WASH-NFI to the same targeted households with specific priority to couple SAM/MAM caretakers at nutrition sites.
The assessments conducted were issued prior to the standard deadline for an assessment for an RRF response. This assessment was done in December 2020 and the request for emergency response was anticipated by March. However, the situation has not changed with the affected people up to this time of request for support to respond. Additionally, per the above ICWCG alert, the needs are increasing with arrival of returnees which is exacerbating the conditions further. Cordaid with a request from OCHA and ICCWG confirmed new arrivals in Khorfuls, Atar, Khorwar.  Pigi/Canal is remote and with limited partners on ground. This assessment is still valid and relevant with the needs MSF also reports similar findings as of April 2, 2021, that the WASH conditions are deplorable with no access to safe drinking water (only the water from the river channel is used and its quality is doubtful), no access to hand washing facilities and no access to latrines. The conditions since this assessment have not changed. The MSF assessment is not the standard format of an IRNA report, and thus was not initially included, but it has been reviewed and endorsed by the cluster as relevant and applicable for supporting documentation for this response. The overall objective of the project is to provide life-saving WASH assistance to 7,260 vulnerable people facing severe food insecurity, in Jonglei – Pigi/Canal County, to improve their nutrition and food security situation. -	For WASH services search as NFIs, hygiene kits, water supply and latrine, the following vulnerable group within the host community, such as family head by the Elderly, Child disabled and Female, , Pregnant and lactating women, HH with malnourished child admitted in the nutrition program and  disabled shall be considered
-	Homes hosting IDP within the host community - these are HH observed to be accommodating Internal Displaced Persons.
-	Returnee – if the HH has returned within 3 months one-time support is provided so as to help them cope up reintegrating with the community.
-	HH without access to safe water and take water direct from the pond, river or any form of surface water.
-	Women and girls under the age of experiencing menstruation cycle.