Providing life saving and sustainable WASH services to vulnerable drought affected IDPs and host communities in Wajid district of Bakool Region Somalia experiencing one of its worst drought crises in a decade following four consecutive poor rainy seasons. As per the Somalia WASH cluster drought report, over 4 million people are facing acute water shortages with most of surface water sources dried up and significant number of strategic boreholes have developed mechanical failure due to over-operation and are in need urgent rehabilitation. Somalia’s prolonged humanitarian crisis is characterized by ongoing conflicts, recurrent climate-related shocks, communicable disease outbreaks, and weak social protection mechanisms. Since the beginning of 2020, three additional shocks have contributed to a deterioration of humanitarian conditions: Extensive floods, Desert Locust infestations, and the COVID-19 pandemic. These compounding shocks have exacerbated humanitarian needs among a population already living under the strain of widespread poverty and decades of armed conflict and insecurity. Climate change continues to be a major contributing factor to displacement and food insecurity in Somalia.. a serious lack of access to clean water and sanitation and hygiene is heightening the risk of outbreaks of water-borne diseases exacerbating existing fragilities, especially where health services are too few and/or too distant. Waajid is one the districts in SWS state currently facing alarming drought accompanied by the prolonger siege by non-stake actors. The humanitarian WASH situation in the whole district is deteriorating day by day with no enough WASH responses from partners. 

In this project, ARD is aimed to improve access to WASH services for Waajid drought affected IDPs, and host communities with recognition of people of disabilities, and the most vulnerable population through the provision of safe water drinking with water vouchers for 45 days period for a total of 15,600 people (2,600 HHs), Rehabilitation of 8 flood-proof shallow wells with hand pumps in Wajid town (Koonfur Galbeed section-2, Hidig section -2, Howlwadaag Section-1, Galbeed Section-1 and Horseed Section 2) benefiting around 4,000 (1200 men, 2,600 women, 100 girls, and 100 boys) crisis-affected IDPs and host communities will be under taken. ARD will also construct 20 flood-resistant latrines in Wajid town (Koonfur Galbeed section-4, Hidig section -4, Wadajir Section-4, Galbeed Section-4 and Horseed Section 4) to benefit residents in the Waajid IDP sites which will also receive the clean water and hygiene promotions and hygiene. 5 latrines will be constructed for people living with disabilities in the target locations, 1 per villages in these villages Koonfur Galbeed section-1, Hidig section -1, Wadajir Section-1, Galbeed Section-1 and Horseed Section -1). A total of 1000 (200 men, 500 women, 150 girls, and 150 boys) people will benefit from access to the sanitation, 2,600 Households will benefit from hygiene kit distribution and hygiene awareness, Chlorination of wells and WASH committees will be established in addition, carry out environmental sanitation services to all project target locations especially IDP camps to improve all preventive measures against the risks of AWD/cholera outbreaks in Waajid district.