Provision of life-saving WASH services to vulnerable and underserved drought-affected/displaced communities in Luuq districts, Gedo region According to the WASH Cluster, more than 6.4 million Somalis are affected by poor and deteriorating WASH conditions and require severe and extreme humanitarian WASH assistance, which has been exacerbated by Somalia's recurring drought. WASH is one of the two main drivers of humanitarian needs in Somalia, highlighting WASH's growing importance in determining the severity of humanitarian needs for both IDPs and non-IDPs.
As a result, SOYDA proposes a project to provide life-saving and fundamental WASH services. Through the rehabilitation and/or extension of existing water infrastructures, the construction of new water infrastructures equipped with appropriate storage systems, tanks, and distribution networks, and the establishment of gender-balanced water management committees to ensure service continuity, appropriate operation, and maintenance, as well as the strengthening of women's leadership and participation in WASH projects through capacity building of new and existing water infrastructures.
SOYDA created an intervention to support the 2022 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and efforts to address the needs of the most vulnerable displaced communities affected, by drought, with a focus on the Luuq in the Gedo region.
SOYDA's proposed WASH activities will focus on both short-term and long-term interventions, such as: -improving sanitation access in settlements hosting newly displaced populations by building new sanitation facilities (culture-sensitive and addressing specific needs of different genders and people with disabilities), addressing the need for better hygiene practices through promotion campaigns focusing on soap-free handwashing and menstrual hygiene education for women and addressing the need for better hygiene practices through promotion campaigns focusing on soap-free handwashing.
In addition, 200 communal latrines with handwashing facilities and lockable doors on the inside and outside to ensure user privacy will be built. The newly constructed latrines will benefit almost 10,000 people. Organizing hygiene promotion and training campaigns, as well as providing necessary hygiene items such as female menstrual kits the establishment of three gender-balanced water management committees in the rehabilitated /newly Constructed water assets in Luuq is intended to ensure service continuity, proper operation, and maintenance.
SOYDA will also provide emergency clean water access through water trucking in four rural communities in luuq as well as long-term water access through the rehabilitation of strategic water points.
Furthermore, this will be accomplished by constructing new, safe, culturally, gender, disability, and age-appropriate sanitation facilities in settlement groups hosting recently displaced populations. Handwashing with soap (in strict accordance with WHO and MoH Covid-19 guidelines), sanitary pads (for adolescent girls and women), and the distribution of hygiene kits are the focus of hygiene promotion campaigns. 
Market-B Programming (MBP) will be the default modality for strengthening local markets, which will include the distribution of solid waste collection tools (Wheelbarrow (x1), Pickaxe (x1), Shovel/spade (x2), Brooms (x4), and Rakes (x3) in vulnerable IDP settlements for clean-up campaigns to IDP communities and community mobilization for solid waste management (with special consideration given to persons with disabilities in selecting those who will work on their behalf). Garbage collection and cleanup campaigns are examples of such initiatives. In consultations with site community leaders and local authorities, PWDs, women-headed HHs, children, and other people with special protection needs, such as minority clans, will be prioritized.