Increased Access to Durable and Improved WASH Services for Crisis-Affected Communities in Idleb Governorate. The proposed action is based on Big Hearts approved submission to the 2019 HPC and will increase and safeguard access to safe and adequate water for 99,157 conflict-affected people in Idleb and Ariha sub-districts of Idleb governorate. This will be achieved through an evidence-based, quality-focused program of assistance targeting the Al Mastumeh water station catchment areas to immediately increase - and then safeguard - access to safe water and adequate sanitation and solid waste management services. Al Mastumeh previously received OCHA-funded support under project # TUR-17/3559/SA 2017/WASH/NGO/5405 which ended in April 2018. Since then, due to a lack of operational materials, the productivity of the station has decreased to approximately 10% of total capacity. Moreover, the station has not been operational since November 2018, as the Ariha Water Unit has failed to secure a funding source to maintain operations.

The proposed action will ensure safe water delivery to 50,572 female and 48,585 male beneficiaries (of which 16.408 IDP) is resumed and can be sustained, while also improving sanitation and Solid Waste Management (SWM) services for four communities in the targeted area, reaching 89,847 people who will also benefit from increased access to safe water. This will be achieved through implementation of essential rehabilitation works to Al Mastumeh station, provision of operations and maintenance support for water services and the establishment of Cost Recovery Mechanisms (CRMs) to maintain sustainable service provision beyond the project end date. Complementary rehabilitation works to sanitation systems and works to improve system efficiency of SWM in Ariha, Falyun, Korin and Mastumeh will ensure an integrated approach covering Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) needs and protecting the health of targeted communities. 

All planned activities build from Big Hearts experience under previous THF-funded and other WASH projects. These include implementation of priority rehabilitation works, provision of operations and maintenance support to deliver essential water and sanitation services and the establishment of Cost Recovery Mechanisms (CRMs) to maintain sustainable service provision beyond the project end date. The establishment of CRMs will benefit directly from recent experience successfully implementing this activity with Mseibin and Andan water stations under THF-funded project TUR-18/3559/SA1/WASH/NGO/9496. As such, the action will immediately increase access to safe water and sanitation services while safeguarding WASH service provision beyond the implementation period through establishing CRMs for water services in coordination with affected populations, water units and Local Councils (LCs). 

As referenced above, the action builds on over five years of successful operational experience in the targeted sub-districts by Big Heart and will expand proven WASH programming to meet the needs of seven highly vulnerable communities in urgent need of WASH assistance. Big Heart successfully delivered vital support to Al Mastumeh water station - targeted under this action - from December 2015 through April 2018, funded by OFDA, OCHA and Save the Children International (SCI). During this period Big Heart developed excellent working relationships with the Idleb Water Directorate in addition to a highly nuanced technical understanding of the Al Mastumeh water system. The last grant for Mastumeh ended in April 2018, at which time Big Heart - in coordination with the WASH Cluster - advocated for funding and ongoing support from multiple donors and partners, including Qatar Charity, SCI, Expertise France and QRC. Al Mastumeh station has received no support since May 2018. As noted above, the system has not operated since November 2018 and critical rehabilitation and maintenance works are now required to prevent further deterioration of the system and to ensure the catchment population can access safe water again.