YHF SA 1 2021 – Priority 3 - Provision of emergency, life-saving WASH assistance and protection to the most acutely vulnerable IDPs and host communities in Washhah district, Hajjah governorate. In June 2021, ZOA conducted a Rapid Need Assessment (RNA) in the targeted priority district identified by the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Cluster. Based on a review of existing data and key informant interviews, gaps in water, sanitation and hygiene are critical in Washhah district. 

The overall objective of this project is, therefore, to deliver emergency life-saving and protection-sensitive WASH responses to address critical WASH gaps for the most vulnerable internally displaced person (IDP) and host community members at risk due to displacement and conflict in close coordination with nutrition and health responses.

ZOA targets 740 households (HHs), including an estimated 5,180 beneficiaries of whom 967 are men, 969 women, 1,717 boys and 1,527 girls. The project includes the following standardized WASH framework activities:
1.1.1 Repair, rehabilitate or augment water supply systems
1.2.1 Provide water filters for household-level water treatment
1.3.1 Gender appropriate latrine construction and support
1.4.1 Distribution of / support for basic hygiene kits
1.4.2 Training of community volunteers in hygiene promotion and community engagement approaches
1.4.3 Hygiene promotion and community engagement
For the activities including a selection process, e.g. water supply systems, water filters, latrine construction and hygiene kits, selection criteria are described in the activity section. For items such as the hygiene kits, ZOA uses a community-based targeting approach that involves community committees in selecting the most vulnerable community members eligible for support. 

The project is aligned with the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan 2021 strategic objectives for the WASH sector. The proposed activities fall under priority 3 of the YHF1 Standard Allocation for 2021, namely ”Provision of emergency, life-saving assistance and protection to the most acutely vulnerable IDPs, refugees, migrants and host communities most at risk due to recent displacements and conflict”. In line with the WASH 1st Standard Allocation (SA) Strategy, priority 1 is streamlined across this proposed intervention. ZOA takes full responsibility to provide inclusive and protection-sensitive WASH assistance, including gender-appropriate facilities and services with equitable and safe access for all, including PWD, older people, minority groups and vulnerable groups such as women and girls at risk.

Potential risks that could jeopardize project implementation in the targeted location are security and/or climate factors, distribution-related risks, delay/denial of government permission and the community’s non-acceptance of proposed activities. ZOA will mitigate the mentioned risks by continuously monitoring the security situation, keeping close contact with other agencies, rigorously selecting and monitoring the work of the suppliers, developing a close relationship with communities in the project area and ensuring the government is aware of the project from the beginning and throughout the project lifetime answering any concerns they might have. In addition, ZOA has consulted with the community during the design of this project and will continue to do so throughout project implementation through the formation of Community Committees to ensure beneficiaries' feedback is considered throughout the project cycle. ZOA will implement the project directly as it has the expertise, presence on the ground and capable personnel to carry out the project. ZOA has been operating in Yemen since 2012 and some of the main interventions so far were hygiene promotion, rehabilitation of water and sanitation systems and cash distributions, and food security and livelihoods projects.