Emergency WASH and Acute Watery Diarrhea Prevention in Response to the Conflict Crisis in Tigray Oxfam will provide lifesaving activities to conflict-affected communities in Kola Tembien and Mekelle in the Tigray region through the provision of WASH and Cholera/AWD services. 

Oxfam has a strong operational presence in Tigray. We have established an office in Mekele to lead Oxfam’s overall Tigray response, as well as an office in Mehoni town to coordinate the response in Southern Tigray. With a plan to scale up the response across Tigray, we are currently working to open an additional coordination office in Kola Tembien (Abiy Adi). Thus, this funding opportunity will play a vital part in our scaling up effort in Central Tigray Zone.

This six months project starting from September 15, 2021, will focus on delivering emergency water, sanitation and hygiene promotion activities that will contribute to improving the public health situation of IDPs and conflict-affected communities by reducing morbidity and mortality rates caused by WASH related communicable diseases such as AWD and Cholera. The following activities will be prioritized:

The provision of water through water trucking will ensure that 8600 IDP communities receive a survival amount of drinking water (7.5l/p/d), enabling users to avoid resorting to unprotected water sources and improving their health. 

Rehabilitation of shallow and hand-dug wells with repairing of hand pumps (which is the main source of water in rural Tigray and Kola Tebmien) will improve users access to safe drinking water and avoid communities consuming contaminated water. 

The provision of water treatment chemicals will help communities to treat their drinking water at the household level. 

Provision of WASH NFIs will ensure a safe water chain – collection, storage, and drinking. 

Provision of safe and dignified communal latrines will ensure safe excreta disposal by eradicating open defecation that poses the risk of communicable disease and sexual violence. 

Community members will benefit from hygiene promotion messages, enabling them to prevent wash-related communicable diseases. 

The provision of dignity kits to vulnerable girls and women in the reproductive health group will create access to safe and dignified MHM.

Improving the knowledge and capacity of community members and stakeholders on good hygiene and sanitation practices.

Provision of AWD containment materials to affected locations

The project will ensure that adult and adolescent women are mobilized and involved: in the decision making processes that govern the design and implementation of the project at the community level in the operation, maintenance and repairs of new water and sanitation hardware in hygiene promotion and promote women leadership within water user groups (WASCO). The project will take specific actions to reduce GBV by consulting women and girls at all stages of the project particularly about the location, design of water points and latrines in order to reduce time spent waiting and collecting and transporting water and to mitigate the potential of violence incidences. Oxfam will work with community leaders (women and men) to sensitize about the value of women and girls’ participation and the need of men and boys collaboration on the process. The project will also consider the needs of disabled people by designing inclusive WASH activities.