Lifesaving WASH interventions to drought affected communities and newly displaced IDPs in Kismayo district The humanitarian situation in IDPs and vulnerable and marginalized host communities in undeserved and hard to reach areas within Kismayo district is alarming and require immediate attention. Significant gaps have been reported in drought affected areas regarding to food, emergency shelter, non-food items, and safe drinking water, sanitation facilities and poor hygiene. According to joint assessments conducted by GSA in February 2022, the drought situation in Jubaland has resulted massive displacement to Kismayo affecting particularly children, mothers, elderly and disabled people who are now facing serious drinking water shortage, hunger, health and protection risks in an area already receiving little to no humanitarian assistance due to insecurity. AS operations remain high and security situation is in unpredictable. People are at a high risk of hunger and illness such as waterborne diseases which has already been reported in some of the assessed areas. Protection concerns are at alarming rate, there are increasing cases of GBV lack of privacy in IDP’s camps. IDPs lose their property whenever they are evicted women and girls suffer most due to increased exposure to the risk of rape. Serious protection concerns have also been recorded such as sexual violence which was found as the highest ranked, followed by threats from AS, limited freedom of movement, family separations, recruitment of child solders by AS and killings as result of clan issues and conflict.  The impact of the ongoing drought in Kismayo district compounded by economic and social impacts of COVID-19 and three consecutive failed rainy seasons and a poor performance of the 2021 Deyr (October to December) rainy season may result in further deterioration of humanitarian situation. In terms of basic needs, WASH and food has been recognized as the priority need, followed by Shelter and NFIs, Security, Health, Nutrition and Protection. To address the needs stated above, the project aims to save the lives of these drought affected IDPs and vulnerable and marginalized host communities in undeserved and hard to reach areas within Kismayo district by providing immediate life-saving WASH assistance, to enhance resilience and improve the wellbeing of people especially for children, woman and vulnerable groups, such as persons with disabilities in cholera/AWD hotspots and crowded IDP settlements by emergency water supply through drilling and construction of 2 shallow wells, rehabilitation of 2 shallow wells with chlorination, pipeline extensions and distribution systems, construction of 150 flood proof latrines that consider people with disabilities in IDPs camps and host communities and dissemination of hygiene best practice through IECs with and distribution of hygiene kits and formation and training of WASH committees on the operation and maintenance of the WASH infrastructures. The project will target 14,986 people (3,294 men, 3,768 women, 3,892 boys and 4,032 girls) including IDPs and drought vulnerable and marginalized people who are living in Ceeljce, Luglow, Bullobartirro and Goobweyn in Kismayo district. GSA WASH interventions will be implemented in coordination with complementary activities by other organizations targeting the same locations and beneficiaries, where they will cover CCCM, Shelter and protection components.