Emergency WASH Assistance and Covid-19 Response coupled with Cholera Emergency Preparedness and Response for IDPs, Returnees, and Host
Communities in Borno State in Nigeria The Objective of the proposed project is aligned to the objective of the NHF standard allocation and the Nigeria HRP to provide timely and integrated lifesaving assistance to affected populations in 2020. The project will be implemented in accessible areas in Borno state targeting IDPs, Host-communities, and returnees. The project will support the ongoing WASH sector activities in Borno state which are in-line with the sector strategy and which include a comprehensive WASH package with inclusion of Covid-19 response to be implemented in the hotspot locations of Gowza, Jere, LGAs. Specific locations in the LGAs are as follows: Gwoza (Pulka) and Jere (Alau, usuma, Gongulong, Khadammari, Maimusari), and) , including the flexibility to address any other location with arising emergency needs. Out of 5.9 m people, which is the target of HRP, Malteser International (MI) in Nigeria will target 129,229 UDS to contribute to the overall humanitarian response in 2020. In this project MI will timely respond to the rainy season 2020 preparedness and to support the cholera outbreak preparedness. All Covid-19 related activities will follow the guidelines of the WHO to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19, such as hygiene requirements and social distancing for all training and distribution activities. The emergency WASH activities will address protracted crisis programming where MI will adopt an approach that allows a natural shift from acute emergencies to semi permanent or permanent facilities with focus on quality.

Operating out of Maiduguri and Pulka with an experienced WASH program team, Malteser International will raise awareness on hygiene behaviour and sensitize communities on the risks and dangers of cholera outbreaks and on the Covid-19 response support the access to safe and sufficient water, provide dignified and adequate sanitation (bathing and latrines), and distribute hygiene and cholera preparedness kits. In addition, MI is able to provide ad-hoc emergency interventions and has proven to be a valuable WASH partner in filling gaps in the humanitarian response in Borno state in the past. Building on established relations with communities in the suggested locations, MI delivers inclusive, accountable, high-quality, and cost-effective activities and mainstreams gender, age and protection measures in all its operations. MI will apply a self-implementation approach making use of its professional and locally recruited WASH program team that operates with support from 2 expats. 

MI will adopt ways to prevent the spread of the Corona virus, inform about basic underlining symptoms and raise awareness on infections, need for isolation and treatment options. Messaging are to be conducted at household level while maintaining appropriate distancing and avoiding gathering people for mass messaging, and if feasible will be through radio and TV. To further reduce the risk of infection, MI is proposing to distribute Hygiene Kits consisting of soap, sanitizer, and community face masks etc to beneficiaries at crowded IDP camps and host communities for the purpose of improving personal hygiene, thereby reducing the risk of human to human transmission of the Corona virus. Additionally, in order to minimize the risk of exposure of staffs and people in need during non-contact distributions, Malteser International has revised its hygiene kits distribution SOPs by actively managing the flow of traffic while maintaining the required social distancing at waiting areas, providing handwashing station at the entrance and exit of distribution sites. As additional component,. Malteser International has prioritized the distribution of hand washing stations and soap, alongside HP messaging posters at certain locations such as latrines, water collection points, distribution sites,entrance to camps etc.