Deliver life-saving WASH assistance to reduce acute needs among most vulnerable settlements and communities (including men, women, boys and girls) in a dignified manner According OCHA Somalia latest monthly Bulletin the drought emergency has intensified in Somalia, hunger continues to rise and water shortages persist as more locations in South Central Somalia, faces risk of famine. Heightened drought affected about 7.8 million people and displaced more than 1 million people from their homes in search of water, food and pasture for their animals.  According to FSNAU Nearly 6.7 million people across Somalia face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse acute food insecurity outcomes. About 2.2 million people in Somalia are expected to be in IPC Phase 4 and at least 300,000 people to be catastrophe (IPC phase 5). Famine is project among rural communities in Baidoa and Burhakaba districts in Bay region and IDPs in Baidoa where malnutrition and mortality level are already high. According to WASH cluster SWS drought update in August,2022 Severe drought has affected over 1.3M people in Southwest state of Somalia with more than 1M people in the state facing critical water shortage. The strategic water sources across the state are depleting at alarming rate and the capacity of those functional is overstretched resulting in a constant breakdown. Since June 2022, 27 strategic water sources in SWS have failed to function while 55 communal sources are completely dry. 71% of dried water sources in SWS are in Burhakaba and Baidoa. Burhakaba is one of districts in Bay that is most disadvantaged in terms of getting durable water solution due poor underground water quality. The depends on surface dams as sources of fresh water but due to 4 subsequent rain failure the lives of thousands of the residents in the district mostly in rural villages are threatened.
In the view of the context mentioned above GRRN proposes to implement a WASH cluster-specific intervention aiming (1) Improve access to safe water through water trucking targeting 14,000 for a period of three months and (2) rehabilitation of 4 strategic shallow wells targeting 2,000 beneficiaries in Burhakaba town. (3) Construction of 58 communal latrines with gender and disability lens for newly displaced population who were affected by the devastating drought affected population in Burhakaba district. In addition to the above GRRN will (4) purchase and distribute sanitation tools to conduct solid waste management targeting 14,000 beneficiaries, (5) Purchase and distribution of hygiene kits to 1,650 families who are most affected by the drought. Massive hygiene promotion activities including but not limited to 39 hygiene promotion sessions, 8 PHAST/CHAST/hand washing training, Household water treatment session, hygiene promotion campaigns and home-made ORS sessions. All aimed community behavioral change and WASH best practices (6) Establishment of 5 gender balanced water management committees for ensuring continuity` of services, appropriate operation and maintenance and as well strengthen women leadership and participation of WASH projects. In addition to this proposed activities GRRN will work closely with Nutrition, health and Protection partners working in the area (SOS, PASO) to achieve integration.
GRRN will ensure water points, latrines construction site selection should aim at reducing the risk of violence against women and children accessing water sources through their participation in discussions). Construction of latrines will be culture sensitive and addressing specific needs of different sex and disabled groups) hosting new displaced population. GRRN WASH technical designs adhere to SPHERE standards/Somalia WASH cluster guidelines, mainstreaming protection and disability, gender considerations per IASC guidelines for GBV Interventions in Humanitarian settings, WASH Chapter, as well as the environmental protection. considerations and securing access to the elderly and those with special needs as per Handicap International Guidelines.
The total beneficiaries targeted in this project are 14,000(6,720 women, 4,480men, 1,680 girls and 1,120 boys)