Provision of emergency WASH supplies in Khash and Kishim districts of Badakhshan The Allocation Strategy Paper for the 3rd Reserve Allocation of 2022 details a complex set of needs among vulnerable populations. In Khash and Kishim districts of Badakhshan province, political instability, recession, and COVID-19 as well as limited access to safe drinking water, resulted in widespread illness and mortality. All this starkly reduced income opportunities, depleting households’ productive assets and reducing their capacity to cope with shocks. Further, communities in Badakhshan province are especially prone to natural hazards and drought which coupled with harsh winters and prolonged conflict have destroyed community infrastructures, including water systems, limited their access to adequate water sources and to WASH facilities and place them at high risk of acute watery diarrhea outbreaks (AWD) and other diseases. 

Data from the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan, WASH Cluster and Afghanaid’s needs assessment shows that vulnerable households in Badakhshan need urgent assistance to address their WASH needs ahead of the winter season. In particular, Afghanaid’s needs assessment highlighted that communities in Khash and Kishim have limited access to safe drinking water, lack water treatment options and have high-risk hygiene practices. 

In line with WASH cluster priorities for this allocation, Afghanaid proposes to provide crucial WASH assistance to a total of 41,360 shock-affected households in Khash and Kishim districts of Badakhshan. Based on Afghanaid’s needs assessment (conducted in October 2022) and communities’ preferences, the following interventions – developed in consultation with the regional WASH Cluster - are proposed: 

- A total of 41,360 households in the target districts will receive chlorine tablets or sachets and handwashing soaps 

- Hygiene promotion trainings and awareness raising sessions on AWD to these 41,360 households in the target districts 

- The intervention will also provide rehabilitation/reparation and protection support for a total of 15 pipe schemes (6 in Khash that serve 2,975 households and 9 in Kishim targeting 4,735 households) 

- Distribution of 2,000 water filter kits to 2,000 vulnerable households (1 per household) 

- Creation of WASH committees in 30 villages and provision of 30 OampM kits. 

Participants will be selected using the vulnerability criteria set by the WASH cluster to ensure that households in most acute need are targeted, including women-headed households, households with a large number of dependents, and households with one or more members with a disability. 

Afghanaid is well placed to implement this project, with over 30 years of continuous presence in Kishim and Khash. Afghanaid also has extensive humanitarian programming experience, with current and recent humanitarian projects in the working provinces, funded by AHF, WFP and FAO. These projects include WASH, emergency food/cash, livelihoods, winterization, and shelter assistance. Afghanaid has consulted with the local authorities to deliver its programmes in the target areas and will actively engage the local actors to explain that the project can only proceed if authorities do not interfere and permit us to employ and target women. Project staff will work closely with the target communities and stakeholders working on the ground to mitigate any risks. 

By providing urgent WASH assistance this intervention is expected to reduce the risk of outbreaks, prevent illness and mortality, boosting the resilience of 41,360 vulnerable households (289,520 men, women, boys and girls) against future shocks. The project will be also synergized with Afghanaid’s active projects implemented in the targeted districts, to enable a joined-up, complementary response.