Lifesaving WASH assistance  COVID-19 prevention project for IDPs and host population in Jere LGA Since July 2009, the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency has continued to claim the lives of hundreds of people annually and displace millions within Northeast Nigeria. According to IOM DTM Round 31, a total of 2,046,604 individuals are displaced in five affected states in NE Nigeria including Borno, an increase of 0.4% in IDP population between DTM Rounds 30 and 31. Borno State alone represents 60.34% of all IDPs in affected States. The major triggers of movement are the ongoing insurgency and harsh living conditions, according to IOM. 
With little or no livelihood options, IDPs continue to be reliant on humanitarian support for survival. Their presence in host communities have placed huge pressure on existing community assets, including land and water. Jere is among LGAs worst affected by the insurgency with huge IDP population. Jere  LGA has the 2nd highest IDP population in Borno State, 266,760 according to IOM. The LGA has confirmed cases of COVID and an annual history of cholera outbreak.  

A rapid assessment conducted by ZOA and SAHEI in June 2020 shows gaps for latrines, bathing shelters, hygiene kits, and hygiene promotion. Damaged or dysfunctional latrines, bathing shelters and solar boreholes were identified during the assessment. Additional gaps were identified due to insufficiency of available WASH facilities. Population in assessed locations are also collecting water from unprotected sources. Ques at available water facilities were long, which is an indicator of water inadequacy. This was also confirmed by the WASH Sector’s gaps analysis. During the assessment, ZOA did not find evidence of COVID interventions in Gongulong and 14 surrounding villages assessed. ZOA currently implements a NHF project in Gongulong COVID-19 was not part of this project design. This project ends in August 2020. There is a need to continue hygiene promotion and implement COVID-19 prevention and distribute COVID-19 prevention kits in addition to the distribution of hygiene kits. ZOA will work along with Sanitation and Hygiene Education Initiative  (SAHEI), a Borno-based national NGO to implement this project. These interventions will address issues of open defecation, poor hygiene, contaminated water sources and reduction in spread of the COVID19 virus as well as cholera outbreak. Through this project 14,461 individuals will have access to safe water for drinking and other domestic purposes. They will benefit from VIP latrines and bathing shelters which will help improve dignity and reduce risks associated with travelling in the bushes to defecate or having to wait for nightfall to take shower. Distribution of hygiene/COVID-19 prevention kits (centrally provided by WASH Sector) will improve proper hygiene as well as the exposure of targeted population of disease outbreak. 

Presence of animals and their feces at water points contribute to water contamination at point of collection. Providing designated locations for animals will reduce water contamination and conflict at water points between animal owners and other water users who are the primary targets of constructing water points. 

SAHEI will implement other tasks including the conduct of hygiene promotion/COVID-19 prevention activities under this project. ZOA has experience working with SAHEI on WASH project in Jere LGA in the past. This experience plus SAHEI’s expertise in WASH interventions will contribute to the successful delivery of project activities.