Integrated Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), GBV and Education Program for vulnerable populations in Gedaref State Gedaref is suffering from multiple shocks which has created a dire humanitarian situation in the state. The sudden influx of Ethiopian refugees from the Tigray region in late 2020, coupled with the ongoing economic crises affecting the country have placed a severe burden on the provision of basic services. Compounding these difficulties has been the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating floods during the last rainy season. Urgent humanitarian assistance is needed to support local people in Gedaref to meet their basic needs. In response to this crisis, Mercy Corps plans to deliver a multi-sector response comprising of interventions in WASH, SN/FI and GBV. These interventions will target 3 priority localities Al Butanah, Al Galabat Al Gharbyah – Kassab amp Ar Rahad. Mercy Corps  will work with local NNGO partner Green Peace to help deliver the planned interventions. 

The program will strengthen WASH, GBV / protection, shelter provision and education services to enable refugees, host population and vulnerable communities to adapt, withstand, and recover from disasters and emergencies. The project will respond to the needs and priorities of the affected population through an integrated multi-sectoral approach, with gender and protection mainstreamed throughout. Mercy Corps will address WASH needs through rehabilitation of water sources at both community and institutions, formation and training of WASH committees to ensure improved access to clean and safe water. Mercy Corps will then complement the water supply activities through hygiene promotion and train community hygiene promoters who will carry out hygiene promotion awareness raising activities to enhance health and wellbeing of the targeted individuals. During the implementation Mercy Corps will ensure COVID-19 transmission risks are mitigated through behavior change by ensuring adherence preventive practices including social distancing and respiratory hygiene.

The protracted humanitarian situation within the state has resulted in multiple protection concern. GBV has been identified as a priority concern and MC will ensure the safety, health and dignity of women and girls by provision of quality multi-sectoral GBV response services with a survivor-centred approach and GBV risk mitigation measures. Activities proposed include support to Women and Girls Safe Spaces, protection monitoring visits and assessments, conducting awareness-raising against GBV and PSEA and the provision of dignity kits for Women and Girls. 

Due to COVID-19, schools in Sudan closed in March 2020 and remained closed for an extended period, affecting approximately nine million children. It is expected that the most vulnerable children, particularly children living in areas affected by conflict, will not be able to return to school this year unless support is provided. Through this proposal we will prioritize a number of education activities including the rehabilitation of classrooms, the provision of water and hand washing facilities in schools, supply of face masks as COVID-19 prevention measures, school furniture and recreations kits. These activities aim to support the return to school of thousands of children, especially IDPs, who have missed education due to conflict and the COVID-19 out break.