Integrated response to conflict-affected at-risk boys, girls, women and men in Yei and Lainya SUMMARY: 
The action intends to provide an integrated multi-sectoral response to conflict-affected and at-risk boys, girls, women and men in Greater Yei, Central Equatoria State. The action seeks to provide an enhanced protective environment for communities through improved access to quality child protection and education activities. This will be complemented with WASH services which will positively enhance protection and education-related outcomes.
The intention is to build on the interventions implemented by Plan International (PI) in 2019 (in partnership with TdH) in rural and urban Yei expanding into Lainya county. PI (lead partner) will continue to focus on protection and education interventions, while Tearfund (TF) will provide WASH services to improve educational outcomes. The action will reach a total o 3f5,437 beneficiaries. All activities will be adapted to minimise the risks of transmission of COVID-19. There are over 2.8 million children out of school while 46% of those aged between 10-14 years are engaged in child labor and other
exploitative work. UNICEF estimates that over 1 million children are experiencing psychosocial distress, while over 25,000 UASC
require FTR and reintegration services. Over 19,000 children are estimated to be recruited or used by armed forces (UNICEF, Plan and SCI 2021 reports, National CPIMS+ database).
Insecurity, lack of basic services and property issues prevented returnees from returning home, and create high needs for
reintegration serv iSceosm. e 8.3 million people in South Sudan are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2021 (South
Sudan, HNO 2021).
Protracted and continued conflict/flood induced displacement limit access to WASH infrastructure and places an extra burden on
existing infrastructure. In the assessed counties in CES, fighting continues, causing major displacement to the border counties in CES. 
33% of children are separated from parents/caregiver. Cross-border movement, constant community displacement in addition to COVID-19 measures are lead causes. This pauses for UASC risks of recruitment, school dropout, distress, exploitation, and negative coping mechanism. The action will adopt an intersectoral approach to integrate the education and child protection activities with WASH-related support to enhance the education and protection outcomes. It will put an important accent on enhancing enjoyment of participants’ rights without restricting access on the grounds of gender, disability or diversity. Gender transformative and GBV
approaches will be mainstreamed to address gender-related risks that affect women and girls and hinder access to services,
participation in leadership roles and maximize their full potential. This response is therefore aims to meet their humanitarian
needs through an integrated and holistic approach.
The program is designed based on the needs assessment. The selected sectors and priorities are in line with the HIP priorities and
the priorities of the relevant Clusters, as the action aims at providing humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected communities and
addressing critical humanitarian needs through emergency life-saving activities. The intervention aims at providing education and
protection services to the affected population, while rolling out WaSH related support in order to enhance the outcomes, and building
the capacity of the actors and beneficiaries. The action intends to provide an integrated multi-sectoral response to conflict-affected and at-risk boys, girls, women and men in
Greater Yei, Central Equatoria State. The action seeks to provide an enhanced protective environment for communities through
improved access to quality child protection and education activities. This will be complemented with WASH services which will
positively enhance protection and education-related outcomes.
The intention is to build on the interventions implemented by Plan International (PI) in 2019 (in partnership with TdH) in rural and
urban Yei expanding into Lainya county. PI (lead partner) will continue to focus on protection and education interventions, while
Tearfund (TF) will provide WASH services to improve educational outcomes. The action will reach a total o f35,437 beneficiaries. All
activities will be adapted to minimise the risks of transmission of COVID-19. The action targets a total of 35,437 beneficiaries. approx. 60% will be IDPs, 15% returnees, and 25% vulnerable host community members. Selection will be guided by the following considerations: a) Interagency vulnerability criteria based on the needs assessment and updated at start of the action, b) PI and TF guidelines and principles, c) cluster and sub-cluster guidelines and SOPs, d) community and child participation and feedback on vulnerability or prioritization, e) gender, age, disability, diversity considerations. Program implementation in Yei is headed by the Yei Area Manager, and is delivered by PI technical and support staff with support from the Country Operations Section (that includes HR, IT, Finance and Admin). The Yei office has 26 National staff and 1 Expatriate, with the ECHO Project Manager and Project Finance Manager based in Yei to manage implementation of the action. A Procurement Officer in Yei supports procurement and logistics and experienced thematic managers in Child Protection, Education, and Food Security, based in Juba, provide technical support. PI also has a trained security focal point in Yei who is technically supported by PI Country Security Manager based in Juba to mitigate security risks in the area.

Tearfund (TF) has been operating in South Sudan since 2006 and as of today has six static bases in Uror, Twic East, Pochalla, Aweil East, Kajo Keji and Morobo, with staff, extension workers and volunteers. Over the last 3 years, TF has implemented projects designed to increase access to safe water sources, knowledge on hygiene practices and to improve sanitation while mainstreaming gender and protection among IDPs, returnees and host communities in Jonglei, Central Equatoria, and Northern Bahr El Ghazal States. TF is the WASH cluster lead in Pochalla, Twic East and Uror counties and an active member of the state and national level WASH, Protection Clusters as well as GBV and Child Protection sub-clusters. TF’s current USAID-funded emergency WASH and gender mainstreaming programmes are in Jonglei State and Central Equatoria State, where this action will take place.