Provision and upgrading of WASH services by rehabilitation of water supplies and support of improved hygiene practices IOM’s proposed project is in alignment with the priorities of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund’s 1st Standard Allocation 2022 Strategy Paper, the Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2018-2021 and the Afghanistan Flash Appeal (“the Flash Appeal”). In total it aims to reach 83,000 persons with WASH services. As indicated in the strategy WASH basic services in the country are accentuated in HTR locations. IOM conducted water point/source assessments from January through May 2022, in Nangarhar (948 sources) and Kabul (896 sources) provinces. Results of this assessment are provided in Annex 1.
IOM has analyzed available data from Farah Province due to the low WASH actor presence, only AABRAR per the latest WASH Cluster actor presence sitrep. Due to the general humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, areas of response were identified through the following selection criteria at village level:
50% or more of the population indicated utilizing open wells/hand-dug wells as primary water source
Less than 20% of the population indicated utilizing a private hand-pump as primary water source
0% of the population indicated access to a piped water distribution system, whether constructed by an NGO, Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD), or private entity
Community identified that the quantity of water available is insufficient
75% or more of the population indicated not having enough drinking water 
Within the past 3 months any of the following criteria are met:
	More than 100 watery diarrhea cases have been reported
	More than 100 bloody diarrhea cases have been reported
	More than 100 skin disease cases have been reported
Following this exclusion criteria, WASH actor presence was evaluated along with potential impact of activities as summarized in Annex 2.
To address a portion of the WASH needs assessed, IOM proposes the following:
Rehabilitation of water supply systems with a focus on repair/reconditioning/upgrade of handpumps and protection of existing hand-dug wells, to restore urban and hard to reach populations’ ability to access safe, affordable and sustainable sources of water. This activity will be guided by assessments of the water systems to determine cost-effectiveness and value for money of the interventions. Linked to AHF WASH Activity 4, targeting the rendering operational 120 currently partially or dysfunctional wells impacting approximately 36,000 individuals in Farah, Kabul, Nangarhar, and Nimroz provinces identified through the completion of assessments and in coordination with actors working in the province.
Upgrade WASH services, and clean and disinfect water supply wells/boreholes in AWD/cholera hotspot locations in public spaces (markets, gathering events) and institutions (health facilities, schools), coupled with provision of hand hygiene infrastructure and risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) messaging on infection, prevention and control (IPC) for AWD/cholera and COVID-19. Linked to AHF WASH Activity 1, targeting 5000 households in Kabul and Nangarhar province based on current AWD/cholera outbreak.
Support improved hygiene practices through provision of hand hygiene infrastructure and hygiene kits and menstrual hygiene management kits. The distributions will be combined with hygiene promotion activities to reduce the risk of transmittable diseases, including cholera/AWD and COVID-19. Linked to AHF WASH Activity 4, targeting 22,000 individuals in Farah, Kabul, Nangarhar, and Nimroz provinces, based on high WASH needs and limited WASH partner presence. 

IOM intends to conduct these activities across the four identified provinces (Farah, Kabul, Nangarhar, and Nimroz provinces), due to their high WASH needs, and, in the case of Farah and Nimroz, limited WASH partner presence. However the project has the potential to scale-up to other provinces identified by the WASH Cluster as having WASH service gaps in response to water-borne illness outbreaks.