Emergency WASH Response for Blue Nile IDPs in White Nile State

JASMAR Human Security Organization, in consortium with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and with funding from the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF), implemented the Emergency WASH Response for Blue Nile Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in White Nile State. The project aimed to address urgent water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) needs among displaced people and host communities, particularly in Khor Ajwal Camp, through improved access to water, emergency sanitation facilities, hygiene promotion, and essential WASH supplies.

The project also strengthened community participation and accountability through engagement with community leaders, WASH committees, and camp management, while providing accessible channels for community feedback and complaints.

Key Achievements

1. Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP)

• Conducted an accountability orientation session for 15 participants, including community representatives, SCRC leaders, and WASH committee members.

• Promoted proactive communication about expected standards of conduct and the accountability commitments of JASMAR and other stakeholders involved in the project.

• Established community-preferred feedback and complaints channels, including a dedicated hotline and a complaints notebook, enabling community members to submit feedback and complaints personally or anonymously.

• Supported an accountability mechanism managed by the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team, maintaining separation from programme implementation staff.

2. Formation and Capacity Building of WASH Committees

• Formed six WASH committees, each comprising 10 members, to strengthen community participation in WASH activities.

• Delivered three days of capacity-building training for committee members in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to perform their responsibilities.

3. Hygiene Promotion and Awareness

• Conducted 36 hygiene promotion sessions in coordination with the Ministry of Health, reaching 1,477 people.

• Raised awareness of personal hygiene, solid waste management, household water treatment and safe storage, disease transmission, and prevention practices.

4. Distribution of WASH Supplies

• Distributed 2,200 WASH non-food item (NFI) packages and 4,400 jerry cans to displaced households in Khor Ajwal Camp and members of the host community.

• Selected and registered beneficiaries and verified household information through home visits, with the participation of the project team, camp management, block leaders, and sanitation committee members to promote community participation and transparency.

5. Construction of Emergency Latrines

• Constructed 50 emergency latrines across five units, with 10 latrines in each unit.

• Incorporated accessibility and protection considerations into the design, including ramps for people with disabilities and special needs, as well as separate access directions for groups of latrines.

• Handed over the completed facilities to the Ministry of Health and camp management in accordance with the approved design specifications.

6. Water Supply Infrastructure

• Delivered and installed three TIGA water tanks in Khor Ajwal Camp.

• Improved access to water by locating the tanks at sites selected in consultation with community members and camp management, reducing the distance displaced people needed to travel to collect water.

7. Cleaning Tools for Water Points

• Procured and delivered cleaning tools to support the maintenance and cleanliness of water points.

8. Global Handwashing Day

• Contributed to the celebration of Global Handwashing Day on 15 October 2023, in coordination with and with the participation of community members.

• Conducted a drama session highlighting the importance of handwashing and good hygiene practices.

9. Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM)

• Contributed to post-distribution monitoring of WASH non-food items in Khor Ajwal Camp to collect feedback from displaced households on the quality, usefulness, and sufficiency of distributed items.

• Supported a monitoring survey conducted by 10 trained independent enumerators, during which 2,136 households were interviewed.

Impact

The project contributed to addressing urgent WASH needs among displaced households and host communities in White Nile State by improving access to water supplies, emergency sanitation facilities, and hygiene promotion. It strengthened community participation through the formation and training of WASH committees and promoted accountability through accessible feedback and complaints channels. The project also supported improved hygiene practices and incorporated accessibility considerations into sanitation facilities to better accommodate people with disabilities and other vulnerable community members.