South Sudan - Emergency Water Sanitation and Hygiene - World Vision Canada 2015

March 2015 – Nearly four years since independence internal conflict continues to devastate the lives of millions of people in South Sudan. On December 2013 violence broke out in Juba South Sudan’s capital and quickly spread throughout the country. The humanitarian consequences of the ongoing crisis include: massive population displacement; high mortality rates; increasing food insecurity; disrupted livelihoods; and wide-scale malnutrition. Over 1.5 million people are internally displaced within the country over 103 000 individuals are seeking physical protection in UN bases and over 500 000 South Sudanese have fled the country. Agricultural production is disrupted and essential basic services such as safe drinking water schools and medical facilities have been shut down or destroyed in the fighting. With DFATD’s support World Vision Canada is providing emergency water sanitation and hygiene services to 48 912 conflict-affected people in Upper Nile state. Project activities include: (1) establishing four new water points in four communities benefitting 29 528 people and establishing four water committees; (2) constructing ten blocks of institutional latrines in two internally displaced persons settlements benefitting over 5 000 people; (3) training 20 community hygiene promoters and conducting eight sanitation and hygiene trainings in four locations;(4) distributing relief items (hygiene kits) to 1 500 women and girls; and (5) providing supplemental feeding to 8 495 children under the age of five and 3 384 malnourished pregnant or lactating women.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased access to safe drinking water; (2) increased awareness of the importance of proper hygiene to maintain and improve health; (3) increased access to sanitation facilities; (4) increased access to relief items; and (5) increased access to supplementary feeding for vulnerable groups. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.