South Sudan - Water and Sanitation Nutrition and Health Support - Islamic Relief Canada 2017

August 2017- An estimated 7.5 million people across South Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection across the country as a result of armed conflict inter-communal violence economic crisis disease outbreaks and climatic shocks. Approximately 2 million people are internally displaced within South Sudan and over 1.9 million South Sudanese have sought protection in neighbouring countries. The civil war as well as erratic rainfall in some areas has resulted in 6 million people projected to require food assistance with malnutrition rates over emergency thresholds. Outbreaks of cholera measles and hepatitis E have strained an already overwhelmed health system. Humanitarian access remains restricted in many conflict areas and large numbers of people are accessible only by air drops. With GAC support Islamic Relief is helping to provide much-needed water sanitation and hygiene nutrition and health support to up to 53 400 conflict-affected people in Wau Western Bahr el Ghazal State and Kapoeta Eastern Equatoria State South Sudan. Project activities include: (1) drilling and rehabilitating boreholes constructing water yards and latrines and promoting hygiene for up to 32 000 beneficiaries; (2) screening registering and treating up to 10 400 children pregnant and lactating women and elderly people for malnutrition; and (3) providing treatment medication and support to health facilities to benefit up to 11 000 vulnerable people.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved water sanitation and hygiene conditions and practices aimed at decreasing related morbidities and mortalities; (2) increased access to interventions aimed at reducing the risk of mortality due to acute malnutrition among children pregnant and lactating women and the elderly; and (3) increased access to health services by vulnerable populations. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.