South Sudan - Emergency Water Sanitation Hygiene and Nutrition - Concern Worldwide 2016

March 2016 - In 2016 an estimated 8.7 million people across South Sudan are affected by the effects of armed conflict and inter-communal violence economic decline disease and climatic shocks. Nearly 1.7 million are internally displaced within South Sudan and over 640 000 South Sudanese have sought protection in neighbouring countries. The civil war as well as erratic rainfall in some areas has driven 3.9 million people into severe food insecurity 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 's support Concern Worldwide is helping to improve health and living conditions for up to 77 028 vulnerable internally displaced and vulnerable conflict-affected people in Unity State and Central Equatoria State South Sudan. Project activities include: (1) constructing 20 new water points and rehabilitating two boreholes for 38 000 people in the Bentiu Protection of Civilians site and providing a community water point in Bentiu Town; (2) constructing 450 communal latrines benefitting up to 9 000 people and providing hygiene promotion training; (3) providing temporary shelter materials to 600 households and providing 3 000 relief kits; and (4) constructing or rehabilitating eight nutrition centers and providing supplemental feeding to improve malnutrition in children under five and in pregnant and lactating women.

The expected immediate 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 and relief items; and (4) 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.