WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Programs

NILE HOPE has undertaken WASH interventions since 2006. In this regard, WASH has become an aspect of specialization in the organization. Moreover, NILE HOPE plays key roles in the WASH sector and Cluster forums in the localities it implements WASH. WASH services are needed as they meet a priority need in communities, especially among IDPs, returnees, refugees, host communities, as well as communities who have low access to WASH amenities.

In South Sudan, it is estimated that only 41% of the population have access to safe water for domestic use. 74% of the total population defecate in the open and have no access to human waste disposal facilities. Sources of clean water such as boreholes were damaged or are dysfunctional due to lack of repairs. Cholera epidemic was declared in both 2016 and 2017^[1] when outbreaks reached high proportions of the population, pointing to the disparity of need at local community level.

Due to fragility in South Sudan, even simple infrastructure like latrines and boreholes were broken down or are not functional for lack of spares. In addition, local artisans have been displaced. Frequent human movement caused by conflict or disaster, basic services like water and sanitation, among others cannot be scaled up at short notice to meet the needs of the newly displaced IDPs and their host community who also suffer. Services to returnees cannot be delivered to meet need when IDPs begin to return due to the large populations involved.

NILE HOPE intends to revitalize the WASH function based on the functional analysis outputs to improve institutional capacities for quality performance in the unit as well as at the staff level. It will further strengthen membership and participation in the WASH, clusters to influence programme direction and access resources. For systematic institutional strengthening in WASH the following have been adopted:

Our WASH Mandate is providing adequate clean water, community-led hygiene and sanitation

WASH Strategic Goals

Reduce the prevalence of water, sanitation and hygiene-related diseases among the communities by 2022
Enhanced capacity of both communities and WASH staff
Strengthened WASH Emergency Preparedness and Response

Institutional Strengthening Objectives

Increased access to safe water supply
Strengthened capacity of the target communities
Strengthened community resilience and response to emergencies and disaster

Strengthening Functionality

Enhance capacities of communities for safe water supply, and improved sanitation and hygiene
Provide adequate and clean water supply; improved sanitation and hygiene

Reduce prevalence of water, sanitation and hygiene-related diseases among the communities by 2022

Increased access to safe water supply

This is one of motorized water with solar pump/panels installed by Nile Hope team in Uror County ,Jonlei state and has improved the living conditions of more them 10,000 people in Yuai through supply of clean drinking water and environmentally and economically cost effective and efficient. Thanks, South Sudan Humanitarian Funds through UNOCHA for availing financial resources

Nile Hope Commissioned a total of 18 solar motorized water yards distribution system between 2018 -2021as part of it commitment reduce the WASH related diseases by 2022 by providing cleaned and safe drinking water to the community affected by conflict and climatic changes across the five counties of greater Upper Nile and Greater Equatoria that including the Juba former POCs camp. The overall objective of this programme is to improve the living conditions of the vulnerable rural population through the implementation of the Rural and peri-urbans Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene mandate policy, including sustainable management of water supply systems and promoting system resilience to climate change

This is Hai Baraka community water yard constructed with support from Petronas and the mistry of Petroleum ,Goverrnment of South Sudan and has at least helped to reduce water Juba water crisis through supply of safe water to the community that do not have access to safe drinking water

The programme strengthened county department l systems for RWASH service delivery in rural areas, coordination, monitoring and accountability. Technical Assistance is provided to the WASH inspector of the respective counties within the Ministry of Water Resource and Irrigation to complement the existing level of effort by the government line ministry including provision of especial spare parts for water infrastructure The technical assistance has been assisting with reporting, capacity development and institutional strengthening for improved service delivery in the RWASH sector and improved coordination with line ministries, county governments and stakeholders.

New five deep boreholes provided to Akobo West

Community of Akobo West accessing clean drinking water to newly drilled boreholes (Women and children lining for water in Wechjal ,akobo West

Following the devastated flood that left many boreholes no functioning, Nile Hope through SSHF Round 2 drilled 5 deep boreholes with depth of 117 meter and flushed three other boreholes that helped to increased access to 10,000 individuals with safe drinking water. When Nile Hope team visited the water points and interacted with group of women and asked them about the impact of the project one of the woman Mary Nyandit said she and her children can now access safe water a distance of less than 500 meter and this is good for her and the second girl that appeared in the photos Nyaluak Pal responded that she can now spend less than 30 minutes travelling from borehole to her home

They also said in term of security and safety of children fetching water cannot longer travel longer distance like use to be in the past where children specially girls adapted by arm men

Mainstreaming WASH with Nutrition as mart of greater linkages for cluster approaches

These are care takers of children admitted with SAM/MAM and provided d with minimum WASH package at functional OTPs in Pigi County

The integration of WASH and nutrition improved the overall nutrition status of children admitted with Sam and mam in the OTPS facilities. More than 1600 children admitted with SAM/MAM treatment discharged at the OTPs have increased and improved access to WASH minimum packages through integrated nutrition and WASH for feminine prevention from the functional OTPs/SC respectively. Using WASH programmed as a delivery platform for nutrition-specific interventions for nutrition promotion incorporated into hygiene. This Integrated programming has also included activities that bring together various nutrition-sensitive activities such

These are children of Orphanage Centre celebrating the opening of their new water at their centre supported the Nile Hope with clean water by installing water yard to improve access to water supply

Strengthened capacity of the target communities

There has been strong gender mainstreaming in the committees where women participation has been recognized by the community in general. The major topic covered during the training sessions include the roles of water management committees that is community, water management committees, hygiene and sanitation, social mobilization, conflict prevention and resolution, operational and minor preventives maintenance and gender mainstreaming in WASH with GBV. The trained water management committees successfully have been helping in promoting not only good maintenance are also becoming instrumental in making sure proper hygiene and sanitation services around water points

Hygiene Promotion in schools

Investments in WASH in schools have immediate benefits for children’s health and education. Prioritizing the funding and implementation of integrated packages to include WASH interventions in schools and communities is an important part of creating long-term change in infrastructure, health and education systems. Hand washing practiced in facilities such as day-care centers and primary schools reduces cases of diarrhea by 30 percent. Children in primary schools in Bogotá who reported proper hand washing behaviors at school were 20 percent less likely to miss school than similar students in schools without good hygiene practices.

School children in Uror County attending hygiene session in their school including COVID 19 Messaging

By integrating cost-effective and sustainable WASH solutions with education programs, we can dramatically decrease child morbidity while improving access to and effectiveness of education. Cost-effective, scalable and context-relevant interventions, which may include hand-dug wells, harvesting rainwater for drinking purposes, protecting springs, purifying water, building safe latrines, hand washing with soap and integrating hygiene education into curricula are key elements to improve WASH in Schools. Each stakeholder (implementing organization, donor, academic, community, and government) plays an essential role in WASH in Schools. Specifically, national, regional, and local governments can help ensure that WASH in Schools is a component of their basic education strategies.