Sunday, May 7, 2017
With the funding support of USAID/OFDA (Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance), and managed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Rapid Response Fund (RRF) has allocated a new grant of $212,287.25 USD to Mercy Corps Scotland (MCs) to provide emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene assistance to 11,526 vulnerable and underserved newly displaced populations in Abukershola locality, in South Kordofan State (SK).
The conflict escalation in South Kordofan State in the latest part of 2016 has caused massive population displacement whereby populations fleeing violence are forced to find shelter within small villages and towns across the State. . The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Abukershola locality had initially fled from their places of origin (Abbasiya Locality) to Al Rahad and Rashad localities and were then forced to move a second time to Abukershola. The IDPs have not received any humanitarian assistance since their initial displacement in June 2016. They are highly vulnerable with many female-headed households, unaccompanied minors and elderly people.
An inter-agency assessment mission was conducted between November 2016 and January 2017 by the United Nations and International non-governmental organizations based in SK State and the Sudan Humanitarian Aid Commission. The assessment showed that access to safe water is significantly low or non-existent in the area. Most people, together with their cattle, rely on a few traditional hand-dug wells providing contaminated water. Additionally, the assessment revealed that the sanitation and hygiene situation in the targeted area is alarming, with very few latrines, a high level of open defecation and high incidences of fevers, diarrhea, vomiting and eye and skin infections, particularly in young children.
The grant, which was approved in March 2017, will tackle the critical WASH emergency situation in the targeted areas by installing, operating and maintaining 20 emergency water sources and establishing 330 emergency shared latrines, targeting the most vulnerable households. In addition, training on hygiene promotion will be delivered by volunteers through household visits and public events, to improve collective hygiene practices.
Managed by IOM, the Rapid Response Fund (RRF), USAID/OFDA’s unique funding mechanism, is designed to quickly respond to the critical needs of newly displaced people and returnees in Sudan. Mercy Corps Scotland (MCs) is implementing WASH, FSL and early recovery programs in Sudan, and more specifically South Kordofan State since 2009.
For further information please contact Dalia ELROUBI; Tel: +249-156-554 Ext 600/1/2; Email: delroubi@iom.int