The project will be implemented in twelve villages in Kurmuk and Geissan localities in Blue Nile State, namely Bulang, Kurmuk town, Alkeili, and Bangalulu villages in Kurmuk and Dam village 10, Bakori, Diam Saad, Elyas, Geissan town, Alhidour, Mograntomund and Fazogli in Geissan. The project is expected to target a total of 112,907 vulnerable individuals (46,758 men, 44,923 women, 10,825 boys, 10,401 girls) out of which 58,467 are Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) or Returnees and 54,440 are Host Communities (HC).
The ultimate outcome of the project is “Reduced suffering, increased and maintained human dignity and lives saved in Geissan and Kurmuk in Blue Nile State, Sudan.” This will be achieved through increasing immediate access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and practices (intermediate outcome). The project’s immediate outcomes are: (i) Increased equitable access for women, men, girls and boys to safe drinking water; (ii) Improved hygiene knowledge and access for women, men, girls and boys to safe, gender sensitive and culturally acceptable hygiene and sanitation facilities; and, (iii) Increased awareness among female and male project staff, volunteers and community leaders of gender equality, women’s/human rights, social exclusion, SRHR issues, and SGBV prevention and response. The main project outputs that will contribute to the achievement of the outcomes, are: (i) creating sustainable safe water supply for vulnerable IDPs, returnees and HC members by rehabilitating existing water systems such as haffirs (water catchment reservoirs), water yards, wells and hand pumps to increase access to safe drinking water and reduce the distance travelled by women and girls to fetch water (ii) improving hygiene and sanitation behaviors and practices in schools, health centers and in the Household (HH) population by constructing gender sensitive latrines schools and health centers and providing latrine slabs to HHs; and (iii) training female and male project staff, volunteers and community leaders in gender equality topics, particularly those related to SRHR and SGBV prevention and response. The relevant needs and identified gaps will be addressed through integrated activities that are participatory and driven by the coordination and cooperation with community, government and humanitarian actors. The project design will make use of community-based approaches such as: (i) Development of Sustainable WASH Infrastructure managed and maintained by women and communities themselves; (ii) Empowerment and increased participation of women in decision making roles; and, (iii) Ensuring shared partnership to promote ownership and accountability from the community and government.
