(OCHA) - A new project by the international NGO Mercy Corps Scotland (MC-Scotland), with the support of state ministries

and local authorities in South Darfur State, will meet the safe water and sanitation needs of about 40,000 people (IDPs, returnees and members of the host community) in East Jebel Marra locality. This eight-month project targets 13 villages in Deribat, Leiba, Kidineer and Jawa administrative units in East Jebel Marra and is funded from the 2017 Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) Reserve for Emergencies.
The project became feasible due to improved access to East Jebel Marra, following the introduction of new Directives by the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) in late 2016,
and improved security on the ground as a result of unilateral cessations of hostilities by the Government and some armed movements in Darfur. This project builds on the efforts
of the one-year programme funded by the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). It supports water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), as well as food and livelihood (FSL) needs of IDPs, returnees and vulnerable host community members in South Darfur, including those in eight newly accessible villages in East Jebel Marra.
MC-Scotland is working to ensure that beneficiaries in targeted locations and localities have access to more than 10 litres per person per day (l/p/d) of safe drinking water. The rehabilitated water systems will be operated by a hybrid solar power system, which generates energy from the sun. MC-Scotland reported that existing water systems in the area are diesel powered. Diesel is not just costly; its limited availability affects the continuity of the water supply. Aside from the environmental benefits, the solar powered systems are an innovative and cost-effective way to ensure that communities have consistent access to clean water.
MC-Scotland will train and establish five community-based WASH committees to manage the water systems. The water systems will operate on an affordable water user fee model.
This cost-recovery model, where the community contributes to a kitty, generates funds to cover regular operational and maintenance costs, maintaining water quality, and covering in kind incentives for community-trained hygiene promoters. The construction of 959 household latrines using the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach will provide the community with adequate sanitation facilities. As an added incentive to the project’s sustainability, MC-Scotland is training 300 female hygiene promoters to conduct 576 community hygiene promotion and sensitization campaigns, over the course of the project.