The five year-year contract signed between the U.S. Agency for International Development with DT Global is aimed at expanding equitable and sustainable access to water, sanitation, and hygiene in 13 counties in South Sudan.

The counties include, Kapoeta North and Budi counties in Eastern Equatoria State, Akobo, Duk, Pibor, and Uror counties in Jonglei State, Leer, Mayendit, and Panyijar counties in Unity State.

Others are Baliet and Ulang counties in Upper Nile State and Jur River and Wau counties in Western Bahr-el Ghazal.

In a statement issued and obtained by Eye Radio yesterday, USAID says it seeks to build community and household resilience, to better lives of the people in those areas to withstand shocks such as floods and conflict, and require less emergency assistance.

It states that the Gender-Aware, Sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene activity will strengthen coordination in the sectors of water, sanitation, hygiene, and management in the 13 focus counties.

This, it says, will be conducted by fostering leadership—including through training and the empowerment of women, providing technical assistance, and engaging the private sector and social enterprises.

The statement added that it will also expand water, sanitation, and hygiene services in the target counties, with water infrastructure investments in schools and health facilities, incorporating input from women, men, youth, children, and vulnerable groups.

It will increase the adoption of key sanitation and hygiene practices that will improve public health by reducing infections.

“Development investments that will improve access to clean water and sanitation services in some of South Sudan’s most underdeveloped communities are essential to build resilience and improve public health,” reads the statement by USAID South Sudan Mission Director, Haven Cruz-Hubbard.

According to humanitarian reports, approximately 8.3 million people in South Sudan need humanitarian assistance in 2021, according to estimates from the UN Humanitarian Needs Overview South Sudan, up from 7.5 million people in 2020.

Only 11 percent of South Sudan’s population has access to basic sanitation, and 41 percent has access to clean drinking water, according to the 2019 UNICEF/World Health Organization Joint Monitoring Program Report.

The lack of adequate, sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene services, which is compounded by inadequate health care in many areas, has left communities—particularly women and children—at a heightened risk of water-related diseases.

In addition, women and children have faced risks of sexual violence when they engage in survival activities such as fetching water.

The new strategy, Haven said builds on successes of USAID’s 2017-2021 Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Response and Prevention of Gender-Based Violence activity implemented by the International Organization for Migration, which rehabilitated more than 500 water sources in South Sudan and reached more than 400,000 individuals with improved access to safe drinking water.

It also increased availability of sanitation facilities, hygiene trainings, and the establishment of gender-based violence prevention and response services which concluded on September 30, 2021.