Bout Joint Assessment 5th-6th April 2017

Participants: OCHA, UNICEF, ADRA, ECOM, HAC, WES

Background:

On 26 March 2017, HAC called for a meeting attended by Commissioner of Tadamon locality, OCHA, ECOM, WES, FAO, DG - SWC and UNICEF to discuss water shortage which was reported by Tadamon Commissioner in Bout area. Due to urgency of the matter, there was an action point for conducting joint rapid assessment as quick as possible to address water shortage in the area. As a result a joint team led by HAC and OCHA conducted rapid assessment to assess situation in Bout area on 5-6 April 2017.

Objectives of the assessment:

Assess the overall situation of people there (host, returnees and refugees). Assess the status of existing WASH facilities, including other sector needs mainly education, health and nutrition. Identify and prioritize the areas that can be supported immediately through sectors and government.

Methodology:

Rapid Inter-Sectoral Assessment Toolkit has been used to obtain and give an overview of the current situation in the area, using the following methodological procedures:

Meeting with key stakeholders and group discussions. Key Informant (KI) interviews Direct observations mainly during the visits to the existing facilities.

Context:

Bout is the capital of Tadamon locality with a total estimated population of 60,000 people among them 22,000 returnees from nomads. It is located 150km in the western part of the state. It shares border with South Sudan. It is considered one of the most important areas that is contributing for the improvement of livelihoods in Blue Nile state through agriculture and livestock activities. So the area is a main hub for food security and nutrition. Sorghum and Millet are main crops produced in the area. Bout is inhibited by different ethnicities group, the larch ethnic group in the area is Fonj and Arab mainly nomad is a second group in the area. There are some small tribes also living over there mainly Flata and some tribes from west Sudan. Small group from Maban from South Sudan also living there. They have strong ties and historic relation with different communities in Bout area. But these relations have been hugely affected after the separation of the two countries. The area also affected by the on-going conflict in the state and the active conflict in South Sudan. The complicated situation of the area has deteriorated the livelihood of both host communities and nomads group. Among the existing groups, nomads are the most affected group as their routs including their settlement in South Sudan has been interrupted by the separation and the current conflict in South Sudan. In addition to that some of their livestock were looted in South Sudan. Since 2011 around 22,000 nomadic people with southlands of livestock forced to cross the border to Sudan and are now hosted in Bout and surrounding areas. The presence of the southlands of nomads in Bout area has put more stress on the existing facilities especially water supply systems and added heavy load to the authorities of the locality to respond to this crisis. Last year government managed to solve the water shortage in Agadi area through connection of water from Damazine from eight boreholes constructed

along with groundwater tank with a total capacity of 1,600m3 the length of the pipeline from Damazine to Agadi is 37km. Government is now planning to connect water up to Roro in phase two. Although good progress has been made through government contribution in improving the existing water supply system but still many areas in Tadamon locality still facing water shortage. Bout is one of these areas.

Areas covered by assessment team:

During the assessment, the team managed to cover three areas namely Bout and two nomadic settlement areas specifically Elekefa (22km in the eastern part of Bout) and Elgirba at outskirt of Bout town. In each location the following activities have been carried out:

Map shows the locations and facilities visited by assessment team during the visit to Bout area

Meeting with locality authorities:

Immediately upon the arrival of the team to Bout town, the team conducted a meeting with commissioner and senior staff at locality level. In that meeting the commissioner welcomed the team and briefed the team about the overall situation in the area. The commissioner highlighted Water shortage as one of the main challenge facing his locality. He stated that the situation exacerbated by the arrival of southlands of nomadic people with their livestock to Bout since 2011 and there is no enough assistance provided to them. According to him the existing facilities are over stretched and there is urgent need for either improving these facilities or constructing a new facilities. The commissioner has shown his readiness to provide support and to cooperate with those who needs to provide support.

The assessment team met with Eltadmon Commissioner at his office in Bout immediately apon the arrival of the team on 5 April 2017

Field visit to Elekefa:

In the same day the team accompanied by the commissioner of Tadmon locality visited Elekefa. It is located 22km North of Tadamon and only 6km from Wad Abook. Currently Elkekefa or Sageroon is belong to Bau locality. The area is totally occupied by the nomad, around 2,400

people are living there but scattered in the bush and without permanent abode, those nomads settled there since 2011. Elekefa is only area with groundwater potentiality as there are 3 hand pumps, two are functioning and one water yard constructed earlier in 2010 through UNICEF support to WES project. During the visit to the area the team noticed the sites of the water facilities were crowded with hundreds of live stocks and big gathering of women and children waiting to collect water. Unfortunately water is rotated between the animals and people. The construction of additional water supply facilities could solve or reduce the water shortage in the area. Poor sanitation and hygiene was clearly observed. The area is lacking all the basic services, there no health centre as reported by the key informants all the nomads use to go to Bout for health services. The area also is lacking the school and other basic services.

Returnees from nomads taking waking water from the Water yard in Elekefa 5 April 2017

The team accompanied by the Eltadomon Commissioner visited the non-functioning HPs in Elekefa/Sageroon 5th April 2017

Field visit to Elgirba

The team led by the two commissioners; HAC and Tadamon commissioners visited Elgirdba village at outskirt of Bout town in the next day of the assessment on 6 April 2017. The area is inhabited by returnees from Nomad. The team organized a meeting with community leaders and residents there. During that meeting the commissioner stated that Elgirba (the place where currently the nomad are occupying) is belong to other people and they are using it for agriculture activities. During the discussion with the nomads community in Elgirba, Bout Commissioner showed the team a map and he said around 3,000 plots of land are allocated for settlement of nomads, but the new area is in lack of basic services including schools health services and water resources, he is seeking partners support for the construction of these facilities. The community leaders also briefed the team about over all situation confirming that their livelihoods have been hugely affected as their livestock were looted in the South Sudan and now they have no any source of income. As mentioned water shortage is a big challenge for them, they are getting water from Bout area and with high cost, the cost of the tanker is SDG 40. There is no sanitation facilities, open defecation is common

practice connected with poor hygiene. There is no health facilities, they use to go to Bout hospital, there no trained midwives, there one midwife but not trained. According to them there is one midwife living in Bout town (originally from area) is now receiving training. Some of the disease reported such as the malaria, diarrhoea and skin diseases but these case are normal and not up to outbreak level. The community also reported that there are some cases of malnutrition as there some children received treatment and supplementary food in Bout hospital. There is one school with four class rooms made from the local material. The school is lacking the WASH facilities, seats, note books and they are also requesting one additional class room for great five. From the discussions early marriage is big problem in the area and is affecting the sustainability of the female in the schools. The attitudes and culture or social norms are the main factors contributing to illiteracy in Elgirba especially among the female. C4D is highly needed in the area.

Meeting with returnees in Elgirba 6 April 2017

The team visited another nomadic basic school called Rofaa Elwihda (mixed school). The total number of school children is 475 (girls… boys….). This school was established specifically for nomad in the last two years but recently the school has been upgraded to normal school. There are only two semi-permanent class rooms constructed through UNICEF support in the last two years and the rest are straw made class

rooms. The grade one and two have not seats. As reported the school also not received any note books or any education supplies. The number of school children in both grade one and eight indicates that drop out is high. There is no sanitation facilities and hygiene promotion activities in the school. There one office for teachers made from the local material.

One of the returnees/nomadic school at outskirt of Bout 6th April 2017

Bout:

The last visit was conducted to Bout Dam and the existing Hafirs. The Groundwater dam is built across the only existing stream which run through Bout area. The dam was initially designed with a total storage capacity of 3 million cubic meter but due to accumulation of sediments/silts the storage capacity is now only One Million, Two Hundred Thousand cubic meter. There are four Hafirs connected with each other, and attached to the Dam. The total capacity of these Hafirs is 200,000m3 (the capacity of each one is 50,000m3). These Hafirs serving 60,000 people and due to groundwater scarcity in the area these Hafirs are considered the only source of water in Bout. Unfortunately this year the dam dried up earlier as there is a break in one of the dam wing during rainy season, led to leakage and flooding of most of the water that

normally stored. Before the breakdown, the wing structures force water into the centre of wall or main bed, but due to breakdown of the wing the water flow was changed during the rainy season. For these reasons the water was dried a bit earlier and not stored. The flooding also affected the water that normally use to be stored or harvested in the four Hafirs. The available quantifies of water is much less compare to previous years and may not last even for one month. These Hafirs are connected with slow sand filter and elevated tank. Unfortunately the slow sand filter and treatment unit is not functioning. During the visit the team noticed that the water is pumped randomly from the Hafirs and the there is no any treatment and the turbidity is high. The existence of nomads with thousands of livestock (those who returned from South Sudan) complicated the situation. Currently these Hafirs are overstretched and may dry up at any time from now. So there urgent need for response.

There is one water yard powered with solar constructed in the downstream of the dam through ECOM but the yield of the bore hole is low and produce only 5m3 per/h or around 50 m3 /day.

Photos shows the team visit to the bout dam and Hifir in Bout area

Main Findings

Around 22,000 returnees from Nomads are hosted in Bout area since 2011 and there is no assistance provided to them from UN or INGOs. They are sharing the existing limited facilities with host community.

Water shortage in the area is critical as there are only four Hafirs with limited quantity of water and now serving around 60,000 people among them 22,000 returnees from nomads with their livestock. The water supply facilities are overstretched and require urgent intervention. The breakdown of the dam and the accumulated silt deteriorated the normal quantity of water that should be stored or harvested for dry season. The available quantity of water is much less and may cover only one month from now. The situation will be worse if the existing Hafirs dried up before the rainy season.

Key Findings by sectors

WASH:

There is huge shortage of water in Bout area as the dam was dried up earlier and the available quantities of water at the existing Hafirs in Bout may last for one month or dry up before the rainy season. The returnees/ nomads with their livestock is putting more stress on the water supply facilities.

Currently the existing Hafirs are not improved or not protected and should not be considered safe for drinking as there is no any treatment for these sources and the turbidity is high.

Water handling is a real challenge as most of the people are taking water randomly, this may expose these sources to contamination. Poor sanitation and hygiene was observed in all the nomadic areas. In Elekefa water is rotated between animal and people as the existing hand pumps and water yard are not sufficient to cover the needs of

the returnees and their livestock.

RemarksWater sourcesReturneesPop #Location#Rehabilitation Not WorkinHafirs/damNot WorkingWater Not WorkinHPs

of dam and slow sand

filters

workinggworkingYardworkingg

0441100022,00060,000

Bout1Construction

of 4 new HPs and reh of

1HP

000011123Elekefa/Sageroon2

Construction of one new

Haffir

000000000Elgirba3

Education:

The two nomadic schools that have been visited are in urgent need for notebooks, seating, shelter and sanitation and hygiene facilities.

Health:

All the returnees are areas are lacking health facilities. During the visit to Elekefa (22km from Bout) and Elgirba (around 6km) there is no health/nutrition centres. They are relying on Bout hospital and it is far from their locations. There is no trained midwives. Some of the disease reported such as malaria, skin diseases and diarrhoea.

Nutrition:

There is not nutrition centre in the two nomadic areas, they use to go to Bout OTP center for treatment. There are number of children are receiving treatment and supplementary food at nutrition centre in Bout. The dropout is high.

Child Protection:

Early marriage is one of the biggest challenge in all the returnee’s areas. In addition to that most of the children they don’t have birth certificate. During the meeting with community leaders there no cases of separated or un-accompanied children reported.

Recommendations:

WASH:

There is urgent need for the rehabilitation of water supply facilities in Bout area starting with Bout Dam, Hafirs mainly slow sand filters and HPa in Elekefa

Construction of additional hand pumps or water yards in Elekefa for nomads will reduce the stress for the existing water supply facilities in Bout.

The provision of chlorine for water treatment is highly important especially during these time including the water chlorination training.

Increase access to sanitation facilities using suitable approach especially. Conduct hygiene promotion training in the nomadic settlement area. There is a need for hygiene awareness sessions and cleaning campaigns. Construct sanitation facilities in the two nomadic schools along with hygiene promotion activities including provision of

handwashing facilities and establishment of school health clubs.

Education:

Provision of education supplies in the two returnees school (nomadic school). Provision of emergency seating mats and advocacy for SOME to provide benches and desks. Construction of 6 semi-permanent class rooms in the two returnees schools (nomadic schools).

Health and Nutrition:

Provision of emergency medical supplies. Conduct training of midwives Advocate for surveillance system for cholera or Acute Watery Diarrhoea at South Sudan entry point. Strengthening EPI and MUAC screening among nomads Increase SMAM coverage among the returnees.

C4D:

Raising community awareness and community mobilization for behaviour change targeting returnee community.

WASH Proposed activities for short and long term response

Water:

#Activity descriptionUnitUnit costNumberTotal USDArea of interventions

Partners contribution

1Rehabilitate of 4 hand pumps in Elekefa

HP750043,167ElekefaPartners (UN agencies and

INGOs)2Rehabilitate of Elekefa

water yardWY125,000113,197ElekefaPartners (UN

agencies and INGOs)

3Rehabilitate of Bout slow sand filters

Slow sand filter

250,000126,294BoutPartners (UN agencies and

INGOs)4Construct 7 HPs in ElekefaHP729,261ElekefaPartners (UN

agencies and INGOs)

4Construct one water yard in Elekefa

WY450000147,508ElekefaPartners (UN agencies and

INGOs)5Construct one motorized

system powered with solar a long with one distribution

line in Bout area

200,000121,115BoutPartners (UN agencies and

INGOs)

6Rehabilitate Bout Damdam11,000,0001BoutGovernment7Train water operatorstraining10.00022,111Bout and

ElekefaPartners (UN agencies and

INGOs

Total142,653

Sanitation proposed activities:

#Activity descriptionUnitUnit costNumberTotal USDProposed areaPartners contribution

1Conduct two awareness sessions

Hygiene promotion

10,00022,111Elekefa, Elgirba

Partners (UN agencies and

INGOs2Conduct two hygiene

promotion training Training15,00023,167Elekefa,

ElgirbaPartners (UN agencies and

INGOs)3Conduct one water

chlorinators training Training15,00011,584BoutPartners (UN

agencies and INGOs)

4Conduct CLTS training in Elgirba for sanitation

scaling up

HP71,056ElgirbaPartners (UN agencies and

INGOs)4Construct school latrines WY80,000216,892ElekefaPartners (UN

agencies and INGOs)

5Provide hand washing facilities in two nomadic

schools

15,00023,167BoutPartners (UN agencies and

INGOs)6Establish and train school

health clubdam22,111Government

Total30,088

ThanksPrepared by assessment team