Revitalizing Access to Basic Services in South Darfur State (RABS) Semi-Annual Report: October 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021

The program directly targets 120,602 individuals, of which 87,209 are internally displaced persons (IDPs). The project builds on Mercy Corps' previous project, Assisting Vulnerable, Conflict-Affected Communities in South Darfur. During the reporting period, Mercy Corps completed the distribution of improved seeds and agricultural hand tools to 4,000 households. In collaboration with the State Ministry of Health (SMoH), Mercy Corps supported the operation of seven nutrition centers, including one in Abuagura village, one in Sunta village, and two fixed nutrition centers in Soni and Jawa, as well as three mobile nutrition centers in Korni, Soro, and Daira villages in East Jebel Mara locality. At each center, Mercy Corps supports a Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) program. Additionally, Mercy Corps distributed multipurpose cash assistance to 466 predetermined households in Elserif IDP camp. The program is implemented in five localities and 22 villages within South Darfur. Mercy Corps conducted feasibility assessments and community willingness to pay surveys for existing water infrastructures in each target village. Based on the findings, Mercy Corps rehabilitated 31 non-functional hand pumps and rehabilitated one non-functional water yard in Talha village in Sunta locality. The program also collected 446 samples from water points in the target localities for water quality monitoring. In the WASH sector, Mercy Corps identified 22 villages to receive program support, including the upgrading of hand pumps and rehabilitating water supply infrastructure. The water feasibility assessment provided detailed information on the required hand pump spare parts for rehabilitation and respective costs. As a result, Mercy Corps rehabilitated 31 non-functional hand pumps and 2 water yards. WASH committees were established at each location as a pre-condition of undertaking the rehabilitation works. Additionally, Mercy Corps is conducting pump testing to identify five hand pumps to be upgraded into mini water yards during July 2021. Mercy Corps constructed animal troughs, which will be distributed among the five newly constructed mini water yards to separate animal from human water consumption. The program trained 82 youth on hand pump repair and maintenance, including 21 in Alsalam, 16 in Niteaga, 18 in Edd Elfursan, and 27 youth in East Jebel Mara localities. The training was held over three days, and eight hand pump toolkits were provided and distributed to the trained youth. Thirteen WASH committees have been trained, including five in Elserif, one in Sakaly, and seven in Dereige camps. Water quality monitoring was conducted in the target villages, with a total of 446 samples collected and tested for E.coli and free residual chlorine (FRC). Testing focused on the 16 hybrid dual solar-powered motorized pump systems in the three IDPs camps, the 31 rehabilitated hand pumps, and open hand dug wells in the target communities. Of all the collected samples, only two returned positive, and Mercy Corps' WASH team immediately undertook disinfection measures at these sites. The program has also established and trained 15 groups on the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) methodology. The CLTS volunteers carried out community mobilization activities, including dramas, transect walks, community competitions, and site visits to villages that have successfully eliminated open defecation. Mercy Corps engaged the Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Unit within the SMoH to help monitor household latrine construction and verify eight villages as Open Defecation Free (ODF).