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| Project Name: | Unity State Clean Water and Civil Society Project |
| Project Description: |
CARE and other international organizations have been providing humanitarian assistance to displaced people in Unity State for many years. Within the conditions of ongoing crisis, the goal of these emergency health, food and nutrition programs was to halt the deteriorating nutrition and health status of war-affected populations. Yet in spite of tremendous efforts by CARE and its peer organizations, malnutrition and mortality rates in Unity State remained very high. Food and curative care could not overcome certain crucial, underlying causes of illness and death, particularly among infants and children:
--People had no access to clean drinking water, or to adequate amounts of water to practice basic hygiene;
--With no access to latrines, people relieved themselves outdoors; raw sewage easily infiltrated water sources (ponds, streams, shallow wells); and
--Hygiene practices and awareness of disease prevention were very poor, particularly in the overcrowded camps for displaced people. in year 2002, CARE built a water treatment plant facility in Rubkona. The mere presence of a clean water system, however, is only a partial solution to the problem of water-borne diseases: people must also have access to and use sanitation facilities, and must gain a clear understanding of the link between contaminated water and disease. Moreover, local authorities and civic groups must ensure that the systems are adequately maintained and sustained over the years. The Unity State Clean Water and Civil Society Project is designed to ensure that 285,000 people have access to clean water and basic sanitation in Bentiu and Rubkona; and the local authorities and citizens' groups have increased capacity to maintain and sustain the water plant and other vital services into the future, thus 285,000 people have access to clean water and basic sanitation in Bentiu and Rubkona; and conflicts over water resources will be mitigated through the formation of water committees.Communities will eventually have greater increased access to other basic services through projects that will be implemented by the civic groups and authorities trained in this project. The local government and civil society will clearly understand their responsibilities in ensuring that the population's right to basic services are met, and will have gained training and hands-on experience in fulfilling those responsibilities. |
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