Location/Province: Paktia, Paktika, Khost  

Project: Blanket Distribution  

Author: Habib Rahman Haider

CoAR under the financial support of UNICEF implements WASH projects in the country. CoAR has agreed to reach more than 138000 HHs and distribute WASH supplies to beneficiaries in Paktia, Paktika, and Khost provinces. In the mentioned provinces, infrastructure is poor and many villages lack good roads, access to clean water, sanitation, hygiene, and other necessities. UNICEF and CoAR are coherent to ensure that Afghan citizens receive the WASH assistance that they need to improve their WASH needs and quality of life.

In Paktia, Paktika, and Khost provinces hygiene and chlorination awareness project are severe needs under the circumstances whereas flash floods increase the number of water-borne diseases. The awareness sessions enhance the behavior change and promote positive practice in the behavior change. The project commenced at a time when flash floods caused due to heavy rains in the country. The flash floods have disturbed the lives of people.

Flash floods caused damage to roads and access to basic facilities. In just 21 days including Fridays CoAR on board the team, facilitated the required resources, stakeholders coordination, data entry, distributing the WASH supplies, and enhanced awareness completed.Afghanistan’s economy was already deteriorating before the Taliban takeover of the country on August 15, 2021, suffering from severe drought, the COVID-19 pandemic, and declining confidence in the previous government. The illegal migrants even before and after the fall of the government. The political instability and war had an impact on businesses and international donor funding. The economy has shrunk since August 2021, a high volume of people lost their jobs and livelihoods, social services, poverty, and hunger, as well as the humanitarian crisis, have greatly deteriorated. The project helped around 500 individuals to get paid for the services that they have provided at different community positions, such as hygiene promoters, storekeepers, guards, cooks, drivers, etc.

There were numerous challenges in the implementation and design of the project, such as a very limited period for the project activities, flash floods, and accessing hard-to-reach villages in the respective provinces. To overcome the challenges and maintain robust coordination with stakeholders, and guide the team effectively and efficiently. The CoAR management has decided to prioritize both managerial and operational positions from the respective provinces, especially the employees who had experience in such critical and emergency projects in the region.