Improving water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions in the Um Sangour refugee camp, Sudan

The project’s objective is to contribute to improving living conditions for refugees and host communities in the state of White Nile, Sudan, by improving access to water, sanitation, and hygiene for its inhabitants.

The Um Sangour camp has been identified as most urgently needing help among the 10 existing camps in the area. Improving services aids local development and the reduction of potential conflicts arising from living conditions. The intervention also has a direct impact on higher protection for women and girls by reducing the obligation to travel long distances to collect water from the river.

The Um Sangour refugee camp

The project is being carried out at the Um Sangour refugee camp and its host community, one of 10 South Sudanese refugee camps located in the White Nile state. There are 274,321 refugees living in these camps, and they haven’t stopped coming in since 2015. From January to March 2021, 11,981 new refugees arrived, showing that the conflict is still very active in South Sudan and that the camps are growing.

Numerous problems related to water and sanitation were identified. As for water supply, the Um Sangour camp and the host community receive only 9.4 liters a day, when the minimum should be 20 liters. The small amount of water received is due to the lack of capacity to pump water from the river.

The water points are accessible to the population, but they’re in poor condition and don’t have water most of the day. Therefore, the population gets water from the river. This task is performed by women, exposing them to the risk of attacks, harassment, or health problems due to carrying heavy loads in the sun.

In terms of sanitation, there is little coverage for in-home latrines: only 14% in the refugee camp and 12% in the host community have access to latrines.

The intervention

The project’s objective is to improve water supply and sanitation in the Um Sangour refugee camp and its host community.

This includes setting up a photovoltaic system for pumping water from the river that supplies the refugee camp and the local community, repairing the distribution network and the 5 water points, and building 30 family latrines.

To ensure that these actions endure over time, training on the use and maintenance of latrines, as well as in hygienic habits, will be provided.

This project will make it possible to increase the water supply service from 6 to 42 hours a week.

NGO short description

The Spanish Red Cross (CRE) is a volunteer, public-interest humanitarian institution operating under the protection of the Government of Spain and the High Patronage of the King and Queen of Spain. It is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, whose purpose is to alleviate human suffering through immediate service, according to each particular situation.

Partners of the project

The Sudanese Red Crescent is responsible for implementing the entire project on the ground, in coordination with and support from the Spanish Red Cross.

The Sudanese Red Crescent has lengthy experience in providing services in the field where the intervention is taking place. It also manages the water supply facilities at the Um Sangour camp and in its host community.