Logo Triangle génération humanitaire

FAIRE
UN DON

 

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Emergency support to the populations affected by
the crisis in the Ouaka Prefecture

AREA OF EXPERTISE

Eau, hygiène et assainissement

Water, hygiene and sanitation

FUNDING

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BENEFICIAIRES

33,000
people

FROM 10/01/2018 TO 12/31/2018

3
months

BUDGET

74,881
euros

Access to water, hygiene and sanitation is a real challenges in IDP camps due to the volatile security context and high population density in IDP sites in the Ouaka Prefecture.

To date, the prefecture hosts the largest number of internally displaced people, and continues to suffer from unstable security conditions. Violent incidents in the cities of Tagbara, Séko and in November in Alindao led to population movements towards the sites of the city of Bambari and surroundings. Since March 2018, the Commission on Population Movement (CMP) has identified 37,000 new displaced people in the Ouaka, exacerbating needs and pressure on basic resources.

The water resources available at these sites and in host families are very limited, and do not cover the needs of displaced populations. TGH has developed a water treatment system. The water is then transported by truck to targeted areas. However, TGH is trying to reduce as much as possible the quantities of water distributed by truck in favour of cheaper technical solutions.

In 2015, a drilling campaign was first carried out on the most remote sites with the most significant needs. This campaign identified only two sites where drilling was sufficiently productive to allow the installation of motorised pumps, the hydrogeological context of the other sites making drilling negative or unproductive. Since then, TGH has been operating 4 pumping stations.

In collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross, TGH then carried out pumping tests on all 17 existing boreholes on the sites and in the districts. The results revealed that only the 2 boreholes located at NDV and Bornou are productive enough for the installation of motorised pumps. This methodical investigative work has therefore enabled TGH to explore all alternatives to water trucking on the sites, within the limits of the financial resources available. However, this solution remains essential to cover needs that are difficult to predict due to the risk of sudden population movements.

At present, one third of the water distributed is delivered by truck. This share of drinking water production cannot be provided by alternative means without significant investment, which would be disproportionate to the operating, maintenance and renewal costs of existing installations.

In this context, the Water Treatment Unit (WTU) and water trucking solution implemented in the current programme remain the only way to respond to growing needs and significant population fluctuations between sites, under sufficient conditions of security for both people and goods. The maintenance of these facilities is the only guarantee of minimum access to water for populations displaced during crisis episodes.

This programme provides safe access to drinking water for 33,000 internally displaced people and members of host communities (to a minimum of 7.5 L/person/day - international minimum standards), including 7,590 men, 7,260 women, 9,570 girls and 8,580 boys.