IOM Says Relocation Of IDPs In Wau Has Improved Livelihoods
Elisabeth Janaina
IOM Says Relocation Of IDPs In Wau Has Improved Livelihoods
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said the last month relocation exercise it carried out at Wau State UN displacement site (UN POc), has better improved the living conditions of the IDPs.
07 March 2017 By James Deng Dimo
WAU, 07 March 2017 [Gurtong]-
In a statement IOM released on Monday, the relocation commenced on 26 January 2017 and was completed on 20 February 2017 with, 1,155 households (over 6,000 individuals) moved from the most congested area of the PoC site (Zone A) to 810 new units (175 shelters) in the new extension (Zone C).
“The relocation has improved living conditions for those that have moved into newly constructed shelters, as well as for those that remain in Zone A, where overcrowding has been reduced and plans areunderway to rehabilitate the land,” reads the statement.
The statement also mentioned that the relocation process created three wide roads in Zone A; opened up the main WASH corridors in Zone A, which now has space for more showers to be built; freed up sixtemporary learning space (TLS) classrooms, which can now be returned to their original purpose; and cleared out a large area of free space which will be held as contingency in case of new arrivals.
The Wau protection of civilians (PoC) site area adjacent to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) was established in June 2016 following violence in and around Wau town resulting in large-scale displacement.
Internally displaced persons (IDPs) continue to arrive to Wau from insecure areas. It is the most congested PoC site in South Sudan, with 30,054 IDPs on just 134,514m2 of land.The statement said IOM camp management prioritized the de-congestion of the site to improve living conditions and reduce fire safety risks.
Camp management negotiated with UNMISS for the use of 40,000m2 of land adjacent to the PoC for the new extension (Zone C). Site development work took place to prepare the extension for IDPs to shelter, land was cleared and levelled, drains dug and culverts installed, and roads and pedestrian crossings constructed. An external berm was built and guard posts were enhanced to reinforce the perimeter security.
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