The ILO in Sudan has been implementing the Japanese Supplementary Budget (JSB) project “Building community resilience with young people in Mayo Suburb of Khartoum through improved access to water” from April 2021.  The project includes the rehabilitation of roads, and water and sanitation facilities through employment-intensive approaches and it due to be completed in November 2022. On 16th November 2022, Japanese Ambassador to Sudan, the honourable Takashi Hittori, visited the project area of Mayo with the ILO Country Director, Mr. Alexio Musindo, and observed the impact of the project in the communities. The project beneficiaries appreciated his visit and provided a warm welcome and expressed their satisfaction. He also met the youths who benefitted directly from the JSB project through jobs the project created. They also shared stories of the impact of the project through the improved roads that reduced their travel time and increased their comfort when using the vehicles. Additionally, there was improvement in access to markets, service centres and to water.

The Ambassador also visited the Girls School Alrahama at Mandela and observed the installed water storage tank supplied from the upgraded borehole as well as water connection to the handwash basins and school toilet. The schoolteachers expressed their happiness as their students got sufficient drinking water and flushing latrines. The school could now maintain a more hygienic environment. The students welcomed the guests by singing the national anthem and performing a local traditional dance.

The project manager shared the outcomes of the project which included the rehabilitation of 3.25km of feeder road through an employment-intensive approach using Japanese “Do-nou” technique, rehabilitated 40 boreholes, 2 upgraded boreholes using submersible pumps, and the construction 3 latrines. About 260,000 people from the communities directly benefitted form this improved infrastructure and 500 youths were employed for the infrastructure rehabilitation. Among them, 300 youths were engaged in road construction and maintenance using “Do-Nou” and 200 youths worked on the water facilities. Through the rehabilitations of the boreholes, the community gets sufficient potable drinking water near their homes and can save money by no longer needing to purchase water from so called “karo”(Suppliers using donkey carts).

The ambassador demonstrated the handpump and experienced water flowing from one of the rehabilitated boreholes in Mandela. He shared his past experience in the use of handpumps and spent some time with the users and further interacted with the project team, implementing partner, technicians, some water users and youths discussing the project outcomes.

The implementing partner of water rehabilitation Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO) welcomed all visitors and expressed sincere thanks for allowing sufficient time to complete all the water works in spite of challenges faced during implementation. The counterpart of Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MoLSD)’ from the Labour Based Construction Unit (LBCU) was also pleased by the visit of the Ambassador to first hand appreciate the impact of JSB project. MoLSD/LBCU was satisfied that JSB project has been successfully completed and achieved the desired goals. MoLSD expected to replicate JSB project in other states of Sudan.

The ILO director Mr. Alexio Musindo appreciated honourable ambassador’s visit in the project area. He also expressed sincere thanks to the Japanese Government for financing the project and allowing a no-cost extension till November 2022 to enable the conclusion of the project. The ILO director further thanked all partners, project team and communities for their appreciation. Finally, the ambassador concluded by thanking the project team and beneficiaries. He noted the expression of interest by MoLSD for the expansion of similar projects, and he was positive for further support in the future.