Jijiga Community Secondary School, located in Ethiopia’s Somali Region, is home to 1,111 students and was a vital site for Needs4Water’s Ethiopia 2025 WASH Survey. The school is currently undergoing significant development, with a brand-new campus being built on-site—signalling growing investment in education for the region.

To ensure culturally appropriate and linguistically accurate data collection, three Somali-speaking students from Jijiga University volunteered to assist with WISE (Water Insecurity Experiences) interviews. Their involvement improved communication with students and strengthened local engagement in the research process.

Project 12 activities included evaluating current WASH facilities, surveying students on their access to water and sanitation, and observing the integration of WASH infrastructure in the new school design. The findings from Jijiga will help shape targeted interventions and guide future school construction efforts to meet hygiene and water access standards.