Emergency water keeps Somalia communities alive

From the shade of her new home in Malasle Village, with her little grandson dozing in her lap, Faduma describes how she and her family were forced to leave their ancestral land because of a lack of food and water.

Displaced by drought, Faduma, 60, with her grandson fled their land with her family to receive emergency water supplies provided by World Vision in Malasle Village, Puntland. Photo/Brett Tarver

“We used to have a large flock of goats and camels, but now most of them have died,” Faduma says of the extreme hardships brought on by two years of drought in the region.

“Thanks to the angels from World Vision, we now have enough water to drink,” says Faduma, 60, near an emergency water distribution centre in Malasle Village, Puntland in northeastern Somalia.

It’s a story that has become all too common throughout Somalia as entire areas have become depopulated because of the drought. Everywhere across the region people are on the move with their surviving animals in search of water and pasture to sustain their flocks. Many displaced families have been drawn to emergency water sites provided by World Vision, and other agencies. Providing oases that are literaly keeping people and communities alive.

Women line up for emergency water delivered by World Vision in trucks in Malasle Village, Puntland. Photo/Brett Tarver.

Faduma’s family and the local community now have access to enough water. Emergency water deliveries ensure that everyone receives atleast 7.5 litres of water per person each day  to meet  the minimum daily amount needed for survival. Faduma’s family has also received treatment from a World Vision mobile health unit which visits the community each week.

“Thank you to the generous donors who have opened their hearts to help us,” Faduma says, welling up with emotion. “Water provides so much for us. This water is the most important thing in my life right now. It’s keeping us alive,” she says.

Before World Vision was able to provide free emergency water trucking services, desperate people in Malasle village were forced to pay for what little water was available, putting an extra strain on their meagre resources. With access to enough clean, free water, families now have one less worry as they struggle to overcome the drought.

Currently, World Vision is providing emergency water services to communities to assist in the most at risk areas.

Women line up for emergency water delivered by World Vision in trucks in Malasle Village, Puntland. Photo/Brett Tarver.

A total of 2,331,000 litres of clean water has been distributed to 12,602 drought affectedpeople in 19 villages in Jariban district of Puntland as of 1st March 2017.

But as the drought continues, many more people in  rural communities have been pushed to the brink of survival. Urgent support is needed for more than 6M Somalis who are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance.

World Vision is appealing for US$18.5 million in emergency funding to assist 530,000 of the most vulnerable people across Somalia with targeted food security, emergency health & nutrition, livelihoods, protection, shelter and WASH programs.

 Story by 

Lillian Omariba

Senior Communications Manager