A severe drought is looming in Somalia amid ongoing challenges of the third wave of COVID-19, locust infestations and political instability making the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance at risk of escalating rapidly.

With only 3.9 percent of the USD 1.09 billion-Humanitarian Response Plan disbursed to date in a country grappling with multiple humanitarian threats, the Somalia NGO Consortium (SNC) calls on all actors to urgently take action now and prepare for a large-scale crisis as rainfall is forecasted 70% below average in some areas of Somalia in the next three months.

Thanks to World Vision’s Interactive Voice Response (IVR) feedback system, beneficiaries living with disabilities in Dacarta village now have a new reason to smile. Among other benefits, the initiative has informed provision of mobility aids to persons living with disability in rural areas, in order to enable them move around with ease.

Even before COVID-19 struck, nearly 3.2 million Somalis lacked access to health services. The need for health systems that protect everyone has never been more urgent.

Through a pilot project brokered by the Response Innovation Lab (RIL) between OGOW EMR and World Vision Somalia, rural and urban health facilities have been supported to utilise innovation for medical records, health promotion, and immunisation uptake. 

World Vision is rolling out a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan in order to continue its life-saving operations in Somalia without exposing staff and the communities we serve to risks. In close coordination with local authorities, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and other partners, a number of key measures are going to be implemented in our coverage areas across the country. Our National Director breaks down our response plan.