WHAT:
To help families across Somalia’s Sanag and Bari regions, IRUSA, through the support of humanitarians like you, is implementing a powerful program that will make access to clean water easier and will provide the community with the right tools to be able to cope against future droughts and to build livelihoods.
WHY:
Water scarcity is a serious threat to Somali families and is hindering the country’s economic and social development. Throughout Somalia, existing trends of reduced surface water and groundwater reserves and increased occurrences of droughts and floods are predicted to worsen.
Less than 30% of the population has easy access to clean water. This forces most families to either buy water from traditional water catchments, which are often not well maintained and expensive, or to fetch water from distant water sources–one trip to fetch water can take up to one hour, and the average family will need to make this trip at least five times a day. That’s FIVE HOURS A DAY OF GETTING CLEAN WATER! That doesn’t leave much time for anything else, including school or income-generation.
The water issues are only expected to get worse with the impacts of climate change: Farm productions are expected to get lower; livestock losses are expected to get higher; and pastoral drop out and incidence of poverty is rising even more. The situation is dire.
HOW:
THIS PROJECT AIMS TO HELP COMMUNITIES ACROSS SANAG AND BARI GET THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO THRIVE AGAINST WATER PROBLEMS:
Here are just some of the interventions we are working on:
- Rehabilitating solar-powered shallow water wells
- Rehabilitating deeper boreholes and hand pumps
- Rehabilitating water reservoirs and catchment systems
- Building water storage tanks
- Training community members to properly maintain the water systems
- Training community members on proper hygiene and sanitation, including preventative measures against COVID-19
- Providing community members with PPE, like masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, and more
- Building cold storage units to keep produce fresher for longer
- Distributing agricultural tools like seeds, wheelbarrows, rakes, and more
- Training on “dry land” agriculture and harvesting
- Providing access to tractors
- Building greenhouses
- Training women on finances, business, management, and more
- Provide start-up capital for women and youth to start businesses
DONATION DETAILS AND IMPACT:
By supporting this effort, you can make a difference for families in need. Here are just a few ways your donations can help:
$25 can support water access for a community member
$250 can help provide several hours of tractor access for farmers
$2,500 can support the building of greenhouses
If you’re interested in supporting this effort in large-scale or funding the entire project, please contact us at programs@irusa.org or call 1-855-447-1001.
RECENT ACTIVITY:
Updates not yet available.
FROM THE FIELD:
Updates not yet available.
DISCLAIMER:
Islamic Relief USA is committed to providing aid in the country or program that you select. In the event we complete the project, exceed the required funds, or are denied access to a particular country for reasons beyond our control, Islamic Relief USA reserves the right to reallocate your donation to another program where it is needed most. Please see our full disclaimer, refund, and privacy policy here.