Somalia

The goal of this project was to provide water, as well as sanitary and hygiene services to internally displaced persons, refugee hosting communities, and villages affected by floods, drought, and conflicts in the Gedo, Lower Juba, Galgaduud, and Middle Shabelle regions of south-central Somalia

As part of this project we ensured access to water in 11 camps for internally displaced persons, erected water kiosks, and repaired wells.

This project was implemented in co-operation with Mercy-USA for Aid and Development, as well as Handicap International. It was aimed at rural communities and internally displaced persons affected by conflicts, drought, flood, or other crises which may have driven displacement and loss of means of support. The regions covered by this aid programme, which are crossed by the Shabelle river, are susceptible to floods and droughts, and severely affected by conflicts.

The primary element of this project was to ensure access to water, sanitary and hygiene facilities, so that the persons receiving aid could meet their basic needs safely and with dignity.

As a result of drought and famine, approximately 719 500 Somalis have been forced to leave their homes in search of food, water, and pastures. Across the whole country, up to 80% of water sources are drying out, including the Shabelle and Juba rivers whose water level has dropped below the historic minimum. Severe water shortages and lack of sanitary and hygiene facilities increase the risk of epidemics, such as severe watery diarrhoea, cholera, and respiratory infections which can be prevented.

The goal of this project was to provide people living in regions affected by a natural disaster or in camps for internally displaced persons with safe drinking water and methods of controlling water quality. As part of this project we also built water supply infrastructure equipped with appropriate pump and supply systems, as well as tanks and distribution networks. Furthermore, we established water committees, and local population has been trained in WASH.

The threefold humanitarian disaster that hit Somalia (COVID-19, flood/drought, and locust infestation) increased the number of malnutrition cases recorded in this country. The Middle Shabelle region was affected the most due to the destructive floods caused by the Deyr rainfalls in 2020 which destroyed arable land, planted crops, and resulted in population displacement, which led to significant drop in crop yields and made it impossible to find work in agriculture. Displaced population remains in critical conditions, and malnutrition, disease, and death indices remain alarmingly high.

The above-mentioned humanitarian crisis, when combined with high food prices, travel and flight limitations, bad practices in baby feeding and care, insufficient reach of the extended vaccination programme, poor health practices, and difficulties in accessing clean water sources, had played a major role in increasing the number of malnutrition cases in Somalia, and in the Middle Shabelle region in particular.

We actively ran a nutrition programme for moderately malnourished children below 5 years of age and pregnant and breastfeeding women in the Middle Shabelle region. The goal of this project is to heal moderately malnourished children aged 6-59 months, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in the western villages in Jowhar and prevent deterioration of moderate malnutrition into severe acute malnutrition. As part of this project we also identify severe, acute, and chronic cases of malnutrition among children below 5 years of age, as well as among pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in the villages of western Jowhar; such individuals are directed to other partners. Furthermore, PAH promotes using pre- and postnatal services and educates parents in, among other things, nutritional hygiene. We also held trainings in promotion of health and hygiene for women, men, and children in the Jowhar district (Middle Shabelle region).

The goal of this project was to heal moderately malnourished children aged 6-59 months, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and prevent deterioration of moderate malnutrition into severe acute malnutrition in the villages in western Jowhar. Furthermore, PAH identified severe, acute, and chronic cases of malnutrition among children below 5 years of age, as well as among pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and directed them to other partners. We also promoted the use of pre- and postnatal services and educated women, men, and children on the subject of health, hygiene, and nutrition.

As part of this project PAH carried out integrated activities whose aim was to meet the immediate needs of internally displaced persons in the Banadir region by conducting camp co-ordination and management (CCCM), WASH, protection, and sheltering tasks.

The goals of this project included, but were not limited to ensuring permanent access to water, as well as preventing evictions and reacting to evictions, including monitoring the danger of evictions by evaluating potential eviction hotspots, documenting them, and reporting them to competent authorities. Furthermore, we strive to improve the living conditions of internally displaced persons by distributing emergency non-food kits and erecting temporary shelters.

The activities under this project were addressed to, in particular, persons internally displaced as a result of drought and conflicts.

As part of this project PAH provided access to water and sanitary infrastructure in 15 state schools. Existing wells which performed well were refurbished and equipped with solar-powered systems; we also built water storage facilities and expanded the pipeline systems. On the other hand, existing wells which did not perform well were deepened, improved, and equipped with manual pumps.

As part of this project we constructed and repaired existing public water kiosks, as well as water supply and plumbing infrastructure at schools and various institutions.

Furthermore, to prevent urinary tract infections and protect the dignity of teenage girls, one of the goals under this project was to improve menstrual hygiene. As part of this project we distributed educational materials on menstrual hygiene, as well as hygiene products at schools in the Banadir district and at a clinic. Menstrual hygiene products are too expensive for many Somali women, and schools do not keep them stocked. Frequently, there are no female teachers who could offer support to girls, and therefore many girls leave school for a few days each month or stop going to school when they start to menstruate. Therefore, our activities are not only intended to prevent the spread of diseases, but also to support education of teenage girls.