Voices from the Community
The following accounts reflect what our field teams heard directly from families living in displacement camps across Somalia.
"For many years, the rains have failed. Water has become almost impossible to find or afford. Every day, we worry that diseases like cholera, diarrhea, and measles will spread through the camp because there is no clean water."
Many families described the devastating impact of prolonged drought, explaining how the lack of safe drinking water has left them living in constant fear of disease outbreaks.
"We watched our camels, goats, and sheep die one by one. They were our food, our income, and our future. Now we have almost nothing left."
Pastoralist families spoke of the heartbreaking loss of their livestock. With more than three million animals lost nationwide, countless households have lost not only a vital source of food but also their primary means of earning a living.
"I fled with my young children after the fighting reached our village. My husband never came back. We now live in a shelter made from branches and pieces of cloth."
Many women arrived at displacement camps after fleeing violence between Al-Shabaab and government forces, often having lost family members and leaving behind everything they owned.
Moving Forward: Expanding Our Reach
To respond to these urgent needs, we have begun delivering safe drinking water to displacement camps with little or no access to clean water. To date, water trucks have provided a one-month supply of safe drinking water to two camps, reaching approximately 2,000 people. At the same time, our medical teams continue to provide treatment for children suffering from dehydration and other health complications.
In Somalia, it is not drought alone that turns crisis into famine. Prolonged armed conflict continues to prevent communities from accessing food, water, healthcare, and humanitarian assistance. Recognizing this reality, we combine emergency humanitarian relief with long-term peacebuilding efforts. Alongside the delivery of clean water and medical care, our rehabilitation and reintegration program has already supported 600 young people in disengaging from armed groups and beginning new lives.
Every family that gains access to clean water, essential healthcare, or a pathway away from violence represents another step toward breaking the cycle of conflict and humanitarian crisis.
We invite you to stand with the people of Somalia. Your support will help save lives today while creating the foundations for a more peaceful and resilient future.
