Somalia: Building Resilience to Climate Change Through Wash in Qardho, Dollow And South Galkayo

Background

Since 1991, Somalia has faced conflict, political instability, governance issues and climate-related disasters. By 2023, around 3.9 million people were internally displaced due to conflict and violence placing Somalia among the top ten countries with the highest number of conflicts related to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) globally1. The influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to relatively stable areas has increased stress on the already scarce and dysfunctional water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in Dollow, Qardho and South Galkayo and their peripheries. Qardho, Dollow and South Galkayo towns with populations of 100,000; 86,000; and 305,000, respectively, are also home to 20,000 (6 camps), 134,000 (5 camps), and 29,000 (4 camps) IDPs, respectively.

Objective

The project aims to increase access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation and hygiene in Qadho, Dollow and South Galkayo. The specific objectives include to: (a) improve access to water supply and sanitation in the IDP camps through immediate interventions, (b) prepare town masterplans and conduct feasibility studies and detailed designs to meet Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) needs for 548,000 people living in IDPs’ camps and the host communities, thereby improving their quality of life and livelihoods; (c) strengthen water utility capacities under public-private partnership frameworks and (d) enhance regulatory capabilities at both Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and Federal Member States (FMS) levels. The project which is integral to Government efforts to improve access to sustainable water supply and sanitation is in line with Somalia’s National Development Plan 2020-2024, the National Transformation Plan (2025-2029), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the country’s water and sanitation targets.

Beneficiaries 

The project’s beneficiaries are the communities in the towns of Dollow, Qardho, South Galkayo, and their peripheral internally displaced person villages. The direct beneficiaries are approximately 548,00 which include 63,000 IDPs and 484,892 host communities.