Somalia: SOMALILAND: Strengthening the foundations of life

Somaliland is a self-governing region in the Horn of Africa whose rural population has relied for generations on transhumance and small-scale farming. But what once ensured a stable, if modest, livelihood is now under pressure.

Several consecutive rainy seasons have failed to materialize in recent years. Traditional water sources, such as cisterns, shallow wells, and seasonal rivers, are no longer sufficient to meet needs. Groundwater levels are falling, pastureland is becoming scarce, and animals are dying or, out of desperation, being sold far below their value. Those who cannot access water have to buy it at high prices. Even under normal conditions, families spend a significant portion of their income on water; during dry seasons, prices become nearly unaffordable. At the same time, international humanitarian aid has declined.

At the heart of our projects is the Hawd region, a semi-arid high plateau on the border with Ethiopia that has no permanent water sources. Everything depends on two short rainy seasons each year. If they fail to materialize, almost all water sources dry up completely. Then people and their herds must travel long distances just to find any water at all. Or they are dependent on water deliveries by tanker trucks, which are expensive and not reliably available.

In times of acute crisis, many families sell what they have to pay for the bare necessities. Others cut back on their food intake or leave their home villages in search of work. Malnutrition is not uncommon. For children under five—whose development depends particularly on reliable access to food and clean water—the food crisis is a matter of survival.

Against this backdrop, arche nova has been active in the Baligubadle district and other particularly affected areas of the Hawd region since 2022.

Water Supply: Practical and Sustainable

In partnership with the Organization of Welfare Development Action (OWDA), arche nova is improving the water infrastructure in several rural communities as part of its current project. Together, we are building new birkaz and restoring existing ones. These underground rainwater cisterns can store up to 800 cubic meters of water. That is enough to sustain many households through the dry season.
 
In addition, arche nova is bringing a disused borehole back into operation in the project area and ensuring that the hospital in Baligubadle also has its own water system.

During periods of acute drought, our partner organization, in cooperation with local service providers, delivers water by tanker truck to alleviate the most severe shortages. As part of the project, we also provide households with water treatment supplies so that even cloudy and contaminated water can be made safe to drink. 

At the same time, gender-sensitive sanitation facilities are being built, and over 40 hygiene campaigns are taking place in communities, schools, and shelters for internally displaced persons. Activities related to waste management round out the program. Combined with the improved water supply, this significantly reduces the risk of disease.

New Ways to Secure an Income

Relying solely on livestock farming is becoming increasingly risky in the face of climate change. That is why the project supports people in developing new sources of income. It promotes beekeeping, poultry farming, and a women’s tailoring cooperative. Female-headed households also receive donkey carts, which they can use as a means of transportation for their own needs as well as to provide services as a source of income. Through rural savings and credit cooperatives, the project provides targeted support to help people help themselves.

When people no longer have to spend half the day fetching water, they have time for other things. That, too, is part of the project’s rationale.

Be Prepared Before the Next Crisis Strikes

Our diverse on-the-ground partnerships are not only focused on the present but also look ahead to the coming years, which will be shaped by climate change. Community-based early warning systems help detect extreme weather events at an early stage. Local disaster preparedness committees know what to do in an emergency. More than 87 local institutions and partners are being trained in the principles of “Green Humanitarian Aid” and the Climate Charter—ensuring that environmental standards aren’t just words on paper.

Through this holistic approach, arche nova reaches a total of over 33,500 people in Somaliland, with water, hygiene, income-generating opportunities, and disaster preparedness serving as interlinked building blocks.