Halima Hassan is a displaced mother of two who fled violent conflict in her home village and now lives in Warcadey, Beledhawa district. Like many displaced households, Halima and a group of other women make daily, exhausting treks to find water, but the sources available are often unsafe. This forces them to collect contaminated water that has led to acute watery diarrhoea and other waterborne illnesses among their children. National surveys show this is not an isolated problem, as roughly 27.2% of forcibly displaced households in Somalia lack access to safe drinking water, leaving families dependent on unsafe sources. The long, unsafe journeys to collect water also expose women and girls to heightened protection risks, including harassment, assault, and other forms of gender-based violence. The heavy burden of water collection further increases the strain on women’s caregiving responsibilities and leaves girls with less time for school, while limiting opportunities for women to engage in income generating activities.
In response, with support from Trócaire, NAPAD provided emergency water trucking services to vulnerable households in Warcadey and Dhagaxley villages in Beledhawa district. This intervention enabled approximately 1,000 households, including Halima’s, to gain reliable access to clean water. For the first time in months, families could fetch water from a safe, designated point close to their homes instead of relying on distant, contaminated sources or paying high prices offered by private vendors. Combined with hygiene promotion sessions, the construction of latrines, and the distribution of WASH non-food items, the intervention delivered more than water; it enhanced community health, restored dignity, and strengthened their resilience.
For Halima, the immediate relief of daily water access in her village eased her burden. The hours she spent searching for water could now be invested in caring for her children, rebuilding her livelihood, and re-establishing a sense of normalcy after displacement. Her children, previously ill from consuming unsafe water, began enjoying better health and improved energy levels, allowing Halima to focus on recovery. Across the two targeted villages, the hygiene promoters reported that families now have clean water to cook, clean, and maintain basic hygiene at the household level. Additionally, girls, who often carry the responsibility of fetching water, now had more time to attend school consistently and contribute positively to their household without compromising their safety.
To expand sustainable access to clean water and strengthen resilience in displacement-affected communities, NAPAD calls on donors, WASH partners, and local authorities to scale up investments in solar-powered water systems, strengthen community-led WASH governance, and increase support for integrated emergency water supply interventions. Strengthening coordinated, adequately funded WASH interventions remains essential to safeguarding public health, reducing protection risks, and ensuring that vulnerable households like Halima’s can rebuild their lives with dignity and stability.