In Somalia, 2.6 million people are currently experiencing water shortages as a result of severe drought conditions. Water shortages and drought conditions have resulted in increased water prices causing displacements, malnutrition, and diarrhea-related illnesses in many parts of Somalia. Currently, the worst affected regions include Bay, Gedo, Bakol, Galgadud, Lower Jubba, Mudug, and parts of Nugaal, Bari, Sool, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Hiraan regions. More than 2 million people residing in 66 districts of Somalia are in acute need and require urgent lifesaving WASH services for 6 months to come. Among the most vulnerable are 1.7 million women and children who face exposure to protection risks when accessing inadequate water resources.

Without urgent ramp-up of WASH services by the end of March 2022, more than 3 million people will be in acute need with no access to the 45L minimum daily water requirement per family. Between now and May next year, WASH Cluster partners require $53 million additional funding to ramp up emergency services to meet the immediate WASH needs of 2.3 million Somalians. This funding will enable WASH Cluster partners to offer emergency water supply, restore the operations of primary communal water sources, enhance access to sanitation services to the people affected by drought, and provide essential hygiene supplies to prevent the risk of cholera and diarrhea outbreaks. The funding will also allow WASH cluster partners to amplify integrated responses within Health, Nutrition, and Food Security clusters while examining the use of cash as a complementary response modality to provide lifesaving services.

With the prompt mobilization of necessary funding, the Somalia WASH Cluster partners are expected to scale up the provision of urgent life-saving water supply to 1.7 million people who are affected by drought in the next 6 months. 800,000 vulnerable people in the districts affected by drought are aimed at sustained access to safe water by rehabilitating strategic communal water sources to restore operations. 600,000 displaced populations are targeted to access proper sanitation facilities safe for People with Disabilities, women, and girls. 240,000 hygiene supplies are expected to be bought and stocked in 9 regional supply hubs and distributed to drought-affected populations including IDPs and vulnerable host communities. 2.3 million people are targeted with the distribution of hygiene kits and promotion of hygiene activities across Somalia.

The target population groups include;

•     Drought displaced and protracted IDP settlements hosting newly displaced.
  • IDP settlements with chronic WASH gaps.
  • Vulnerable host communities in the locations affected by drought.
  • Populations living in AWD/Cholera hotspot locations and affected by drought.
  • Minority groups.
  • Persons with disabilities (PWDs).