Building Resilience of Drought Affected Communities and IDPs in Sanaag

Somaliland humanitarian crises has become fragile towards the 2015-2016 following consecutive three failed and below the normal rainy season from (October – December 2015, April and June Gu rains 2016, and October – December 2016 as well as late Gu rains of 2017. The drought episode grips loss of Livestock and affected many human life entire Somaliland region, Sanaag is the first and worst region affected this shocks, reports from the humanitarian organization like FSNAU estimated the number of households in emergency level around 59,000 households.

Candlelight is great influential organization entire Somaliland communities dealing drought hazards to relief emergency of the vulnerable affected populations is the second time initiated drought intervention in Sanaag region.

According to Candlelight capacities   and great experience of drought cycle management particularly in the response and recovery period management is tirelessly appealed to global humanitarian agencies in order to save lives of the people.

Candlelight is closely looking in –depth and digesting regularly the famine early warning system network (FEWSNET) and FSNAU reported realize the records in IPC phase 3 standard. The situation in Sanaag region is worsening, in my observation with visiting to the drought affected village in sanaag detected livestock bodies every corner of the region and along roadsides this tragic events is escalating vulnerable drought victims.  The nomadic livelihood is drastically changed in to new IDPs camps around 55 news camps self-established.  So far Candlelight implemented two drought response programs.

On November- January 2017 Candlelight for Environment, Education and Health is the first LNGOs response the droughts in the region initiative from KNH.

That drought response project  was  focused three main district hit by drought namely, Garadag, Ceel afweyn and Ceerigabo and delivered 260 trucks 2,080 Cubic meters to the fifty six (56) different villages and sub villages under Sanaag region.

Again on 1st April Candlelight getting funds from Oxfam Novib started water trucking operation in six (6) locations under Garadag and Ceelafweyn districts receive owed  water trucks , and distribute in the below status :

  1. Fadhigaab IDPs, 200 HH delivered 21 trucks of water, each truck contains 40 barrel which is 8 m3 and received one truck per day.
  2. Sincaro , 380 HH delivered 29 trucks of water, each truck contains 40 barrel which is 8 m3 and received two truck per day.
  3. Faraguul, 400 HH delivered 42 trucks of water, each truck contains 40 barrel which is 8 m3 and received two truck per day.
  5. Karasharka IDPs, 100 HH delivered 4 trucks of water, each truck contains 40 barrel which is 8 m3 and received one truck per two days.
  6. Sabawanaag , 100 HH delivered 2 trucks of water, each truck contains 40 barrel which is 8 m3 and received one truck per two days.
  7. Ceel Nimcoon , 200 HH delivered 8 trucks of water, each truck contains 40 barrel which is 8 m3 and received one truck per day.

A total of population benefiting current water trucking operation is around one thousand five hundred ten ( 1,510) Households , at the same time cash relief of emergency food security sector targeting eight hundred seventy fie ( 875) families living ten villages namely , Fadhigaab (150HH), Sinacro (150 HH), God  dheere IDPs (23HH), Karasharka(51 HH), Balanbaal (100HH), Ceel cade (90 HH) , Ceel-lahelay (100 HH), Sabawanaag (91 HH) , God waraabe (51 HH)  and Faraguul (70) under Garadag and Ceelafweyn districts.

This crucial lifesaving initiative was planned to target three villages subsequently  jointly pre assessment was carried out two local partners ( Candlelight and HAVOYOCO ) organizations and Oxfam NOVIB to understood the real ground situation of part of Sool and  Sanaag regions , the funder agency and partners organizations comprehended the situation of the population and livestock in  the visited  areas is worsening day after day and decided to expand the project coverage areas , starting on 31st March the program target locations  is gradually expanding.

Fortunately candlelight has fabricated 13 steel tanks distributed to the New IDPs camps who have no water storage.

Candlelight is operating villages under Garadag district of Sanaag region , but fortunately the initiative target areas is  expanding through drought stricken villages under Ceel-afweyn district, with the consultation of regional drought commission and local authority in region and district level as well.