Somalia’s Thirst for Survival: A Deepening Climate Crisis

Beyond the statistics lies a deeply human crisis. Mothers face impossible choices, giving their children water they know may be contaminated—because it’s the only option.

Families endure exhausting journeys in search of even the smallest, most precarious water sources. For a growing number of Somalis, this is daily life.

The drought has strangled the water supply, leaving those already vulnerable – the poor, the displaced, the pastoralists – facing utter devastation. The ripple effects are relentless: failing harvests, livestock deaths, and the ever-present threat of starvation.

The scarcity of clean water fuels outbreaks of waterborne diseases, taking a harsh toll on those already at risk, particularly children.

As their last water sources disappear, people are forced to make desperate choices, abandoning their homes and adding to the swelling numbers of internally displaced people.

Even amid such widespread suffering, stories of resilience emerge. Consider the village of Shamindo, in Somalia’s Jowhar district, where the drought has not only ravaged water supplies but deeply affected the community’s spirit.

Hawa Ali, a 54-year-old grandmother caring for nine grandchildren, recalls, with heavy sadness in her eyes, the endless search for water. “We’d walk for hours just to bring back a little bit of water, and often it wasn’t even safe to drink,” she says.

“The children were constantly sick.” 

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), supported by the Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF), stepped in.  NRC focused on practical solutions: rehabilitating two vital wells, constructing new latrines, and providing essential hygiene education.

This initiative was part of a wider programme that benefitted over 17,000 people in the Jowhar area. The results have been remarkable.

“I no longer worry about where the next drop of water will come from,” says Hawa. “My grandchildren can drink clean water now.” The incidence of waterborne diseases has significantly decreased.

The impact extends far beyond meeting basic needs. Women have regained precious time, and children can finally attend school.

“There’s a sense of safety, a sense of hope,” Hawa says, reflecting the newfound optimism in Shamindo.

Our work has not just been about providing water, but also about restoring dignity. In 2024 alone, we improved access to water, hygiene, and sanitation services for over 200,000 people across Somalia.

However, the shadow of this crisis stretches far into the future. Somalia’s water problems are not going away anytime soon. They are deeply entrenched, exacerbated by a cycle of drought, conflict, and economic instability.

The urgent need, as highlighted in recent reports, remains overwhelming. The outlook offers little hope. Forecasters are predicting below-average rainfall in key regions – a devastating blow to communities already struggling to recover. The specter of a prolonged, even more severe drought hangs heavy.

This demands more than just a temporary fix. While immediate aid is crucial – delivering water, providing sanitation, and saving lives today – it is not enough.

Somalia needs lasting solutions, investments that address the root causes of water scarcity. We must help communities adapt to a changing climate, to manage water resources more effectively, conserve what little remains, and to monitor water levels closely.

On World Water Day, Somalia’s plight underscores a harrowing truth: climate change is a tide that first drowns the most vulnerable.

The international community must respond – not only with immediate aid but with a sustained commitment to addressing the climate crisis that is robbing Somalia and countless other vulnerable regions of their future. In Somalia, the wells are running dry—but perhaps, more alarmingly, time is running out.

*SOURCE: The Norwegian Refugee Council. Go to ORIGINAL: https://www.nrc.no/perspectives/2025/somalias-thirst-for-survival-a-deepening-climate-crisis