Somalia: Water an Emblem of Restored Confidence in the Camps

Late last year we shared the story of Somalia refugees of the Horn of Africa famine crisis who had begun living in a place called Taagwey camp in Mogadishu, Somalia. These incredibly poor families had managed to fundraise $15,000 for a water system from the camp itself. It was a shocking accomplishment.

We’re happy to report that Taagwey Camp’s deep water well (or ‘borehole’) and reservoir have been completed, thanks to the efforts of the community. Families in the camp organized themselves to contribute voluntary labour and set up a management committee responsible for the maintenance of the water system.

This was a coup for the people of Taagwey camp. It allowed them to regain a sense of control over their lives, something the famine had taken away from them. We are now talking with families who are ready to return home and rebuild more resilient lives. We’ll keep walking with these families as they make their way from disaster to stability. There will definitely be more stories to come.