wfn.org | ADRA Serves Drought Victims In Somalia

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

March 5, 1999
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

ADRA Serves Drought Victims In Somalia Despite 
Insecurity

Nairobi, Kenya, [APD/ADRA]  Although political insecurity 
in Somalia has forced the Adventist Development and 
Relief Agency (ADRA) to evacuate selected areas of the 
country, the humanitarian agency continues its 
development and relief activities in more secure areas, 
especially for those suffering from the recent drought. 

ADRA is assisting people affected by the drought by drilling 
water wells that serve both the people and their livestock. 
ADRA also has an ongoing water project in affected 
regions with funding from the United States Agency for 
International Development (USAID) and the Office of 
Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). Upon the completion 
of 15 borehole wells in December 1999, the project will be 
serving 200,000 people. The project was initiated in June 
1998.

Following a recent inter-agency drought plan, ADRA 
decided to assist the Bakool region, located in central 
Somalia, with water and agricultural projects with funding 
from UNICEF and the Danish International Development 
Agency (DANIDA). This project is targeted to assist 
150,000 people. 

"Water is already a very precious commodity in Somalia 
and the drought makes the need even greater," says 
Evelyn Brenda, ADRA Somalia program office 
administrative assistant. "Currently, ADRA is the leading 
non-governmental organisation (NGO) in water projects, 
thanks to the support of our donors."

Also, in the next few weeks, ADRA Somalia in partnership 
with CARE and the World Food Programme (WFP) will 
implement an eight-month food distribution program in the 
Hiran region. ADRA is also planning an agricultural project 
in the same region.

"The current drought is affecting all of Somalia," reports 
Brenda. "Just a few months ago, there were heavy floods 
that destroyed a lot of land and crops. Now, the rainy 
season failed this year and a lot of crops were destroyed, 
worsening the situation." 

The drought has resulted in displacement of people in 
search of both food and water. The Bay and Bakool 
regions are two of the most affected by the drought, but 
clan clashes and insecurity are making it difficult for 
agencies to gain access to the area. As a result, many 
people from this region are migrating into Mogadishu and 
areas served by the Shabelle River.

Due to clan clashes and insecurity in the Jowhar, Adale 
and Warsheikh districts, ADRA ceased operations at its 
pioneer primary health care projects in November 1998. 
ADRA's partner organisation SAACID (a local NGO whose 
names means "help" in the Somali language) is currently 
taking care of the facilities--including a district hospital, 
five out-patient departments, and 20 health posts in five 
districts--and running the health program at the Adale 
clinic, currently serving an estimated 30,000 people. In 
December 1998, ADRA worked in partnership with SAACID 
and WFP to distribute 1,320 tons (1,200 metric tons) of 
food to drought affected people in the Jowhar District. 

"Working in Somalia is a great challenge to the ADRA 
team," says Brenda, "but the smiles on the children's faces 
and the joy shared among people receiving their first meal 
of the day makes us realise that we certainly are making a 
difference in Somalia, one life at a time." [99/06/04]