8th December 2025 – Beledweyne & Bulo Burte, Somalia – Beledweyne and Bulo Burte districts in Hiraan region sit at the heart of Somalia’s riverine livelihood system, sustained for generations by River Shabelle. For most families, the river has always been both a source of life and a source of risk. When seasonal rains are normal, communities draw water for drinking, farming, and livestock. When the rains fail or floods burst riverbanks, the same lifeline becomes a source of contamination and crisis.

Over the past decade, repeated cycles of drought and flooding have weakened traditional coping systems, leaving thousands of families displaced, water sources destroyed, and health risks dramatically increased. Across Somalia, millions of people still lack access to safe drinking water, and riverine districts such as Beledweyne and Bulo Burte have remained among the most fragile.

Life in these communities has long been shaped by uncertainty rather than stability. Families in displacement camps and flood prone villages have lived with the daily stress of not knowing where their next safe cup of water would come from. Women and girls have carried the heaviest burden, walking long distances under harsh sun and unsafe conditions to fetch water. In many areas, the only available option is the river itself, heavily polluted and shared with animals. During flood seasons, sanitation facilities are swept away, leaving open defecation as the only option. Health risks have multiplied quietly in the background as diarrheal diseases, skin infections, and malnutrition slowly take hold, especially among children under five.

The situation has made worse by the overwhelming pressure on the already existing health services. Small health posts struggle to cope with rising numbers of displaced families, while many households cannot afford transport to functioning health facilities. In places like Ceel Jaale, populations have grown rapidly as families flee floods and conflict nearby, turning small settlements into crowded zones of urgent humanitarian need. Children have missed routine vaccinations, pregnant women deliver without skilled care, and illnesses that could have been treated early have often escalated into life threatening conditions.

From Emergency Water-Trucking to Sustainable WASH Solutions

It was within this fragile reality that WARDI, in partnership with Action Against Hunger and with the support of SIDA, stepped in with a coordinated emergency response that treated water, sanitation, health, and nutrition as connected priorities for these populations. The first visible shift came when water trucking services reached six internally displaced person settlements in Beledweyne, providing immediate access to safe water. This came as a relief for thousands of families who had endured months of rationing and debt in water bills.

Rahma Ali Mohamud, a mother living in Rajo 2 Camp, described that moment clearly. “We were facing extreme water shortage. We owe $2,200 to a local water vendor who used to supply to our camp. We were at a crossroads,” she said. “Then WARDI came. We thank God. We consume the water with dignity and pride.” Her words reflect a wider emotional shift across the camps, from shame and desperation to relief and stability.

To ensure families would not return to crisis once trucking ended, the project moved quickly into more lasting solutions. Two major boreholes and 15 wells were rehabilitated across Beledweyne and Bulo Burte, transforming community access to clean water. In Indha Ceel village in Bulo Burte, Barwaqa Ali Hussein explained how water from the River had once been boiled out of fear of disease and how the rehabilitated borehole changed their daily life.

Madina Diinle Daalow fetches water at a recently rehabilitated shallow well at her village in Elmi Sadiq in Bulo Burte district. PHOTO | Musa Salah/WARDI

“The river is polluted, but we used to fetch water from there anyway. Now we have clean water for all our needs,” she remembered.

“Previously, I would walk 5km to the river. There were many risks for us as women and girls. The riverbank is sloppy and slippery. We would sometimes fall off. The water is also dirty and cannot be used immediately. This well has served us well. We use its water for our daily water use. It is far better than the river.” Added Madina Diinle Daalow from Elmi Sadiq in Bulo Burte district.

One of the most transformative upgrades took place at Alasow borehole in Bulo Burte. According to Kulow Ali Adow, the borehole committee chair, underground pipes were connected to elevated storage tanks, supported by new pumps, solar panels, and a backup generator. This system now supplies water to six different settlements, including some of the furthest and previously most underserved areas. Water is now available not only for households but also for livestock, strengthening family livelihoods.

“When WARDI came to conduct a needs assessment in this village, we wholeheartedly shared our needs, including the rehabilitation of this borehole. WARDI has done an incredible job; pumps, pipes, storage tanks, solar panels, and a diesel generator have all been installed. Even the water troughs for livestock have been rehabilitated.” Said Kulow.

Sanitation in Marooned Villages

Sanitation was also restored after floods swept away latrines in the two districts: 100 new toilets with handwashing points were constructed in camps and villages. For women and girls, these facilities brought privacy, safety, and dignity.

“We were in dire need of these toilets,” said Farhiya Osman Hussein from Raage Iidle Camp. “In addition to giving us hygiene kits such as buckets and soap for our domestic use, WARDI constructed these latrines for us. I feel much safer now when I use them.”

In Beledweyne, the situation wasn’t any different. With many latrines wash away, only those who could afford to set up their private toilets could answer the call of nature, as the majority resorted to mother nature to ease themselves.

“Most of the toilets in this village were destroyed during the floods. Most of our women preferred other alternatives due to concerns about protection. We were in great need. Cholera and diarrhea were also rampant. Only those who could afford to have private toilets had access to them,” said Mohamed Osman Abdi from Baladusalam village in Beledweyne district.

Improved Access to Integrated Healthcare Services

Alongside water and sanitation, healthcare access became a visible marker of change. Ceel Jaale Health Center in Beledweyne was strengthened to provide outpatient services, immunization, and maternal care. The in charge, Abdullahi Haaye Ali, described the facility as a lifeline for a rapidly growing population that included flood displaced families and those fleeing conflict.

“Ceel Jaale is a high ground to which people flee during disasters like floods. In addition to the previous population of 30,000 people, we currently have refugees fleeing the conflict in Mahas and Moqokori districts.” He said.

The availability of free, nearby services has reduced dangerous delays in seeking care and eased the financial burden for families. Abdifatah Omar Hussein, a father of three, now regularly brings his children to the facility for treatment and vaccination.

“The service was impeccable. I got what I came for,” he said. He later explained that he no longer travels long distances or borrows money for medical fees. When his wife goes into labour, she is taken directly to the center and attended to without delay. For many families, this simple access has been the difference between preventable loss and survival.

“This WARDI facility has been a lifeline for our community. I don’t take my children to other hospitals because I don’t spend anything, including on transport or medical services. Whenever my wife is in labor, I rush her to this facility, and she is attended to immediately. I am only called when it is time to discharge them,” he continued.

In areas where fixed facilities could not reach, mobile health and nutrition teams travelled daily to remote villages in Bulo Burte. These teams delivered outpatient care, routine immunization and nutrition screening directly to communities.

“When I heard WARDI was coming, I quickly brought him,” said Farhiya Baale Barsane, a mother seven who came to the mobile site to treat her child. Her child was diagnosed with malnutrition and immediately enrolled in supplementary feeding using PlumpyNut.

The effect of this support has been visible in the lives of children. Istar Abdi Mohamed from Indha Ceel spoke with gratitude as she described her baby’s recovery. “When I first brought my baby, she was extremely weak. Now she looks healthier and has started walking,” she said.

These transformations are quiet but powerful, reflecting how timely nutrition support can reverse life threatening conditions when services are brought close to families.

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