Charity worker Sarah Easter from CARE states her perspective:
A 30-year-old woman named Farah in Somaliland faces a daily struggle to provide water for herself and her children. In a region where drought has ravaged the land, Farah can only manage to drink two finger-widths of water per day, reserving one finger for her youngest son [1]. This stark reality is a result of the drought that struck Somaliland, causing the loss of Farah's livestock and plunging her into poverty.
Farah was once a farmer, owning 50 camels and 200 goats. But the harsh realities of the drought have forced her to reconsider her circumstances [1]. Her greatest wish is for aid organizations to no longer be needed, yet she understands that this may not be possible in the current world [2].
Sarah Easter, a 34-year-old woman working for CARE Germany, shares Farah's sentiments. Sarah has been traveling to crisis areas around the world for the past four years, finding her job fulfilling and important [3]. She recently returned from trips to the Congo and Somaliland, with the Sudan on her list as well [4].
The current situation of water availability and access in refugee camps in Somaliland remains challenging. Humanitarian actors are focusing on delivering a full package of emergency Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services to vulnerable displaced populations affected by drought, conflict, and climate shocks [5]. For instance, Mafraq Camp has active water distribution efforts to support displaced families who have lost their homes and essential needs access [6].
While exact data specific to Somaliland refugee camps are limited, the broader humanitarian context in Somalia indicates that climate shocks and displacement following conflict strain the access to water and basic services for refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) [5]. Efforts led by humanitarian organizations, often supported by international funding mechanisms such as the World Bank’s Refugee Sub-Window, emphasize improving water supply infrastructure, latrines, and hygiene facilities to mitigate urgent needs and prevent disease outbreaks [2][4].
Sarah Easter believes that CARE offers full transparency, ensuring that every donated euro goes where it's needed [3]. In fact, 89 cents of every euro donated to CARE goes to aid projects [7]. Sarah emphasizes that even small donations can make a difference, bringing water to those in need [8].
In the camp where Farah lives, 1,700 families (8,400 people) live in makeshift huts and struggle daily for survival, searching for water and food [6]. Water in the camp costs three US dollars for 20 liters, a price Farah cannot afford [1]. When she cannot buy water, Farah searches among neighbors or strangers [1].
The situation in Somaliland underscores the everyday luxuries we take for granted, such as turning on a tap for a glass of water or shopping at the supermarket, which people in crisis areas can only dream of. As Sarah Easter prepares to travel to Ukraine for the sixth time since the start of the war, her work with CARE continues to provide hope and relief to those in need.
- Despite Farah's past as a farmer in Somaliland, the harsh effects of drought and climate change have forced her to reconsider her circumstances, leading her to wish for aid organizations to become redundant, even though she realizes this might not be possible in the current world.
- Sarah Easter, a humanitarian worker from CARE Germany, shares similar sentiments with Farah, working tirelessly to provide aid in crisis areas like Somaliland.
- Humanitarian actors are focusing on delivering Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services to vulnerable displaced populations in Somaliland, including Mafraq Camp, where efforts are being made to support families with water distribution and infrastructure.
- Sarah Easter highlights the impact of donations to CARE, stating that 89 cents of every euro goes directly towards aid projects, bringing essentials like water to those in need.
