Issue 211

Special thanks to Amoud Foundation for funding this fact-finding trip, Kassim Daud Kalinle for his data collection, and to the driver of the car. I would like to also thank the Mayor of Lughaya District, Mr. Yasin Yusuf Hoddon, and Mayor of Saylac District, Mr. Adan A/lahi Bodhle, for their support and for providing the team with full information. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to the heads of the villages of Harirad, (Hasan Nour Ali), A/kadir (Elmi Kahiye Ileye), Lawyo-ado (Haybe Muh’ed), and Asho-Ado (Omar Ali), and Geerisa. I would also like to thank the elders of these villages, and also our cameraman, A/aziz Moh'oud Jama. Without the help and hospitality of these people, this report would not have been possible.

BACKGROUND

This report is intended to raise awareness and raise funds for the people of Somaliland who have been affected by a severe drought. It came about as a result of a field trip by Mohamed Sh. Farah and A/wahab Egeh. It focuses on the region around Borama and up as far as the border with Djibouti and it offers the opportunity to address the development imbalance that has seen most agencies stay around the capital city Hargeysa; it looks at Lughaya and Saylac districts, which are hit by the worse drought in three decades.

INTRODUTION

A semi-desert territory on the coast of the Gulf of Aden, Somaliland was formed in 1991, following three years of civil war; tens of thousand of people were killed and towns were flattened; following a period of inter-clan conflict, peace was finally established. There were local and presidential election in 2002 and 2003, and parliamentary elections in 2005. However, poverty, unemployment and endemic drought continue to strike Somaliland every five to eight years. When there are periods of shortage, the competition for access to water can re–ignite. The present level of HIV/AIDS infection is still low.

Somaliland is situated on the eastern Horn of Africa and lies between the 08 00-11 30 parallel north of the equator and between 42 30-49 00 meridian east of the Greenwich. It shares a border with the Republic of Djibouti on the west, Federal Republic of Ethiopia on the south and Somalia on the east. Somaliland has a coastline to the north of the country, which extends 460 miles along the Red Sea; it is about the size of England and Wales with an area of 137,600km2 (68,000sq miles). The major topographic features are: - 1- the low laying coastal plains known as the Guban, running some 70 km inland with a very hot summer climate, a high escarpment running east west parallel to the coast and raising to over 2000m at Erigavo, a plateau to the south of the mountains known as Ogo, extending to Ethiopia, with an average altitude of 1200m. Further inland and to the south is the Haud red sandy plain stretching southwards into Ethiopia where altitude falls to some 500m.

The country has tropical monsoon type of climate. However, there are four distinct seasons: A main rainy spring season from April to June (Dirac, Xagaa, Karan, and Todob) types of rain fall, followed by a dry summer season from July to September.

Then there is short autumn rainy period from October to November, and finally a long, dry winter from December to March, the latter is the most difficult for the animal herding rural population and to the farmers to a lesser scale. If the April to June rains fail, the result is drought that could kill most animals, which have already been weakened by the December-March dry season, which also severely hits the country‘s economy.

Annual average precipitation ranges from less then 1000mm on the coast to 500mm inland except for a limited areas where it may reach 900mm. Rain variability is very high. Borama, with a long-term average of some 500mm recorded, has variations from 350-900mm per annum, while Hargeysa, the capital, with an average of some 400mm, has recorded variations from 209-810mm per annum.

Temperatures also show some seasonal variations. The winter months are normally cool with average December temperatures with the range of 15-26c, while the summer months are the hottest averaging 26-32c in June. The population of Somaliland is estimated to be around 3.5 million, with average population growth of 3.4%. Population density is estimated at approximately 25 persons per sq km, 55% of the population is either nomadic or semi nomadic, while 45% live in urban centers or rural towns, the average life expectancy for male is 48 while female is 55.

DROUGHT IMPACT IN AWDAL REGION

The extensive drought in Somaliland’s interior Awdal region is leading to growing humanitarian crises for the assessed 400,000 people living in this region. Water sources are drying up and livestock is starting to diminish. The worst drought in three decades is currently victimizing half a million Somalilanders; livestock is now dying at an increasing rate. Reports indicate the average livestock death in Awdal region is 52%; the death of five (5) children under 2 years old in Asho-ado village has been reported.

FIELD TRIP

Our field trip took us from Borama in the west of the country through Qulujeed, Boon, Sheed-dheer, Garbodadar, Gargara, Lughaya, Geerisa, Celgal, Asho-ado, Saylac, Lowya-ado, Jidhi, A/kadir and Harirad, with some diversions to other areas along the way. This is the main road to the Republic of Djibouti. The round trip covering 400km took around four days. The temperatures along the coast often reach 45 degrees Celsius, and 40 degrees is standard in the hot season. The roads to these villages are extremely rough, possible only by four-wheel drive vehicles can reach their.

Lughaya

Lughaya is a small coastal town about 200 km to the north of the main port of Berbera. It has a population of around 10,000; the water supply was in normal condition from 18 km away; most of the government buildings in the town were destroyed in the war; mines in the surrounding area are a big problem and regularly kill camels and goats. No attempts have been made to clean them.

Education

There is a primary school that was built in the 1920’s and refurbished in 1994. The salaries for the teachers are by regular donations from overseas. Parents pay two goats per year to meet the other costs of the school. The total enrolment is 140 students. There are three main groups that need education in the village: secondary school children, ‘the lost generation’, and adults. The nearest secondary school is in Borama, and most families cannot afford to send their children there. The people of Lughaya want to develop vocational training in carpentry and other trades so that there is another option for those who complete primary school, the last generation are these who missed out on education during the war and who now have no real option other than hanging around the v

illage doing nothing or joining the ranks of the uneducated unemployed in Borama or Hargeysa. These also would benefit from any vocational training initiative. The school building is under-utilized and could double as an adult & vocational training space.

Health

There is a very basic medical unit with pharmacy with no medicine. There is no permanent medical staff, no ambulance, and the nearest hospital is in Borama. Most patients would be unable to overcome disease caused by the drought

The majority of the people of this district are pastoralist; livestock death rate is reported at 50% because of the serious drought and rain shortage. A small amount of rainfall was reported here in 2005, none in 2006 yet. Malnutrition is a major problem caused by drought; there is one MCH in Lughaya but it has no drugs or medical staff. In 2002, WFB used to supply medicine. The most pressing need is for emergency aid.

Saylac District

Saylac is an ancient and famous town. It has a population of about 41,000, most of whom are now in bad condition. Thousands of people and their livestock are threatened by a four-year drought, and they are in urgent need for humanitarian assistance. The current drought in Saylac is the worst in living memory according to this assessment of 12 villages and other sites in the area. Almost 50% of the livestock are dying. Water is essential to life, yet many desperately poor people living in impoverished areas like this face water shortage and lack access to clean water. The ongoing drought has reduced the poor household food resources and income in Saylac district. Livestock deaths are expected to increase during the coming season from February to mid April due to water and pasture depletion.

The lack of water is now also becoming a serious problem for the region’s human population. Access to water in general is limited for the poor groups, generally the water infrastructure is in poor condition with poor sanitary conditions; the quality of water is poor and deteriorating.

The combined effect of dropping food availability and lessened access to clean water are now seriously affecting the health sanitation of the population in Awdal region. Acute malnutrition was frequently observed, in addition to an increase in the prevalence of

Diarrhea, Measles, and Whooping cough and in this deteriorating situation. There is one MCH in Saylac but the pharmacy is empty. The people of this town, and the region as a whole, including the governor of Awdal region, Moh’oud Sh. A/lahi Egeh, are calling for immediate emergency aid.

There is one primary /secondary school in Saylac with total students of 70. A small amount of precipitation was last reported here in 2005.

Action for Lughaya District

What is needed is money to rehabilitate one of the buildings to turn into a vocational training center, solar panels for the school, the medical center and many other buildings, an ambulance or, if the cost of this is prohibitive, at a salary for a mid wife/nurse to be permanently stationed in the village. Business support would include a fishing boat and the means to either freeze or can the fish; and transport, and a processing plant for salt.

Budget

The most pressing need at this moment is for emergency food, oil, and medicine for these poor people.

By Mohmed Farah Elmi

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