EU-Funded Integrated Projects Bring Life-Saving Relief to Crisis-Affected Families in Somalia

By Ahmed Issak Hussein

Despite being heavily pregnant, 40-year-old Nuuriyo Adan Ahmed fought against all odds to reach the Yoowkoyow internally displaced people's camp in the besieged town of Hudur in Februray 2023. The combination of a blockade and a prolonged drought has created a dire situation in the Bakool area, making road transportation of supplies impossible.

The cost of rice in Hudur at the time was $2.5 per kilogram, while sugar is priced at over $1.5 per kilogram. Additionally, a three-liter container of cooking oil is available at a rate exceeding $8. These prices represent an average increase of more than 60% for rice, 25% for sugar, and nearly 70% for cooking oil compared to previous rates. Families affected by the crisis are now grappling with immense challenges in providing food for their children. This predicament has been further exacerbated by the disruption of the global supply chain caused by the Russian-Ukraine war.

A life-saving Integrated Emergency Assistance

To prevent the situation from worsening and protect the lives of those impacted by drought and conflict, Action Against Hunger, with funding from the European Union Humanitarian Aid (EU ECHO), launched comprehensive emergency programs that integrated Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) with Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives in Early April 2022. Nuuriyo's family directly benefited from these combined efforts, receiving life-saving emergency cash assistance and access to improved water and sanitation infrastructure. This holistic approach significantly strengthened the coping mechanisms of families in the district targeting mainly those living in the displacement camps.

Nuuriyo received the second cycle of unconditional cash assistance that came directly into her mobile phone.  The cash assistance provided to Nuuriyo allowed her to address critical household needs, such as food and utensils. This support offered her the flexibility to prioritize and fulfill their specific requirements, resulting in improved access to a diverse range of food options.

The unconditional cash transfer intervention has had a positive impact on the local market as well. Local traders, service providers, transport workers, and suppliers and transporters of goods have all benefited from households having money to spend on commodities in the market.

“The $ 140 I received enabled me to buy what my family needed, and some of it was used to repay the debts we have been taking from a shop. And I am receiving this for the second time, and one more round is remaining.” Noted Nuuriyo.

Abdirizack Ali Mohamed, Food Security Livelihood Program Manager for Action Against Hunger, mentioned that working closely with community relief committees (CRCs), uses an inclusive community-based targeting (ICBT) approach to identify and select the most vulnerable households in the Bakool region. The ICBT approach is a participatory process that actively involves the community in the identification and selection of households in need. This inclusive approach ensures that assistance is directed towards those who are most in need, fostering a sense of trust and collaboration between Action Against Hunger and the beneficiaries.

The aim was to increasing household income and facilitating access to nutritious food, these initiatives strive to improve the overall well-being of the affected population

Nuriyo has also received support from the mother and child hospital, where she gave birth to her youngest daughter, Amina, who is now four months old. This medical facility is operated by Action Against Hunger and funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC). Nuriyo's experience of benefiting from various sectors of assistance highlights the integrated nature of Action Against Hunger's programs contributing to the overall well-being of households in the area.

The family benefits from a water facility in the form of a well equipped with a hand pump, which provides easy access to water near their camp. This has significantly improved hygiene and sanitation conditions in the camp, leading to a reduction in sanitation-related diseases. As a result, Nuuriyo can now wash clothes whenever she needs to, thanks to the proximity of water supply made possible by Action Against Hunger. 

The integrated projects implemented by Action Against Hunger have a twofold objective: to enhance food security and nutritional status, as well as improve access to safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services for populations affected by drought and conflict in the hard-to-reach areas of Bakol province.

The overarching aim of these initiatives is to prevent famine, save lives, and enhance nutrition outcomes. The ECHO Bakool project  targetted a total of 3,217 households, encompassing approximately 19,302 individuals impacted by drought and conflict. By focusing on. Additionally, the projects aim to establish affordable, sufficient, safe, and inclusive WASH services, ensuring the fulfillment of basic needs in these challenging circumstances.

According to Abdirizack Ali Mohamed, the Food Security and Livelihood program Manager of Action Against Hunger based in Hudur, Nuriyo is among the 20,892 individuals who have already received assistance from Action Against Hunger's integrated projects in FSL, Health, and WASH sectors funded by European Union Humanitarian Aid (EU ECHO).

The impact of successive shocks on households, such as reduced meals, limited food portions, loss of livelihood assets, family separation, and food-related debt, are considered during the selection process for integrated projects, according to him. The characteristics of household heads, such as people with disabilities, child-headed households, elderly and/or sick individuals, pregnant and lactating women, households with many young children, and marginalized households, are taken into account in terms of access to livelihood opportunities.

"Action Against Hunger utilizes the Food Security Cluster forum to coordinate its activities with partners, government authorities, line ministries, and stakeholders. This coordination ensures that its work is complementary to the efforts of the government." Said Abdirizack