A prolonged drought in the Horn of Africa has had a severe effect on Somaliland.
Approximately 80% of the region’s population needs humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
More than 800,000 people are currently displaced in Somaliland as a result of the drought. Across Somalia, an estimated 6.9 million people – almost 2 in 5 Somalis – are in need of humanitarian assistance.
Exacerbated by the combined effects of climate change and regional conflict, Somaliland has seen significant impacts on the standard of living, with severe food shortages, high malnutrition rates and household incomes rapidly falling.
Empowering communities
To help people in Somaliland whose lives have been left in ruin by drought, Islamic Relief developed the Strengthening Community Resilience and Economic Empowerment Programme (SHEEP) project.
Launched in January 2022, the SHEEP project aims to improve the access to food and incomes of small business owners and farmers in Somaliland.
Farmers involved in the project have received drought-tolerant seedlings and climate-smart greenhouses, while small business owners were supported with start-up capital.
The project improved water irrigation systems in the region, and rehabilitated community dams, boosting access to safe drinking water.
To date, more than 9,200 people have been supported through the SHEEP project.
Struggling to make ends meet
Drought and economic shocks left Zamzam struggling to make ends meet. The money she made from running her own small shop was not enough to feed her 9 children.
Searching for additional ways of making money, she would beg her neighbours for work. Several of her children were forced to drop out of school and look for jobs to help contribute to the family’s earnings.
Life had been tough ever since Zamzam’s husband died years earlier, but her situation was now truly perilous.
“Our condition was horrifying as we were finding it difficult to find the necessities for living. [Finding] water was challenging, and healthcare and education for my children were not an option for us.” she says.
Zamzam came into contact with Islamic Relief, eventually receiving grants from the SHEEP project, receiving 2 separate grants of $300 (approx. £238) which she has used to expand her shop. Through the project, Zamzam also received business training which she has put to good use.
“Thanks to Islamic Relief’s start-up capital and training, our business is thriving, and we’ve made significant progress in terms of earning and capacity. For example, before these interventions, I made $4 (approx. £3.20) per day, but now we earn over $13 (approx. £10.30) per day.”
“Now, I have enrolled my children in education. I pay rent, and I pay all my family’s daily costs from what I earn during the day in my small shop.”
“Islamic Relief put a smile on our faces, safety in our hearts and minds, and has given us huge support that we will never forget.”
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we have been able to support people like Zamzam to transform their lives. With your help, we can support even more people across Somalia, and the Horn of Africa.