March 2012
In 2012, Islamic Relief is focusing on South Central Somalia, one of the areas worst-hit by the drought and food shortages. The local economy also suffers due to the after-effects of the Somali Civil War, which ended in the early nineties.
Today, Islamic Relief is providing over 90,000 people with food, water, and access to sanitation and healthcare.
We are currently distributing hygiene kits with toothpaste, toothbrushes, towels, soap and combs to over 1,500 families in South Central Somalia. We are also constructing hygienic sites to dispose of rubbish. We are also drilling and equipping a borehole, and rehabilitating three more. We are constructing three water tanks and three wells in order to provide water to Somalis affected by the drought.
As part of our hygiene promotion in South Central Somalia, we have just finished constructing 400 latrines and distributed over 3,000 jerry cans.
We are currently distributing food to nearly6,000 families, and offering healthcare support to another 5,000.
We have provided 200 families with cash grants to help them start businesses, enabling them to become independent again. In the coming days and weeks, 225 more households will benefit from further grants.
Islamic Relief is planning to build an eye hospital in Mogadishu. We have also been selected as a committee member for the Somali health sector, along with the World Health Organization.
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September 2011 - Islamic Relief's action
Islamic Relief has distributed 5,000 food packs in Daynile
Corridor and provided 1,500 households with clean water in Korsan.
988 adults and children over the age of 5 have been given medical consultations and received
treatment.
331
pregnant women and new mothers have received medical consultations and 10,454
children under the age of five have received health screenings.
15 primary
schools have received 540 items of school furniture. All schools - 2 in
Mogadishu and 13 in the Afgoe Corridor – also received school kits, which
include 17,549 exercise books and 4,011pencils and rulers.
Islamic Relief is continuing to promote good hygiene
practices.
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July 2011 - Islamic Relief’s Action
In response to the drought IRS implemented the following projects:
- Between February and March 2011 we implemented an emergency drought response project in three districts in Puntland. We managed to successfully deliver 7 litres of water per day to 35,406 for one month and provided essential primary healthcare services to an extra 1,322 women and children.
On going drought response projects:
- Emergency Primary health care services to the IDPs and host communities in Mudug Region. The project is targeting IDPs with 50,000 beneficiaries.
- Emergency Drought Response Puntland and Somaliland, Donor; Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Amount; US $ 350,000 plus distribution of 60 tons of canned meat and US$ 100,000 worth of food parcels.
- Primary Health care for IDPs, Donor; World Health Organization, in South Central Somalia, Puntalnd and Somaliland.
- Emergency Healthcare and Water to IDPs in Afgooye corridor South Central Somalia targeting 60,000 beneficiaries.
Islamic Relief drought response
We have been able to jumpstart the response, but due to the magnitude of the disaster and to enable us to scale up a lot more support is needed, the current funding is coming to an end shortly.
- Water: Improve access to water through water trucking and rehabilitation of strategic water points . To this sector, UNOCHA through the Emergency Response Fund has contributed USD 150,000, The intervention is for 2 months and runs till July 2011
Nutrition & Health: Food rations distribution-Supplememtary feeding Programme(SFP) and Out Patient Theraputic Programme ( OTP); targeting mostly children and mothers.
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October 2010
Kenya
Islamic Relief is currently working in Mandera District which have been seriously affected by the drought and food crisis.
We are currently running 27 supplementary feeding centres which are providing emergency food and nutritional support to thousands of malnourished children and pregnant women. Our teams of health workers visit local communities to identify those in need of support and then refer them to our health centre where they receive rations of highly nutritious food as well as essential medical care.
To help communities affected by drought we have repaired and constructed new water systems, providing more than 75,000 people with clean, safe water. We have also set up water committees and trained local people as health and hygiene promoters to reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases.
By providing training, equipment and seeds, Islamic Relief has also been successful in helping hundreds of farmers to irrigate their land and to grow crops on previously arid land. We have also set up grain and fodder banks to help pastoralists and farmers cope with the ongoing drought and lack of pasture.
Ethiopia
In Ethiopia we are working in the Somali region and the Afar region in the east of the country. Here we are helping communities affected by water shortages by repairing and cleaning water sources.
Most people in these regions are pastoralists who are dependent on their animals for food and a source of income. To help local communities preserve their herds we are providing community-based veterinary services, vaccinations and training to improve the health of their animals, which is benefitting more than 10,000 people.
We have also constructed new water sources which are providing more than 1,000 people with clean drinking water.
However, the needs in Ethiopia are vast and people in these regions desperately need access to food and clean water, as well as assistance for those who are malnourished. With your help, we can do even more.
Somalia
Islamic Relief is currently working in South-Central Somalia providing support to those displaced by the violence in Mogadishu, as well as in Puntland. Our work in Somalia focuses on providing food aid, healthcare, clean water and sanitation facilities.
We have constructed three boreholes which are providing 2,660 people with clean, safe water.
Islamic Relief is working in camps for displaced people in the Afgoi corridor where we are providing emergency food aid to 3,425 households. We have also established health clinics in Puntland and South-Central Somalia where our health workers are providing medical care to more than 5,000 displaced people.
Years of conflict and drought have left 3.7 million people in Somalia in desperate need of food aid. Despite ongoing security problems, staff are able to provide people with lifesaving water, food and healthcare.
More still needs to be done to prevent a humanitarian crisis. To donate to our projects in east Africa and help those affected by the food crisis, please click here.