Water Pipeline Changes Lives in Kabal Village, Somalia

Written by Dan Odero, coordinator, Tsunami Recovery Project for ADRA Somalia; Edited by Jason Nyantino, public relations officer, ADRA Somalia.

In the Nugal region of northeast Somalia, a small village named Kabal continues to suffer from the devastation caused when the Indian Ocean Tsunami struck in December of 2004. More than 600 residents remain in desperate need of aid after the tsunami swept through their coastal village, killing three, injuring 60, and leaving 11 boats damaged by the aftermath of the deadly waves.

The residents of Kabal faced a significant challenge in regaining safe access to fresh, clean water—because of the tsunami, obtaining clean water had become a time consuming and risky undertaking. Several of the local women experienced miscarriages due to the heavy work of carrying water necessary for drinking, cooking, washing, and other chores, from the only available fresh water source—a spring 300 feet down a steep, treacherous cliff.

Villagers did have the option to buy clean water that was trucked in from 75 miles away. However, many in Kabal could not afford the 67-cent jerry cans, as the residents’ income averages less than a dollar a day. With the lack of clean, affordable drinking water in the area, water consumption in the village had taken a dangerous plunge to less than a third of the internationally recognized daily standard.

After assessing the situation in Kabal a few months after the tsunami, ADRA began work on a year-long project to help the village. To make clean water more easily accessible, ADRA laid a pipeline half a mile from the coast to the village, and installed special equipment to pump the water up the steep cliff. When the project was completed, the villagers were understandably excited and grateful. “I never thought I would be able to stop scaling the cliff down the spring to take a bath,” remarked Osman Haji, a 75-year-old Kabal resident. “This is incredible! I must thank ADRA for this miracle.”

In their gratitude, the residents took the rare opportunity to call neighboring villages, and even the region’s capital, Garowe—more than 140 miles away—announcing to friends and family that thanks to ADRA, Kabal again had access to clean, life-giving water.

Related Site: ADRA