Emergency Water trucking for IDPs in Kolleji , Somali Regional State

IDPs queue to fetch water from a truck hired by LWF

There were around 3,500 HHS [ Internally Displaced People (IDPs)] settled at Kolleji kebele of Babile woreda in Somali reigonal state starting from January 2017. The IDPs were displaced due to conflict with neighbouring communities over resources due to the 2017 Horn of Africa drought. Currently the number of IDPs increased to 6,000 HHs. This is the largest IDP population in the region.

Water scarcity is the most pressing need that the IDPs are facing. Due to critical shortage of water the IDPs were using water from unprotected sources and repeatedly infected by AWD (Acute watery diarrhea). LWF intervene in the IDP camp through water trucking to supplement the water trucking effort of the the Somali region state. The regional water bureau deployed two water trucks to provide water to the IDPs. LWF deployed an additional truck with a capacity to transport 20 m3 of water per trip.

LWF is currently supplying 60m3 of water per day  by transporting water from a distance of 38 kms. In case of interruptions from the water source, water is trucked from 70 kms distance for a single trip. As a result, 12,000 individuals have access to 5 litres of water per person per day with LWF's assistance in accordance with the minimum emergency water supply standard.

In addition, LWF distributed 48,000 bars of laundry and boby soaps to 6,000 IDP HHs.  This helped to control the outbreak of AWD in the camp and saved lives of the IDP population.