Cycle Relief 2006 Benefit Project
Water for Life Project (Somalia)
Money raised from Cycle Relief 2006 was used to help fund build water well in Harfo, a village in Somalia, Africa.
Why Somalia?
- Long-running civil war, political volatility and periodic drought and floods have led to major economic and social disruption.
- Access to essential social services in Somalia is very low.
- Only some 20% of Somalis have access to clean water and over 70% lack access to health services.
- ECHO’s 2006 global needs assessment ranks Somalia fourth above 130 other countries most in need of humanitarian aid.” [Echo 2006 report]
What was it like in Harfo before the water well?
Residents of Harfo have relied on digging local wells for drinking water & irrigation in the past. Droughts and floods have led to an acute shortage of clean drinking water in the region resulting in regular outbreaks of diarrhea, cholera, and often death. Villagers walked an average of 15km to retrieve water that was often contaminated because of recent floods. Some never returned home from the essential but difficult journey because of fatigue or fights that break out due to the short supply of water.
Orphans
Long civil wars have resulted in a large number of orphans living in this region. A unique local initiative has been started to care, support and educate girl orphans, this is the most neglected group of orphans. This initiative is supported by local people, various international organizations and run by Hawa Mohamed – who has world recognition for her work for women’s right to education & life.
Cycle Relief Water Well Project Aims
By providing a local water supply it will help the orphanage above to offer help to 
more orphans who are in desperate need of help, available resources can be used to promote better treatment of girl orphans in the region and country. (We believe supporting this local initiative is likely to make a long lasting impact on the next generation of children in the region and offers an opportunity for villagers to break the cycle of poverty they have been stuck with).
Installation of Harfo bore well project would benefit:
- Orphan girls in Harfo orphan girls center – (84 orphan girls getting full board and education and more than 200 orphan girls getting education from the school) who get access to clean safe water
- Harfo community getting clean safe water from kiosks established by the project - estimated 14,000 people
- Pastoralists around Harfo village who would come and collect water from the well through water tankers - estimated more than 10,000 people
In addition:
- Clean water means a reduction in diseases and death rate
- Clean water provides an opportunity for the community to irrigate land & invest in live stock
The cost:
- The cost of a single well is £11,500. Bore holes have to be much deeper than in other countries because of low rain fall, hence the high cost.
Project Details
Islamic Relief team from Puntland Somalia, with additional funds from a charity from Qatar, undertook the drilling of a borehole in Harfo Girls Orphan School. The borehole water provision is mainly aimed to provide clean water to the orphan girls in the school but can also provide clean water for the community in the future. The project is also aiming to afford the orphan girls a favorable environment, to ensure their completion of at least primary education helping with a brighter future.
Planned Project Activities
- Drilling of borehole
- Construction of elevated tank
- Construction of two kiosks for the use of the community
- Construction generator room
- Construction of water delivery points for the water tankers
- Installation of water pipes to the Orphan Girls school
Harfo borewell installation funds received from Cycle Relief which were put towards this project were $15,300. The drilling phase was also funded by the Qatar charity. The community contributed US$ 5,310; some funds were received from other donors.
Project Achievements
Islamic Relief Puntland Completed the implementation of HARFO bore well installation in March 2008.
Activities/achievements of Harfo bore well installation completed are:
- Elevated tank - 30m cu capacity is constructed and completed for the well
- Construction of two kiosks outside the orphan girls school for the use of the community
- Construction of generator room
- Construction of water delivery points for the water tankers
- Installation of the water to the Orphan Girls school
- Community’s awareness rising for the prevention of waterborne diseases and the use of clean safe water.
Impact (Benefits) of the Project
- The Harfo school for orphan girls was depending on tracked water from elsewhere, the girls were not getting clean safe water and often became very sick with the breakout of watery diarrhea. This illness has now been reduced as the girls have safe tap water
- Due to limitation of the tracked water in the college, orphan girls were not getting enough water for their hygiene. This led to further health problems for the girls. Scabies disease was very common. This has now reduced as the girls have an opportunity of getting enough water for their hygiene
- The bore well now provides the Harfo community as a whole clean water which will lead to reduction in the breakout of waterborne disease (e.g. diarrhea) and often premature death
- A solution for funding operation and maintenance of the well has been implemented. Income generated from the community getting water from the kiosks will be used.
A better future and thanks
A great sense of hope has been noticed in the Harfo community for their well being in the future with the provision of clean water. Many people have thanked IR for the work with offers of prayers. IR in turn have thanked the Cycle Relief team.
