Hope in the Drylands: HDF’s Emergency Relief in Somaliland

Hope in the Drylands: HDF’s Emergency Relief in Somaliland

Somalia is facing a devastating humanitarian emergency. Severe drought conditions, following prolonged dry spells, have gripped central and northern regions, including Mudug, Nugaal, Bari, Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed and Sanaag. Right now, approximately 2.5 million people across 26 districts are battling drought conditions, with nearly 887,000 people living in severely affected areas. The scale of this crisis cannot be overstated.

Across Somaliland, once-reliable water wells have run dry. The price of clean water has nearly doubled, forcing families to choose between quenching their thirst and feeding their children. Pastoralist families (Families who herd domesticated animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats,and camels, for their survival) are abandoning their homes, herding their livestock across dangerous borders into Ethiopia, desperately chasing the last traces of water and pasture. Over 134 boreholes have stopped working. Health clinics are closing their doors, not due to lack of need but because the resources simply aren’t there. Mothers cradle children showing visible signs of malnutrition: frail limbs and sunken eyes.

Somaliland has sounded the alarm, declaring an emergency and urgently appealing for humanitarian support for over 650,000 people. The collapse of water systems, livestock losses and food shortages have brought entire communities to the edge of survival. In the face of such hardship, HDF remains unwaveringly committed to alleviating suffering and restoring dignity through immediate and effective humanitarian action:

Food Assistance: We are swiftly distributing essential food supplies to families experiencing severe food insecurity. Our emergency food relief efforts also include supporting agricultural programs to build resilience, helping families regain stability and self-sufficiency.

Water and Sanitation: HDF teams are actively rehabilitating crucial water infrastructure, delivering life-saving clean drinking water and promoting essential hygiene practices to protect vulnerable populations from waterborne diseases.

We are also providing critical shelter support to families who’ve lost everything. From tents and blankets to mosquito nets and infrastructure repairs. Your support helps restore a sense of safety, stability and dignity for those enduring the worst of this drought. We are deeply committed to standing with Somaliland during this profound humanitarian emergency. As the drought worsens by the day, so does our resolve to respond with urgency. Thousands of families are stranded without food, water or shelter and the need has never been more urgent.