External update

Issue #18 - July 2012 http://www.oxfam.org/en/somalia

OXFAM’S WORK IN Oxfam has worked with local Somali organizations to implement projects in Somalia for over 40 years. Although famine is no longer affecting Somalia, approximately 2.51 million are still in need of humanitarian assistance. Oxfam is working through local partners to provide water and sanitation, emergency food security and livelihoods, and nutrition interventions to those affected by conflict and drought.

Growing maize crops from seeds distributed by Oxfam in

KEY HIGHLIGHTS IN JUNE  Somalia's refugee exodus has crossed a new threshold, with more Numbers Reached than a million people having fled the country for the surrounding regions. UNHCR EFSL 526,705  July 20th was the anniversary of the 2011 famine and around that WASH 1,009,928 time there was considerable media coverage of the ongoing and worsening food security situation, form Oxfam, Save and the UN in IMAM 196,063 particular with aid agencies calling for continued support Total 1,516,560  Oxfam issue briefing “You have been warned... One year on from UN declaration of famine, Somalia faces worsening food crisis” launched on 18th July, 2012  The UN monitoring group report on Somalia was officially released and discussed at the UNSCT WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE previous 6 months. Beneficiary increase at the (WASH) CTC sites has been noted since May and is The continued deterioration of the water and attributed to increase in accessibility and sanitation situation across Somalia compounded displacement from Afgooye. by the destruction of water supply installations, continuing conflict, and a general lack of The IMAM program in Hiraan resumed it is maintenance renders access to safe water a operation on 14th July with the distribution of significant problem. Poor and unpredictable ready to use food (RUTF) to 1,505 severely rains over the past 5 years and continued malnourished children. displacement to urban centers and camps adds increasing pressure on an already overextended EMERGENCY, FOOD SECURITY & WASH infrastructure. LIVELIHOODS Based on the results of the rapid preliminary Gu Oxfam provides essential support to those in season field assessment carried out in June need with closely-linked projects that address 2012 and monthly monitoring of food security both water and sanitation and the problems of and nutrition situation, FSNAU projects a total waterborne diseases in Somalia. We help to number of people in a food security crisis is build sustainable water and sanitation likely to remain unchanged in the second half of infrastructure while ensuring access for the most 2012. Food security situation is going to vulnerable members of communities. deteriorate in the agropastoral areas in the South where below average Gu rainfall in most In July 2012, Oxfam continued providing of the rain-fed farming areas suggest an chlorinated water through piped system to over inevitable shortfall of Gu harvest. Below average 218,000 beneficiaries, constructed 267 latrines to poor harvest is expected in all rain-fed an distributed over 3,500 jerry cans, 3,250 bar regions of the Sorghum Belt, inclusive of the soaps and 10,100 strips of Aqua tabs in major sorghum producing region of Bay, which Mogadishu. Rehabilitation of 5 shallow wells normally accounts for almost two-thirds of the and 108 meters of broken pipelines was also total sorghum production of the country. carried out. The food security situation is likely to continue In , 100 latrines were constructed improving in most of the other livelihoods of the and over 65,000 people were able to access country, including most pastoral areas and water through shallow wells. Through partners, Mogadishu. Therefore, anticipated decrease in Oxfam provided water to 46,602 people through the numbers of population in crisis in parts of rehabilitated shallow wells in Middle Juba and these livelihoods will counterbalance the through piped system to 194,581 IDPs in Lower increases in agropastoral areas in South- Shebelle. Seven latrines were constructed in Central. Oxfam is delivering a range of EFSL Middle Shebelle. programmes to ensure people receive the most appropriate support. NUTRITION Oxfam, in partnership with SAACID, operates In Lower Shebelle, 1700 bags of Urea fertilizer nutrition sites across Mogadishu City; treating were received in Kurtunwarey district for acutely malnourished children less than 5 years distribution and 250 hectares of land were of age, providing nutrition counseling and prepared for the same number of beneficiaries. supplementation to pregnant and lactating Other components of cash for work, mainly road women, and immunization services. clearance and rehabilitation, are near completion in region. 18 livelihood There were no incidents in July, other than the staff were trained on e-cash mobile technology continued suspension of RUSF. Meanwhile for data collection in Mogadishu and the sixth there has been a 58% increase in the number of cycle of cash transfer was completed and a total weekly transfers from supplementary feeding of 7,200 households received their cash relief in programme to the outpatient therapeutic Lower Juba. programme, when comparing July to the

FROM THE FIELD ‘No more fleeing to refugee camps in Kenya’ In partnership with WASDA, Oxfam introduced a Halima Kassim, a farmer from , simple irrigation programme that provides small Middle Juba, South Somalia. water pumping machines, fuel subsidies and seeds to farmers affected by the 2010-2011 drought cycles. As a result, those supported by this project made a bumper harvests; the most distinctive one in the Jilal (Jan-March) season, one of the driest seasons in Somalia.

According to Abdikadir Mohamed Abdi, a farmer from Jilib district, „the irrigation support project was timely as it came when drought was biting us hard; people were fleeing to refugee camps in Kenya on foot to seek help when the Juba river passed less than 300 meters from their farms.‟ Abdikadir, father of 11, says that with income from sales from the harvest, he is now able to buy variety of food for his family and The Juba region of South Somalia is prone to take his children to school. „We have hope now frequent drought. As of July 2012, there are since people minds have turned to farming as 27,000 displaced people in the Middle Juba they have seen it practical‟ says Abdi kadir. region and since December, approximately 1,700 refugees returned to Middle Juba for the Deyr harvest from Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya. This influx places enormous pressure on an already strained infrastructure. Poor access has resulted in gaps in humanitarian assistance, leaving the displaced populations very vulnerable, particularly in terms of nutrition and health.

Halima Kasim, also a farmer in Jilib (pictured directly above), added that they have had two successive bumper harvests since the start of the project last year. „Now those who fled to the Although humanitarian response in the Middle refugee camps in Kenya are returning home to Juba region was heavily affected by the ban on farm.‟ She is full of hope now that she doesn‟t humanitarian agencies on 28 November 2011, have to leave her home in search of food; „no the presence of several, mainly local, partners more fleeing to refugee camps in Kenya, we ensure continued delivery of life‐saving have our own harvest‟. assistance. Oxfam is working through local partners to provide water and sanitation, Pictures: Farming and Irrigation in Middle Juba emergency food security and livelihoods, and in February 2012. Maize seeds and pumps for nutrition interventions to those affected by irrigation provided by Oxfam. Pictures: WASDA conflict and drought. For more information Information Officer: [email protected] https://sumus.oxfam.org/somalia