Hardship Faced by IDPs and Herders Due to Malfunctioning Water Pump in Lower Juba
A woman carries a jerrycan of water she fetched (File Photo)
The breakdown of a vital borehole motor has left hundreds of families and pastoralists in Hoosingow, situated in the Lower Juba region of southern Somalia, grappling with a severe water shortage.
This borehole, a lifeline for over 600 families, failed on July 20th, plunging the community into turmoil following an unusually dry spell.
For Fadumo Dahir Omar, a displaced mother with eight children, her daily existence at Uusle camp is marked by an eight-kilometer hike to collect a 10-liter water container from a dwindling seasonal pool.
“We’ve seen no water since the motor collapsed,” she lamented. “The kids can’t bathe. There’s nothing for cooking. Clothes are filthy and strewn everywhere. We’re frustrated and deeply anxious.” Her voice echoes both despair and a weary resilience.
The water she gathers barely meets their needs and leaves her utterly exhausted. Worse, it’s far from clean.
“The water is murky, changed in taste and color. Carrying it on my back is painful. My body aches every night. We’re suffering terribly,” she expressed, painting a vivid picture of relentless hardship.
Her grueling, nearly 10-hour water trips leave no room for collecting firewood, once her modest source of income. Though her children attempt to gather wood, they contribute barely enough.
Displaced from Bulo-haji village in 2022 due to conflict, Fadumo now contends with a damaged hut battered by strong winds, without the means or time for repairs. Life’s challenges seem endless.
The pastoralists in Hoosingow aren’t faring any better. Ahmed Jibril Yusuf, who arrived with his 50 camels, was dumbstruck to find the well out of service.
“My camels have been waterless for six days,” he recounted. “I was out in the wilderness with them, completely unaware. The pool can’t sustain both people and livestock. We’re all really in deep trouble here.” His concerns resonate across the dusty plains.
Ahmed’s pockets empty, he relied on the now unavailable free well water. Commercial vendors quoted a steep five dollars for water sufficient for just one camel.
Faced with weakening camels, he’s contemplating a challenging trek to the nearest functional well, 40 kilometers away—a journey his herd may not endure.
“We’re mainly pastoralists here without the means to fix this,” Ahmed stated, highlighting the community’s shared plight. “We can’t afford a new motor, let alone repairs.” Desperation clings to his words.
According to Mohamed Ali Abdi, who manages the borehole, the motor was a gift from the Wajir South Development Association in 2019. Efforts to repair it over the past two weeks have proved futile, and aid has been sought from the Jubbaland administration.
“We lack the necessary parts and mechanics,” Abdi explained. “Everyone’s thirsty, it’s an acute suffering for people and animals alike. This is unprecedented. It’s not just any thirst; it’s severe.” His words capture a crisis spiraling beyond control.
The borehole’s failure has coincided with an inadequate Gu’ rainy season, compounding the lack of pasture and deepening economic woes.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
