Attachments
Background
Somalia’s prolonged drought has escalated into a nationally declared drought emergency, intensifying humanitarian needs in Wajid District and pushing agropastoral communities into crisis. As local water sources dry up, families are forced to travel long distances to collect water—often unsafe—driving deteriorating health conditions, worsening food insecurity, livelihood collapse, and displacement. The situation in Wajid reflects extreme and rapidly worsening conditions. Many households live in makeshift shelters or have no shelter, leaving them exposed to harsh weather, overcrowding, and protection risks. Women, children, older persons, and persons with disabilities face the greatest threats, including violence, exploitation, and other harms linked to unsafe environments and weakened community protection. Food insecurity and malnutrition are severe with most households eating once a day or less and relying on minimal support from relatives or host communities. The situation worsened during Ramadan, with children observed to be visibly weak and malnourished. Access to safe water and sanitation is critically limited, forcing households to travel long distances for unsafe water exposing them to high disease risk. Livelihoods have been almost entirely eroded, with widespread livestock losses, no viable income opportunities, and no remaining assets for coping.