SILVER SPRING, Md.--Despite ongoing heavy fighting and social unrest in Somalia, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) continues to provide aid, training and support for residents living in communities inside this war torn country.
Dhiciseey Adan Maxamed, a 42 year old mother, lives with her seven children in the Nasib Camp located in the Beletwyne District of south-central Somalia. Heavy fighting in the region forced them out of their home and into the squalid conditions of the camp, where poor sanitation has lead to outbreaks of malaria and cholera.
After an assessment of the camp, ADRA Somalia responded to these needs by providing basins, jerricans, soap, towels, and mosquito nets to beneficiaries, including Dhiciseey and her family.
"Thank you ADRA for these items, which will help us prevent malaria, as well as ensure good hygiene practices," said Dhiciseey.
ADRA Somalia plans to extend the distribution in the Buloburte and Beletwyne Districts within south-central Somalia.
ADRA Somalia has also initiated several projects aimed at increasing access to clean water and improving sanitation facilities for communities. A major component of this approach is to build the capacity of the local people, giving them the training and tools to maintain and care for the systems that have been put in place.
Recently, ADRA held a five-day workshop on Leadership, Water Management and Conflict Mitigation in the city of Baidoa, Somalia. This workshop provided trainees the opportunity to improve their understanding of hygiene practices, leadership skills, mitigation and conflict analysis skills, and learn to identify common conflict patterns in water and community based issues.
Since 1996, ADRA Somalia has been implementing water, food security, basic education, economic development, and emergency management projects in the Hiraan region. In addition, ADRA has been operating in Somalia since 1992 implementing emergency relief and development interventions in various sectors, including water, primary health, education, food security, infrastructure, institutional capacity building and economic development.
ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.
For more information, visit www.adra.org.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
A displaced Somali woman washes her dishes inside a makeshift tent at a camp outside Mogadishu, June 26, 2009. Spiralling violence in Somalia's capital Mogadishu is taking a heavy toll on ...
