Life on the Edge: A Mother’s Struggle for Food, Water and Health in Somalia

In Lughaya, a coastal district in Awdal region, the land is dry and dusty. The grass and trees that once fed animals are gone. For Halimo, a 45-year-old mother, every day is a struggle to find water for her family. The scorching sun has made life almost unbearable.

Halimo has lived in Lughaya all her life. Her family depends on small-scale farming and livestock. They used to grow vegetables, and her goats gave milk to drink and sell. Life was not easy, but it was enough to feed the children and earn a small income.

“When the wells dried, life became very difficult,” Halimo says. “The goats had no water. I wake up early and walk long distances with my children. The sun is very hot. Sometimes we come home tired and thirsty.”

The main borehole in her village is damaged, and the community water tank is broken. Families now walk long distances for water and wait in long lines under the sun. A few years ago, four jerrycans of water cost just $0.05; today, it costs $0.15.

“Sometimes I stand in line for hours and come back with nothing,” Halimo says. “Without water, we cannot cook or wash. Even when we get water, it is not enough for our goats, for cooking, and for drinking.”

Food is also very expensive. A 25 kg sack of rice has risen from $17 to $22. Flour, sugar, and cooking oil cost much more. Most families have lost their animals, so they cannot sell milk or meat for income. “We eat once a day. Some days I do not know where the next meal will come from.

Communities on the Edge

Halimo’s story reflects the reality for thousands in Lughaya, a district of 74,000 people. According to the FAO Combined Drought Index (April–June 2025), Lughaya is in severe drought, with some areas in the extreme category. About 76% of the population needs urgent help. Most families eat only one or two meals per day, and 86% have received no food or cash assistance in the last three months.

In Somalia, between July and September 2025, more than 3.4 million people faced severe food shortages, including over 600,000 who were in critical need of food assistance. Another 6.2 million people were struggling to meet their daily food needs. The hardest-hit areas were in the northern and central regions, where drought, flooding along the rivers, and conflict worsened the crisis. Many pastoral and farming communities faced serious food shortages, high levels of malnutrition, and were forced to rely on emergency coping strategies to survive.

Access to safe water is a major challenge. Families often travel up to 40 kilometers to reach water points. Lack of water also affects hygiene and health. Fever, diarrhea, and malnutrition are common. Women and girls face extra difficulties because there is no clean water for washing and no private spaces.

Most homes are makeshift shelters built from sticks, old cloth, and plastic. The extreme heat, often reaching 45°C, makes life even harder. Families share limited space, which affects privacy, safety, and dignity.