Bank-funded water and sanitation project improving livelihood in SomalilandOn March 22 as the global community marked World Water Day, residents...

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Bank-funded water and sanitation project improving livelihood in SomalilandOn March 22 as the global community marked World Water Day, residents...
Bank-funded water and sanitation project improving livelihood in Somaliland
On March 22 as the global community marked World Water Day, residents of a small town in Somaliland also had reason to celebrate.

With a population of about 24,500, Arabsiyo is about 35 km west of the capital, Hargeisa. The town previously had 75% of its inhabitants relying on unsafe water delivered by donkey carts and truck operators who often drew from unprotected and poorly maintained water sources like shallow hand-dug wells around seasonal riverbeds.

Only about 20% of the population had access to potable water from a borehole through a household connection managed by Arabsiyo Water Agency (AWA), the public water utility. The remaining 5% got their water from water kiosks at high costs.

According to AWA, the water volume was insufficient to meet the minimum WHO-recommended per capita urban consumption of 35 liters per capita per day. It fell short by almost 67% of this recommendation.

During that period, Khadra Mohamed, 62, spent about a third of her daily income to purchase potable water. “I bought water four times a week from a donkey-drawn cart private operator who travelled about six km round trip for each supply. Still, this was not enough for my sanitation and hygiene needs,” says the mother of seven, a resident of Arabsiyo.

Attached link

https://www.afdb.org/en/success-stories/bank-funded-water-and-sanitation-project-improving-livelihood-somaliland-60296

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