LIFE Water Wells Built in Somalia’s Dry Season Serve Close to 13,000 People Daily

In much of rural Somalia, water is not just a utility. It is the day’s first negotiation: how far to walk, how much to carry, what to postpone. The country’s overlapping emergencies, climate shocks, displacement, and disease outbreaks keep turning that negotiation into a public-health problem as much as a household one. Humanitarian partners have warned that about 5.9 million people in Somalia need lifesaving assistance in 2025, a reminder that basic services remain precarious in wide stretches of the country. 

The strain is visible in the numbers that describe ordinary routines. Only 52 percent of Somalia’s population has access to a basic water supply. In districts like Addale, the result is a familiar cycle: long walks for water, less time for work and school, and higher vulnerability when waterborne disease spreads. 

From September 20, 2025 (start of construction) to October 8, 2025 (grand opening), six new water wells were completed across Addale District, designed to serve 12,834 residents in rural and semi-urban communities. The wells were built in Kaxyaalo (1,680 beneficiaries), Bashaqle (2,190), Waxaroley (2,736), Buulo Bananey (1,290), Meeraaley (1,170), and Kuulanta (3,768). Drilling depth and placement were determined by field assessments involving geologists and engineers, with durability-focused construction using reinforced concrete, steel, and non-corrosive piping. After completion, water quality checks were conducted using Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) testing, and community members received training on operation, maintenance, hygiene, and conservation, an attempt to make the wells long-lasting. 

Khadija, a mother of seven, described what changed first: the distance. “During this dry season, when the sun is so strong, we used to walk very far just to fetch a few jerrycans of water,” she said. “Now, life has changed. The new well is close to my home, and I can easily get clean water for my children.” 

For Sacdiya, a mother of six, the impact showed up in a place that is easy to overlook in water projects: the classroom door. “Many mornings, I went with him to the school principal to explain why he was late,” she said of her eldest son, who used to help fetch water from far away. “From today, my son can finally relax and attend school regularly. This well has brought peace to our family.” 

In a country where a water source can decide whether a child arrives at school on time or whether a family risks using unsafe water, the significance of infrastructure is significant. The next test will be endurance: continued monitoring, routine maintenance, and the community stewardship that keeps a well-functioning long after an opening day. Life for Relief and Development thanked the local residents who helped protect and sustain the sites, and the donors whose support made it possible, an investment in stability that, in Addale, begins with something simple and rare: water close to home.