Rebuilding Life: Hope and Clean Water Restored for IDPs in East Borana
When inter-communal conflict displaced over 267,000 people along the Oromia-Somali border, families in Arero and Dhas woredas of East Borana Zone descended from self-sufficiency to fighting for basic survival in overcrowded IDP sites.
For 30-years-old Tume Sodhobicha Chachu, a mother of six living in the Urgo IDP site, the violence took away her family’s livestock, home, and security. “We went from a stable life to sleeping in the open, exposed to the cold and rain,” she recalls.
A vital emergency intervention by Action For Development (AFD) and Welthungerhilfe (WHH) brought a turning point to their plight. Across the two districts, the emergency response reached 3334 displaced households (16,670 people) by delivering the following items:
- Shelter & Comfort: 3834 plastic sheet and 3334 shelter fixing ropes to protect families from harsh weather, alongside essential bedding kits such as 7168 blankets and 6668 mats.
- Household Essentials: 33,340 pieces of cooking pots, plates, cups, kettles, and ladles to help families restore daily routines.
- WASH & Hygiene: 867,600 water purification chemicals, 3334 buckets, 3334 washing basins, 50,010 body soap, 50,010 laundry soap and 6668 jerry cans to prevent waterborne illnesses.
- Clean Water Access: Rehabilitation of two local hand-dug pumps and solarization of bore hall to provide safe drinking water for both communities and livestock.
By prioritizing women, elders, and people with disabilities, the project ensured the most vulnerable people received dignified support. Today, families like Tume’s have secure shelter and access to clean water—giving them the foundation they need to rebuild their lives.
