By Mariaelena Agostini LONDON(SOHA) – Water scarcity affects almost half the world’s population, a number that is expected to rise in the coming decades even as global warming, population growth, urbanisation and rising agricultural needs put further strain on supplies. The issue was on Friday’s agenda in the Polish town …

BAIDOA(SOHA) – Internally displaced families living a precarious life in the southern Somali town of Baidoa have succeeded in purchasing their own plots of land to escape from the constant threat of eviction. The communities in two IDP camps set up a scheme allowing people in the camp to deposit …

BUHODLE(SOHA) – Dozens of patients suffering from mental disorders have been sent home from Buhodle Mental Hospital because their families in the drought-hit region of northern Somalia failed to pay the medical bills. Jama Ahmed Salad took his brother and his nephew to the hospital after they became ill.  They were …

BURHAKABA(SOHA) – The strain of having to walk long distances to fetch water has led to several miscarriages among pregnant women in Burhakaba, southwestern Somalia, where a protracted water shortage has been causing much suffering. With a population of 58,000 families, all five wells in Burhakaba town are producing only …

MOGADISHU (SOHA) – A Turkish-based aid agency built an educational complex for orphans in Somalia, according to a statement on Tuesday. The Deniz Feneri Association said the complex — which includes a cafeteria, dormitory, library and masjid — was built in the town of Buuhoodle, north of Somalia, has a …

HARGEISA (SOHA) – A sustained water system was launched on Sunday by Somaliland, the EU and the UN children’s fund (UNICEF) in northern Somalia. According to a joint statement issued in Mogadishu, some 800,000 people will now have sustainable access to safe drinking water thanks to the concerted efforts by …

MUDUG(SOHA) – Some of the pastoralist families worst affected by the recent devastating drought in Somalia’s Mudug region are rebuilding their lives and livelihoods with the gift of some new goats. The re-stocking programme run by CESVI, an Italian NGO, is distributing a total of 300 goats among 60 impoverished …

MOGADISHU (SOHA) – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has helped 14 Somali migrants to voluntarily return home from Tanzania and Uganda following months of confinement in detention centers. Hassan Ali Khaire, Prime Minister of Somalia confirmed the arrival of the Somalis in the capital, Mogadishu. “We are happy to …

BURAO (SOHA) – Over 40 cases of whooping cough (also known as pertussis) have been reported in Odanle village, 180 km south of Burao, Togdher region, in November. Suleiman Hassan Abdi, an official from Somaliland’s health ministry, confirmed the outbreak of the respiratory infection. “Families including adult and children have …

Perennial clan clashes in Somalia have taken an enormous toll on the whole of Somali society, claiming an unknown number of lives and robbing families of livelihoods.  Women and children have borne the brunt of the violent conflict with the loss of their husbands, fathers, and breadwinners. In one area …