There's more to Somalia than piracy
Dan Sadowsky, April 17, 2009
Country: Somalia
The chief of Malay-lay village in southern Somalia says there's been fewer water-related diseases since Mercy Corps built a well there. In the past, women and children walked as far as six kilometers to get water for their drinking, cooking and cleaning needs. Photo: Mohammed Jama/Mercy Corps
You've probably been following the recent news about pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia.
Nearly everyone agrees that the root of the problem isn't at sea, but on shore. Somalia is a failed state. More than three million people — a third of the country — are in need of humanitarian assistance. Only one in four girls attends school.
We remain committed to working in Somalia and in other places where violence, hunger and dire poverty can seem overwhelming. But we need your help to do it.
Our work in Somalia includes:
- distributing seeds and farm tools to poor farmers;
- showing veterinarians new ways to keep livestock healthy;
- creating revolving loan funds for women who sell milk in local markets and want to expand their businesses.
It takes a lot of work to turn a desperate situation around — but we've been helping conflict-shattered communities meet their biggest challenges for almost 30 years.
Please show your commitment to families struggling against the odds in places like Somalia with a generous donation today. Your support means everything.
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On mercycorps.org
Wellspring of Progress
For most of the past seven years, Farhiyo Hussein spent much of her day walking as far as six kilometers to collect free or cheap water. Then Mercy Corps constructed a reservoir.
Building Safe Water Facilities
We are building facilities for clean drinking water and sanitation in Somalia – one of the most basic and cost-effective ways to improve life and prevent disease.
Helping Somalis Endure Hardship
As Somalia slides closer to famine, Mercy Corps continues to drill boreholes, build schools and offer short-term jobs in an area where few global relief agencies will tread.
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