Islamic Relief Worldwide (IR) carried out an emergency response to drought in the Liben and Afder zones of the Somali region.

The project improved access to water and provided the local population with emergency nutrition supplements.

Between March and December 2006, around 78,000 people in Hargalle and Cheretti benefited from this project. Islamic Relief carried out this project in partnership with three other organisations.

Lack of rainfall in southern Ethiopia has caused a severe drought, creating long-term food shortages in the region. The south-eastern districts of Oromiya region and Liben, Afder and Gode in the Somali region are the worst-affected areas.

There a number of pastoralist communities living in these areas of southern Ethiopia. These nomadic herdsmen raise livestock and grow basic crops to make a living. Poor access to water has seriously affected their livelihoods and many pastoralists are also suffering from malnutrition.

More than 100,000 tonnes of emergency food is needed in Ethiopia to help the drought-affected population of the Somali region.

Project Objectives

The project aims to improve access to water in Hargalle and Cheretti, two districts in the Somali region. IR will also help malnourished children, pregnant women and nursing mothers in these districts.

Project Activities

• Bringing tanks filled with clean water to Hargalle and Cheretti;
• Drilling boreholes for water;
• Distributing dry foods and nutritional supplements in the two districts;
• Supporting the measles campaign;

"Islamic Relief is striving for a fairer world. Our mission is to help the poor and needy to live sustainable, self-reliant lives within safe and caring communities. Our work is guided and shaped by the core values of accountability, humanitarianism, neutrality and impartiality, inclusiveness, integrity and co-operation, all of which are also integral to the Islamic faith."
Dr Hany El Banna - Founder of Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief was established in 1984 and our unique approach is the result of these many years of hands-on experience.

1. Where possible we adopt a community partnership-based approach; encouraging community involvement, understanding and ownership of projects.
2. We run the majority of our field projects ourselves, giving us direct insight into the problems faced and how best to solve them.
3. We aim to empower those we help in order to achieve sustainable results.
4. Though our emergency response teams are quick to respond to emergencies around the world, we continue to support communities long after the initial media interest has died down.
5. We recruit staff locally to benefit from their local knowledge. This ensures that we are culturally sensitive and allows us to reach communities and areas other organisations cannot.
6. Where necessary we coordinate our work with other reputable aid agencies, local organisations and governments.

Millennium Development Goals

Islamic Relief is committed to the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which have been agreed by the world’s leading development institutions in an effort to meet the needs of the world’s poorest by the year 2015. 

The goals:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

For more information about the MDGs, please visit: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/