Mustaqbal media 
Water scarcity is now a thing of the past to over twenty-seven thousand people in eight villages in Jowhar, in Middle Shabelle region – beneficiaries of sixteen new shallow wells, implemented by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
The wells, handed over to the local Administration of HirShabelle state on Monday by the AU Special Representative for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Caetano Madeira, were constructed with funding from the government of Kazakhstan.
Fitted with hand pumps, the wells were formally received by communities at a hand over ceremony in Daifa village, in the outskirts of Jowhar town.
“These new approaches aim to establish, promote and enhance community engagement, constructive and effective AMISOM-local community relations,” said Ambassador Madeira, during the handover ceremony, where he was flanked by senior AMISOM officials among them the Acting Police Commissioner Christine Alalo, AMISOM Civil Engineer Andrew Alele, the Head of AMISOM Mission Analysis Cell (MAC) Dr. Walters Samah and the Head of AMISOM Humanitarian Liaison Unit Abdul Diabagate.
The AU Special Representative lauded the Republic of Kazakhstan for funding the project, which he said will go along way in improving the well-being of the beneficiaries. He re-affirmed AMISOM’s commitment to community engagements in Somalia, especially in the regional states.
Sinking of wells was a priority project to the villagers, who lacked clean water sources; after existing water wells were poisoned by fleeing Al-Shabaab militants.
Lack of access to safe water remains a challenge in most parts of Somalia, and is a leading cause of waterborne and diarrheal diseases. Other than providing potable water, it is hoped that the wells will also reduce inter-community conflicts, sparked off by scarcity of water resources.
“We are grateful to AMISOM and its partners for implementing these 16 shallow wells for us. They will greatly help the villages surrounding Jowhar,” the Mayor of Jowhar Mr. Salah Mude Ali said. He was flanked by the Deputy Governor of Middle Shabelle Mr. Mohamed Abdi Sheikh, and District Commissioner, Abshir Adow Hirabe.
To support communities in areas where it operates, AMISOM is spearheading several community projects, among them; community engagement football tournaments in Lower and Middle Shabelle regions; community mobilization, with the sole purpose of listening to the communities and documenting firsthand, the challenges they face; and providing solutions to those challenges.
Source: AMISOM.