The Somalia Multi-Sectoral Humanitarian Response Program (SOM-SHARP) is a critical initiative implemented by GREDO in partnership with CARE International and funded by USAID. This project is designed to reduce the devastating effects of severe drought on communities and households impacted by ongoing humanitarian crises in Somalia. The program is operational in three drought-stricken districts across the Bay, Bakool, and Gedo regions, specifically in Baidoa, Hudur, and Bardhere.
The project’s objectives focus on addressing the needs of internally displaced people (IDPs), rural pastoralists, and agro-pastoralists in disaster-affected areas. With a 36-month implementation period, SOM-SHARP targets 2,965,037 vulnerable Somalis, prioritizing women, children, IDPs, returnees, and host communities impacted by drought and conflict. The program is structured to integrate various sectors to tackle the underlying causes of vulnerability and the barriers these communities face, especially in light of the severe drought.
SOM-SHARP has two primary components: Food Assistance and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services. Key activities include:
- WASH services, aimed at improving access to clean water for drought-impacted communities through water trucking, constructing emergency latrines, distributing hygiene kits, and promoting safe hygiene practices to reduce disease outbreaks.
- Emergency cash transfers to enhance food access and meet basic non-food needs. These cash transfers help protect or re-establish livelihoods among drought and conflict-affected IDPs.
The project specifically targets vulnerable persons displaced by drought and conflict, with a special emphasis on marginalized and most at-risk groups. It will serve 28,859 households, benefiting 180,332 individuals across various IDP settlements and host communities in the Bardhere, Hudur, and Baidoa districts.
SOM-SHARP runs from August 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024, and aims to create sustainable, life-saving interventions for communities facing the compounded challenges of drought, displacement, and conflict.