HARGEISA, Somaliland – Under the searing Somaliland sun, the village of Laanqeynta Qool-dhuxlaale—once haunted by the crackle of dry earth and the silence of empty wells—has found new life.
Twenty kilometers from the remote district of Salaxley, a modest but powerful UNDP-funded water reservoir now glimmers with promise, offering not just water, but dignity, resilience, and hope.
For decades, women and children would wake before dawn, trekking for hours across barren terrain to fetch a few gallons of muddy water. Donkeys groaned under the weight of yellow jerrycans; thirst shaped every conversation. Today, the story has changed.
“We used to walk miles just to find water,” recalled Abdirahman Iimaan Nuur, a 69-year-old elder who has lived his entire life in the village. “Now, people come to us for water. This reservoir has given us back our strength—our children, our livestock, our way of life.”
The small dam, constructed by UNDP in partnership with local engineers and villagers, collects and stores rainwater during the brief rainy season, sustaining the community through long, punishing dry spells.
Its impact has rippled far beyond the village—neighboring settlements now rely on it too, easing the strain of recurring droughts worsened by climate change.
Salaxley’s Mayor, Mohamed Abdi Kaariye Bulale, described the reservoir as “a symbol of resilience and unity,” applauding UNDP’s long-term commitment to communities on the climate frontline. “This is not just a water project,” he told Arlaadi Media. “It’s a pathway to survival. UNDP’s work has restored both hope and human dignity to our people.”
Beyond water, UNDP has extended its efforts to the Salaxley displacement camp, home to hundreds of families uprooted by drought. More than 600 households now benefit from solar lighting systems, bringing security and comfort to nights once consumed by darkness.
“Before, our camp was a place of fear,” the mayor said. “Wild animals—especially hyenas—used to sneak in at night. Now, children sleep without fear. The lights have changed everything.”
In a region where the climate crisis has erased livelihoods and displaced thousands, the Laanqeynta Qool-dhuxlaale reservoir stands as a quiet triumph of human determination and partnership—a testament to how small-scale, community-led solutions can rewrite the narrative of drought, one drop at a time.
