Berked Rehabilitation & Dams Construction

Project Overview

Water scarcity is a critical challenge in rural Somaliland. This infrastructure development project focuses on rehabilitating traditional water reservoirs known as Berkeds and constructing new earth dams to harvest and store rainwater, ensuring a reliable water source for both human consumption and livestock.

Objectives

• Improve access to clean and reliable water during dry seasons.
• Rehabilitate damaged or aging Berkeds to prevent water leakage.
• Reduce the vast distances communities must travel to fetch water daily.

Activities

The project involved extensive engineering assessments, community-led construction efforts to rebuild standard masonry Berkeds, and the excavation of communal earth dams. We also initiated community water management committees to ensure the long-term maintenance of these water points.

Impact & Results

The completed water points have drastically reduced the impact of drought on local livestock and families. Thousands of individuals now have immediate access to water, eliminating the need for exhaustive daily migrations and significantly improving local hygiene and livestock survival rates.