Turning Water Access into Jobs and Livelihoods: Lessons from Barwaaqo in Somalia © 2026 The World Bank Group,

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2026/05/08/turning-water-access-into-jobs-and-livelihoods-lessons-from-barwaaqo-in-somalia?cid=ECR_E_NewsletterWeekly_EN_EXT&deliveryName=DM281813 For Halwo Shire, a mother living in Kalluun Dacar in Galmudug State, the impact of having access to water is tangible. “Before, we used to walk six kilometers just to find water,” says Halwo Shire. “By the time we returned home, we were exhausted, with no time left for anything else.” For families across Somalia’s drylands, long journeys in search of water have long shaped daily life. Hours spent collecting water often meant less time for farming, caring for livestock, or earning an income. What begins as a challenge of water access quickly becomes a livelihoods crisis. © 2026 The World Bank Group,