Flood mitigation in Abudwak

The city of Abudwak is located in northwest of Galguduud region in central Somalia. Most of the people are pastoralists herding camels, cattle, sheep and goats. The city is situated near rich grazing lands, and boasts one of the largest animal markets in the region. The economy is growing, with the construction of offices, warehouses and private homes on the rise. Abudwak and the surrounding area, with its characteristic red sandy desert look, sit in a basin area which is usually flooded by the intense rain that comes twice a year. However further into the grazing lands near the border with Ethiopia's Somali Province, one finds forest and mountains where thousands of camels are herded.

The federal and local government jointly appealed to the Stability Fund to provide support to establish a drainage system to address perennial flooding in Abudwak. Through local consultations, we found that the community wanted to enhance the system that had been installed the previous year with support from local businesses and the Danish Refugee Council. The existing generator, pump and pipe drainage system had worked reasonably well, but lacked the capacity to cope completely with the scale of flooding.

Working closely with the local government, the Stability Fund purchased a high capacity generator and pump. We contracted OPEC, a local Somali construction company, to conduct the excavation and construction work. This involved the construction of an underground storm water collection tank and plumbing works from this tank to an elevated tank, which is in turn connected to a drainage network. With the construction work complete, the generator and a heavy duty pump were installed. This is a step towards a longer-term solution for dealing with flooding in Abudwak and has brought immediate relief of a problem that was impacting negatively on economic activity and public health. It has been delivered thanks to cooperation between the local administration and the federal fovernment.

The Stability Fund is proud to work with government and the community to serve citizens in Abudwak district. The commitment shown by those involved in the process was inspiring and the Fund will continue to support the region through a variety of new investments.