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Every parent endures nights when their young children make trips to the bathroom. Amina, a mother of six in Al-Xayat, Somalia, had reason to truly dread those nights. Without toilets, the family had to relieve themselves in the bush. “We feared snakes, illness and even attacks,” she says. “It was dangerous, especially for women and children.”
That changed when Americares, in collaboration with local nonprofit Kaalmo Relief & Development, supported the construction of 20 latrines in Al-Xayat. The latrines, which serve 300 people, are lockable, private and sanitary, so they protect against disease as well as wildlife. Since the latrines were constructed in 2024, Amina says her children are healthier and more engaged at school.
The latrines are part of a comprehensive project with Kaalmo Relief & Development that provides clean water and sanitation to people displaced within Somalia and living in camps in and around Beled Hawa. In recent years, changes in climate in this region have disrupted seasonal weather patterns: Prolonged drought followed by sudden heavy rains have caused flash floods, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases, including cholera, which can be deadly. The project includes emergency supplies of safe drinking water, upgrading of wells, construction of latrines, deliveries of hygiene items and hygiene promotion, such as handwashing.
Amina is now in charge of Al-Xayat’s sanitation committee, which is responsible for the upkeep of the latrines. “These latrines are not just toilets,” Amina says. “They are lifesavers, especially for our girls, who now feel safe and protected.”