Just three kilometers from the town of Borama, in Somaliland’s Awdal region, lies the village of Holhol cradled between rolling hills and semi-arid plains. With nearly 1,000 households, Holhol depends on the land for survival. Here, water is more than a resource; it is the very essence of life. “We used to walk for hours every day to fetch water,” says Aisha Jibril, a pastoralist tending her goats near the dam’s shaded troughs. “Some years, we lost half our herd. But now, with the dam full, we don’t have to leave our homes. The water is here.”
For decades, Holhol Dam has served as the village’s critical water source. Originally constructed in the 1970s, the earth dam stood as a quiet sentinel through years of hardship: drought, famine, and displacement. It has long been an anchor for survival in an increasingly erratic climate.
Water means survival
Farming and herding are central to life in Holhol. Villagers cultivate maize and sorghum during brief rainy seasons, while their goats, camels, and sheep graze the drylands the rest of the year. It is water, however, a scarce and seasonal resource, that ultimately shapes their livelihoods. Climate change triggered severe droughts and floods in 2023–2024, resulting in the loss of livestock and the destruction of crops for thousands of households. “Without the dam, our animals would suffer, and our children would go thirsty,” says Hibo Arab Adan, a mother of five. “This water means survival.”
The dam’s rain-fed reservoir now supports Holhol and nearby communities such as Asha-ado, Abuqeys, and Sogsogley. “During the Gu and Deyr rains, it fills up,” says local elder Hussein Hassan Duale. “But in the dry Hagaa season, this is the only source that keeps life going.”
In 2024, Holhol Dam was selected for rehabilitation under the Somalia Water for Rural Resilience Project to provide 600,000 people with access to improved water sources, of whom 30% are women. The intervention, which is locally known as Barwaaqo and enjoys the support of the World Bank, has been led by the Somaliland Ministry of Water Resources Development to enhance drought preparedness and climate resilience in rural areas.
Over the years, sediment had drastically reduced the dam’s effective depth from two meters to just one, shrinking its storage potential. The rehabilitation restored its original design capacity and transformed its utility. Key improvements included desilting the main reservoir, building a secure perimeter fence, installing solar-powered pumping and piping systems, constructing a 20-cubic meter masonry tank, and erecting a public water kiosk. Dedicated troughs for camels and goats were also added to manage high livestock traffic. “This dam is more than concrete and earth,” says Mubarik Mohamoud Rabileh, Barwaaqo Project Focal Point at the Ministry. “It is the foundation of our community’s survival.”
From the start, the Barwaaqo Project was anchored in community dialogue. Consultations were held with elders, youth, women, and local leaders to ensure the dam met local priorities and needs. At a recent community meeting by the water’s edge, elders recalled years of drought, displacement, and distress. “We don’t want to relive those days,” says Hussein Duale. “With this support, we hope we never will.”
Women, often the first to feel the burden of water scarcity, were among the project’s most vocal supporters. “We used to walk two hours with jerry cans,” recalls Aisha. “Now it takes 30 minutes. That gives us time for farming, for our children, even for rest.”
A digital eye on water security
In Hargeisa, nearly 150 kilometers away, Hodan Ahmed monitors a digital dashboard at the Ministry of Water Resources Development. As Director of Information Technology, she oversees real-time data feeds from Holhol and other sites. “The upgraded dam now holds up to 70,000 cubic meters of water,” she explains. “It meets about 70% of the village’s water demand during the dry season, and two months into the wet season. That’s significant.”
Based on a 252-day period, the village’s water demand is estimated at 19,656 cubic meters for people and 25,930 cubic meters for livestock. “We prioritized Holhol using hydrological data, local consultations, and risk analysis,” Hodan says. “The data guided us, but the community made it work. Infrastructure alone isn’t enough. We’re pairing physical investments with local training, governance, and digital monitoring.”
