Dear Barry ,

There's more to Somalia than piracy

For the past few years, pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia have been regular features of news reports.

Nearly everyone agrees that the root of the problem isn't at sea, but on shore. Somalia is a failed state. More than three million people - a third of the country - are in need of humanitarian assistance. Only one in four girls attends school.

The chief of Malay-lay village in southern Somalia says there have been fewer water-related diseases since Mercy Corps built a well there. In the past, women and children walked as far as six kilometers to get water for their drinking, cooking and cleaning needs. Photo: Mohammed Jama/Mercy Corps

Our work in Somalia includes:

• distributing seeds and farm tools to poor farmers
• showing veterinarians new ways to keep livestock healthy
• creating revolving loan funds for women who sell milk in local markets and want to expand their businesses
• Providing access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene facilities

We are working in five districts of southern Somalia. Through our large cash-for-work program, we have employed local people to build 34 wells and 1,300 family and 350 communal latrines. We also conduct hygiene education campaigns to prevent diarrhoea (which kills more than 1.4 million children worldwide each year) and other preventable waterborne illnesses. We have taught safe hygiene and sanitation practices to 8,000 households. In places that lack government support, we also teach communities how to set priorities, make plans and implement projects. All together, these projects will serve 170,400 people, of whom 42,000 live in camps for those who were forced by violence to flee their homes.

Please donate now to help us support children and families struggling against the odds in places like Somalia. Whatever you can send now will be hugely appreciated.

Thank you.