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A Daily Struggle for WaterUm Alruzm, Libya, 20 December 2025. For more than 15 years, families in Um Alruzm, a flood-affected city near Derna in Eastern Libya, lived with constant worry - where their next drink of water would come from. The limited water available was saline and unsafe for drinking, forcing families to rely on unhealthy sources for their daily needs. The lack of clean, safe water was not only a challenge, but it was also part of daily life.    UNICEFLIBYA/2025/Ibraheem  15 Years of Patience and Suffering“Imagine starting your day at five in the morning, filling water containers from a distant well, waiting your turn at a public water station, or paying big amounts to buy water from private tankers. We suffered for more than 15 years from a shortage of safe drinking water, with no reliable source. We had to travel long distances and could never be sure the water was clean or disinfected. It cost us time, effort, and money, and left us in constant worry about our children’s health. Life revolved around one daily question: where will we get water today?”  Ali Omrajah Mohammed, Um Alruzm resident.    UNICEFLIBYA/2025/Ibraheem The Turning Point: Hope Knocks on the DoorIn June 2025, a new chapter began in the life of Um Alruzm. With support from Kuwait and the Sheikh Abdullah Al-Nouri Charity, a water desalination plant was installed by UNICEF. Once it became operational, clean water began to flow, transforming the lives of residents. “When the plant started operating, we felt a big difference. We no longer had to travel long distances or worry about the quality of the water.”   UNICEFLIBYA/2025/Ibraheem "We now have a reliable source available 24 hours a day. This gave us a sense of safety that we hadn’t experienced for years."  Saeed Mohammed Khalifa, Head of Um Alruzm Services Center.  UNICEFLIBYA/2025/Ibraheem"Now the water is here, and it is good. The children were the most affected," said Abdulmalik Ali Marajea, a 10-year-old boy.
"Now the water is disinfected and safe. Everything is much better."    UNICEFLIBYA/2025/Ibraheem Every drop of water has restored a sense of normalcy to childhood and has brought peace of mind to the families. Today, with reliable access to water, the community looks to the future with renewed confidence. Water has returned… and with it, life.