33 years of serving the Somali people
Delivering vital food, water, healthcare and education
Emergency food aid
Last year we provided food packs, hot meals and urgent cash assistance to over 82,000 people affected by drought, floods and conflict.
Emergency water supplies
We drill deep boreholes, build wells and deliver emergency water supplies by truck to provide safe water to millions and protect against disease.
Emergency healthcare
Our health teams help women give birth safely and treat acutely malnourished children and people suffering from life-threatening tuberculosis.
Building a brighter future for all Somalis
Zamzam Foundation is a respected Somali charity and the country’s leading national charitable aid organisation. We are working in all areas of the country to overcome the challenges of climate change and conflict and to help families lift themselves out of poverty.
The organisation was set up in 1992 to support the people of Somalia through an unprecedented humanitarian crisis following the collapse of the central government the previous year and the disastrous famine of 1991-92 in which more than a quarter of a million people lost their lives.
As an organisation established and run by Somalis for Somalis, from the outset our work has been deeply rooted in the needs and priorities of the communities we serve.
In 2024 Zamzam’s work touched the lives of more than 2.6 million people, providing emergency aid alongside support for healthcare, clean water, food security, sustainable livelihoods and education.
When drought or flooding strikes, our hard-working teams provide life-saving food, water and healthcare. When hope is in short supply, our transformational education, livelihoods and peacebuilding programmes aim to build a brighter future for all Somalis.
There is a lot of work to do if our dream of a brighter future is to become a reality. Over 10 million Somalis – more than half the population of 19.3 million – live below the poverty line. Thirty-seven per cent – 6.9 million people – rely on humanitarian aid to survive.
Our name is inspired by the Zamzam well in Makkah – holiest city in the Islamic world – and the pure, mineral-rich water of the same name that comes from it. Life-giving Zamzam water has quenched the thirst and lifted the spirits of pilgrims for many centuries. Our vision is to give a lift and bring new life, health and prosperity to marginalised communities across Somalia.
Empowering Somali women and young people to determine their own development is a crucial and fundamental aspect of the way we operate. Everywhere we work, we employ some of the brightest and best people from the local community.
Our aim is to support the most vulnerable – including pregnant and breastfeeding women, malnourished and orphaned children, the elderly, and people with disabilities – and to inspire and equip the next generation through education and training. We draw strength and inspiration from the extraordinary resilience and resourcefulness of the Somali people.
Empowering Somali women and young people to determine their own development is a crucial and fundamental aspect of the way we operate. Everywhere we work, we employ some of the brightest and best people from the local community.
Our aim is to support the most vulnerable – including pregnant and breastfeeding women, malnourished and orphaned children, the elderly, and people with disabilities – and to inspire and equip the next generation through education and training. We draw strength and inspiration from the extraordinary resilience and resourcefulness of the Somali people.
Our reach
Saving and changing lives across Somalia
Emergency response and livelihoods.
Peacebuilding and governance.
Seasonal programmes.
Health and nutrition
Water, sanitation and hygiene
Education
Orphans and social care
Supporting 2.6 million people in all areas of Somalia
Zamzam Foundation UK
Your new UK Somalia charity
From 2024 Zamzam Foundation UK (ZZF UK) is the new working name for an established UK charity and separate legal entity called the Somali Relief and Development Forum (SRDF). SRDF’s trustees signed a partnership agreement with ZZF in 2023 that enables SRDF to use the ZZF UK name in the UK to generate support for ZZF’s vital work in Somalia.
SRDF was established in response to the devastating famine that claimed the lives of an estimated 270,000 Somalis in 2011. It brought UK-based Somali diaspora and community organisations together to raise awareness and raise funds for those affected by the famine and its aftermath.
Now the board of SRDF has recognised that Zamzam Foundation is an organisation ideally placed to build on SRDF’s vision and legacy by working to meet the needs of vulnerable people across Somalia and lift families out of poverty.
“I am really excited about this new partnership,” says SRDF’s Chair of Trustees, Tahir Tahir. “For Somali diaspora communities and the wider public in the UK, donating to Zamzam UK is a straightforward and effective way to support what Zamzam in Somalia is doing to build a brighter future for our homeland. For people living in poverty across Somalia, I hope Zamzam UK will become a significant source of hope and support for many years to come.”