They spit, they bite, and they're bad tempered - but camels don't deserve their bad reputation! In harsh conditions there's no better means of transport, plus they provide nutritious milk and dung for fuel and fertiliser. And of course, they can go for days without drinking, which is exactly what you need in very dry places, like the arid regions of Somaliland.

About 60% of the people in Somaliland are pastoralists. They rely on livestock for a living, and have to move each season to find fresh pasture and water. As they rely on the land, they are particularly vulnerable to changing weather patterns. In recent years, the rains have not fallen when people expected and the resulting drought has made it difficult for pastoralists to graze their animals, as well causing food prices to rise.

Camels can help because of the nutritious milk they produce. Late in the dry season, families depend, for their milk, almost entirely on camels, which can lactate for more than 18 months. The camels are usually milked twice a day, at morning and evening. A camel's milk production averages about 5 litres, depending upon the season and the availability of browse and water. Production is highest at the end of the rainy seasons, when it can reach 15 litres.

In the regions of Togdheer and Galbeed, Oxfam has worked with pastoralist communities to help them cope with the increasingly dry conditions. One of the ways to do this has been to help restock herds with goats, sheep and camels, such as the four villages in Togdheer where 100 pastoral households have been restocked with 20 sheep and goats and pack camel paid for by Oxfam Unwrapped.