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Resilience in the face of adversity, a story from an Internally Displaced Person in Dollow

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Trócaire
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Somalia has one of the most protracted humanitarian crises globally. In 2011, a severe famine engulfed Somalia, killing approximately 250,000 people and forcing many to flee their country to neighbouring countries like Kenya. Some walked by foot from Somalia to Kenya. Extreme weather conditions, insecurity and infectious diseases have been persistent with Somali people for the last thirty years. There have been recurrent climate shocks that have worsened the already existing humanitarian crisis.

In June 2021, UNOCHA reported that the available funds to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Somalia is the worst in six years. The various partners at the forefront of responding to these crises can barely meet the basic needs of nearly half of Somalia’s population. The much-awaited Gu’ rains did not perform well, and this could lead to low crop yields. Further, reports indicate that there may be moderate to severe drought by October as no rain is expected until October. In addition to these, the rampant insecurity and inter-clan clashes have made more than half a million Somalis fleeing their homes searching for a safe haven. These clashes have been consistent since the fall of the Somali government in 1992. Many people have been affected, with women and children bearing the biggest brunt of these clashes and displacement.

One such case is Asli Abdikadir, a 30-year-old woman currently living in Kabasa IDP camp (Internally Displaced Camp. Hers is a story of suffering, hope and resilience. Asli and her family migrated from Garbolow, near Luuq district, running away from clashes coupled with severe drought. As a pastoralist family, all their animals died as a result of the drought. With increasing conflicts within their community for the limited resources, they were forced to flee to Dollow, where they were settled at the Kabasa IDP camp.

‘’ After losing our source of livelihood and the constant inter-clan clashes, we left everything behind. We had nothing except the clothes we were in when we reached the IDP camp. We had no shelter, no food. We made a small makeshift Somali traditional house made from sticks and rags. This is our first house when we arrived’’, pointing at the makeshift house that was her dwelling for the following year.

‘’ We depended on food ratios donated by humanitarian agencies, one of it being Trocaire.’’ She adds.

Asli was later employed as a Community Health Nutrition Worker under the USAID funded The Somalia HeAlth, ProtEction and Nutrition (SHArPEN) II Program, which is designed to provide integrated health, nutrition, protection, and WASH services to highly vulnerable IDPs, host community, and hard-to-reach populations living in Dollow, Garbaharey, Burdhubo and Luuq districts in Gedo. Asli daily work entails identifying children with malnutrition and link under-five children with childhood illnesses to the Trocaire supported Dollow Referral Health Centre.

‘’Working as a community health worker made it possible to assist my community understand basic health needs and prevention of diseases as well nutrition concepts. Besides helping my community, the little stipend given to me every month gradually helped me move forward with my life. It empowered me economically, and I was able to build a semi-permanent house and contribute to the family’s daily food basket.’’ Asli says.

Asli is one among many Somali women who have shown resilience in the face of many adversities that continue to affect many women and children in Somalia. Particularly the Gedo region, where Trocaire operates humanitarian and developmental programmes across six districts in Gedo, South Central Somalia. Through the support of International and private donors, Trocaire has reached over 200,000 beneficiaries with humanitarian Aid. With the increasing humanitarian crisis, Covid19 and emerging desert locusts. The numbers are increasing by the day, albeit the decreasing funding to complement the demand.

Story by: Europe Maalim
Humanitarian Programme Coordinator, Trocaire