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Families in Somalia suffer from the effects of the recent Cyclone

Countries
Somalia
Sources
Adeso
Publication date
Origin
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Fadumo Abshir is a 26 year old mother with three children, all under the age of five. She lives with her family in Elayo village, situated along the coastal belt of Eastern Sanaag, in Somalia. Until recently, Fadumo’s husband worked as a metal technician, and his wages allowed him to provide for his family.

Last year, Fadumo’s husband suffered a stroke from which he never fully recovered. Fadumo now cares for him with help from his elderly mother. “My husband’s hard work meant that he was able to feed our family. When he became disabled, I became desperate and started looking for all sorts of work opportunities.”

Fadumo was finally able to open a small teashop in Elayo where she was selling tea and Kibis (a local bread) to the local fishing community. Through this petty trade she earned a small income and was able to buy the basic food items needed to feed her family.

Everything changed when a Cyclone hit the northeastern coast of Somalia on November 8th. The floods that followed damaged her home and destroyed her small business.

“When my home started collapsing because of the heavy rains and strong wind I started crying, thinking I was going to lose my family. I called for help in the dark. Water was everywhere and it was so cold. Luckily, local people heard my cry and came to rescue us. We found shelter in a nearby hut already full of other people in the same situation.”

As a result of the storm, other community members had their homes and assets damaged, including local fishermen who lost their equipment.

The floods washed away Fadumo’s tea kiosk and everything inside, including all her utensils and cooking materials. Fadumo now has to rely on meals provided by local community members, who might not be able to continue feeding her and her family for much longer. “We share meals with our neighbors, but that is not going to last long. I want to be able to rebuild my home and restart my business so I can provide for my family.”

Thousands of families like Fadumo’s were affected by the Cyclone in Somalia, and now need help to rebuild what they have lost. To find out how you can help, click here.