Women’s agony of dreaded famine in Somalia
Women continue to express their distress and fears as they struggle to cope with the feared famine that has left over five million people (about 40 percent of the population) facing acute food insecurity in Somalia.
When such disasters occur, children and women suffer most and lack of food, water and proper sanitation will easily catalyse the spread of diseases like diarrhea and cholera.
Hirbo Mohamed a mother of three who had brought her child to a mobile clinic at Usgure Village in Puntland says: “My child was found to be malnourished. He was given some plumpy’nut. I feel sad because the drought condition is deteriorating and we don’t have any source of livelihood as all our animals are dead and our children are getting sick and weak because of lack of food.”
Hirbo was forced to travel with just one of her children and left the other two with her mother and family. Her husband also left to look for food with other family members.
In another area, Deeqa Muuse, a 30 years old mother of four children was displaced from Beer village, about three hours’ drive to Burao town in Togdheer region of Somaliland.
Deeqa and her family are among the 330 households forced to leave their homes due to an imminent famine and moved to Burao airport to seek better living conditions and food.
“We need water, food and shelter. We have not received any assistance. We only get water once every three days,” said Deeqa.
Her oldest son is eight years old and had to drop out of school. They moved to look for water and food.
“We were expecting to get better living conditions for my children and livestock here (Burao), but it is worse than where we came from,” says Deeqa as she explained how different life was for her family in the village before she moved to Burao.
“I had more than 150 sheep and goats in Beer village before the onset of the drought, but unfortunately I have only 40 now. They are all weak and likely to die soon,” she added.
The lack of water and pasture has deteriorated livestock body conditions, access to livelihoods, increased livestock concentration and overgrazing, depleted agricultural production and increased the number of internally displaced people.
“After all my animals died, I came to Usgure from Mudug region hoping to get some help. I have nothing. I depend on what the community provides for us. When I had my livestock, my family had enough to eat. Now I have nothing and that is why my child is malnourished. We would appreciate any help especially food for us and fodder for the animals,” explains Abshiro Said Jere, 19 year-old mother of one.
19 year old Abshiro Said Jere with her one year old daughter fadhumo.
A recent assessment indicated that 500,000 people have migrated with their livestock from eastern Togdheer region to Burao in search of fodder, pasture and water.
About 330 migrant families are facing acute water crisis for human and livestock consumption in the Burao airport. Additionally, they may not have access to water from sources in the subsequent weeks, as it is dependent on available donations or government’s efforts. The only available water source is water trucking, 300 km outside of the town.
These families eat once a day. They are grappling with hunger since the drought started biting Somalia in 2016 contributing to malnutrition of children, women and elderly persons.
The UN has warned that Somalia risks tumbling back into famine if action is not taken to avert another catastrophe as more than 5 million people -- almost 40 percent of the country’s population are currently food insecure due to drought.
World Vision is seeking US$18.5 million to provide life-saving assistance to 530,000 drought affected people in Puntland, Somaliland, South West State and Jubaland between January and December 2017.