The Ali family gets a home

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Dahabo Hassan Ali moved with her family to Dolow, Somalia six years ago during the build up to the famine of 2011. Drought had begun to transform into famine in their small village, Ufurow located in between qansaxdheere and Dinsoor districts of Bay Region in central Somalia.  They heard that there was assistance available along the Ethiopian border.

Mrs. Dahabo Ali, shares her feelings on the new house 

When Mrs. Dahabo Hassan Ali arrived in Dolow she discovered that the hoped for assistance had not materialized. Knowing there was nothing left back for them in their village, she and her husband scavenged for discarded clothes, bits of plastic sheeting and mosquito nets, wrapping these over thorny acacia branches to fashion themselves a makeshift house.  For several years, she and her eleven kids slowly pieced together the modest stick house, which they live in today.  It has been a hard few years for Dahabo and her nine children.  

With the support of ADH (World Vision Germany), WV Somalia is providing longstanding IDPs like Dahabo a more durable housing solution. Dahabo and twenty other IDPs, were given an opportunity to visit three module homes.  They were provided information on the advantages and disadvantages of each typology.  Finally, they were asked to choose which type of house best suited their needs and aspirations.  

With a beaming smile, Mrs. Dahabo recounted how she had chosen the large family-sized tin sheet house with the raised foundation.  She recognized that the larger cement and CSB designs were both cooler and more permanent structures, however, for her and her eleven children, size was the most important consideration.  The family-size tin sheet structure is a 4 by 8 meters house, which contains two rooms.  She also noted that the tin sheet design would be constructed much more quickly than the cement and brick houses, getting her and her family out of the wind and rain faster.  She remarked that the family-size design with the raised floor would help keep out the rain and the dampness.  

Ali and her family outside their new raised home

Mrs. Dahabo introduced the World Vision team to her 10 year old son Adirizak.  He had grown up in Kabassa IDP camp, attending English classes in the World Vision constructed Child Friendly Spaces, receiving vaccinations through World Vision support LNGO partners.  The team asked Adirizak what he felt about the possibility of the new house.  He noted that he was excited and looking forward to decorating it.  

Adirizak, Ali's son shares his insights on the new house with Kevin Mackey, the Programme Development and Quality Assuarance Director (PDQA)

With the support of ADH, World Vision is providing durable housing to longstanding IDPs and poor host community members.  Durable solutions is more than simply putting a roof over someone’s head.  It is about providing IDPs, and the poor, options.   More importantly, World Vision is providing choice to IDPs and poor households, empowering them to choose what kind of place they will call a home.