The drought in Somalia has worsened to the point where the country is on the verge of famine. According to the UN OCHA drought Press release of April 2022, approximately 6.1 million people have been affected by the drought, with approximately 759,000 people being displaced from their homes. The country is experiencing its third consecutive below-average rainfall season since late 2020, and if the expected April-June 2022 rains do not fall, it will be the fourth year in a row with catastrophic effects. Pastoralists are being faced with the lack of water and pasture, rapidly deteriorating livestock body conditions, and dying livestock. Many poor households continue to lack adequate resources to cover the rising costs of protecting and providing for their families and herds.
Households are being forced to resort to desperate measures in order to survive due to the harsh climatic conditions. Among these measures is the withdrawal of their children from school due to a lack of resources and the reduction of household food intake due to loss of livelihoods. These vulnerable communities are also selling their remaining livestock and household items at lower prices and migrating in search of water, food, and pasture.
Ibaada Haji Ibrahim, 53, fled her home in Qansax Dheere Bay region, Somalia, along with hundreds of other families, due to the unforgiving drought that wiped out most of their livestock.
“Two years ago, I had a fulfilling life; I had goats, camels and cattle that were the source my livelihood, but now I’ve lost everything to the prevailing drought.” A distraught Ibaada reported
Ibaada was able to provide for her family’s needs such as food, clothing, medicine and education prior to the drought through her livestock.
“I had a lot of reasons to leave my village,” Ibaada Laments , “all of my animals died, and we were forced to flee to Garbaharey with my children in search of food and water after the failed rains.”
As part of the emergency drought response interventions to vulnerable households in Garbaharey, Nomadic Assistance for Peace and Development (NAPAD) with funding from Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF) provided unconditional cash transfers to 900 households, 600 of which are internally displaced households such as that of Ibaada Ibrahim. Her household received $75 USD per month in cash assistance for three months.
The unconditional cash transfers have assisted vulnerable households in meeting their immediate needs, improving their food security and dietary diversity, and meeting other urgent needs such as medicine in a safe and dignified manner. She was able to save a little of the money she received and used it to open a small shop where she sells groceries, allowing her to provide for her family with reduced strain.
According to the first circle post-distribution monitoring, all families reported being able to meet their basic needs, especially food. Mama Ibaada is grateful that NAPAD intervened to assist the vulnerable families in Garbaharey and appealed that NAPAD and SHF would continue supporting the numerous families in need of humanitarian aid in IDP camps.