June 22, 2009

HIRDA distributed food to 300 IDPs in Beletweyne and Abud-wak district in Central-Somalia

Through out 2008, lawlessness and insecurity has led humanitarian situation in Somalia to deteriorate to a new dimension. Daily fighting between Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the opposition has created a massive displacement on a scale never seen before in Somalia.Thousands of families in Mogadishu were forced to flee from their homes and seek shelter to makeshift camps through out the country (especially around Mogadishu and through out Central & Southern Somalia).

A large number of these Internally Displaced People (IDPs) landed in Baletweyne and Abud-wak in Central Somalia. Some of these IDPs were hosted by relative families and friends where others ended up in squalid camps. The coping mechanisms for host families have stretched to the limit forcing the IDPs leave the host families and seek shelters in the squalid camps. The IDPs try to establish some sort of settlements and activities to support their families but their plight were compounded by the effects of drought, flooding, deepening insecurity and hyperinflation (especially of food items).
Peace-talks between the Transitional Federal Government and the opposition Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia led to a ceasefire agreement on 9th June 2008. The agreement was signed under the auspices of the United Nations where each party was supposed to fulfil its obligations. However, continued fighting in insurgent hot beds (previous homes of IDPs) jeopardised the agreement and dashed the hopes of IDPs to return to their homes and humanitarian situations were further aggravated.
Families sleep up to 6-10 people in huts made from sticks, plastic sheets, and bits of fabric that provide little protection from the sun and the dust. They lack access to basic services such as health, food and schools.

Children

Child malnutrition became killer diseases of children under five. A statement by UNICEF in 2008 reported that some 90,000 children could die in few months due to inadequate funding for nutrition, water and sanitation programmes (UNICEF 2008). The situation has worsened since then and a lot of families fled to the central regions as the routes to southern towns were unsafe for the IDPs.

Goals

HIRDA was supported by the International Development & Relief Foundation (IDRF) during this project. IDRF is a registered Canadian non-profit organization, dedicated to empowering the disadvantaged people of the world through emergency relief and participatory development programs based on the Islamic principles of human dignity, self-reliance and social justice.
This project of HIRDA had as overall objectives and goals to assist temporarily 300 of most vulnerable among many displaced families and provide food items. Each family will receive 125 Kg of food rations and 10 L of cooking oil. This will sustain an average family of 6 members for two months. This will be a great relief for a family that could hardly get a regular meal. The items are rice, maize, flour and beans. Therefore they can diversify the daily meal.