International Blue Crescent(IBC) ,in cooperation with its international and local partners focuses to respond to the basic needs of the IDP s in the camps around Mogadishu and in villages of Bay Bokool.
In this framework IBC provides monthly food packages to 3000 families in camps in Mogadishu and settlements in Bay Bokool,provides medical assistance and response in Banadir hospital and four health centers in Mogadishu and Afgoo corridor,taking care about 2000 severely malnutrished children and 1200 mothers with new born babies,trains and provides with seeds and livestock 1500 villagers in 14 villages of Bay Bokool where rehabilitating 14 waterboreholes,provides psycosocial treatment to 500 children in Korson camp and water trucking for 4000 families in Korson,Tarabunka Soobaranka camps and Bay Bokool area.Different additional activities are included to the program, depending on recent needs assesments as latrines,hygiene training etc.
Local implementing partners of IBC are Islamic Relief Somalia and Maaruf Foundation.
In the framework of emergency response we do ignore mostly the children that struggling for the survival of their families and themselves.
Almost all families have an average of seven children and all of them are lacking of education,food,hygiene sheltering conditions and as a result they loose their lives because of malnutrition,diseases or ignorance of their families..Tens of thousands of them undertake responsibilities to contribute to their families with their capacity and provide their services for the survival of their families.
I wanted to introduce you two of them,living in Korson Camp in Mogadishu anonymous heroes,as 11 years old Fawziya taking care about her bigger brother with neurological problems not able to move and 8 years old Naima,in the que of food distribution replacing her mother that just born the 11 th child one week ago and needs food and water to be treated
Fawziya’s all day is deserved to her brother Abdulahi.She has to take care about his survival.She fights with the flies,mosquitos,she covers with flies repelling liquid his body and cleans him every time that he peels..
Fawziya provides this assistance since she was four years old.For six years she takes care about her brother standing early morning until late night adjacent to him and looking for his needs every time..She provides him water an deven serum and medicine like his special nurse She is very happy with the work doing.She believes that such assistance opens the door to Heaven for her..Her six brothers and sisters follow the school and the family authorised her only with this task and she couldn’t attend any class yet.She is illiterated forever..Perhaps she keeps alive the brother with her love and patience..Her brother smiles all the time to her..That is the greatest happines for Fawziya..A smiling hopefull eye..Nothing else...
Al Hashem the father believes that God will protect his son Abdullahi and he will recover..
“-Someone will assist us for his treatment” he says.
But the reality is different..Hopes to rescue Abdullahi from his illness are almost expired and doctors say that he will die in few time..Fawziyas love and care keeps him alive doctors say..
And what about Fawziya’s future? She deserved her life to her brother..What will happen when Abdullahi passes over?
Can you imagine the desperate psycological situation she will face? No new targets for her after failure to survive her brother..
Other anonymous hero of the camp is Naima..
Because rain season started her father took her four elderly brothers and moved to the village ,250 km far in Bay Bokool to plant seeds and take care about cultivation and restore their life.She repleced her mother in food distribution que where we noticed her.The father left the family just they to continue to get food ,medicine and water..She was in the que to put her finger print to the document of distribution so not to loose the beneficiary rights of the family
Her mother 31 years old Mariam Ali delivered a girl just a week ago, the 11 th child of the family and needs tretament and care..
Naima delayed her school to bring food,water,medicine to her mother.Even she went to the Health center in the camp to look for brochures for the maternity issues which she were ignorant to inform her mother to be protected agains different dangerous diseases..
Bags of wheatflour,rice etc were heavier than her so we had to assist her to carry them to the tent.In the tent there was only a bed,four small children with the new born and hundreds of flies touring around the newborn..All children are younger than Naima and unaware of the situation
We ask the mother the reason why she born the 11 th child under such conditions..She says
-It is from the God
We dont ask about who will take care about them and what future expects them..We are sure that she doesn’t know either..
We get permission and bring Naima to the psycosocial center where children get education..She was following on the lessons in this center since her father left around 15 days ago and her mother delivered the new baby..Her teacher permitted her to abandon for a temporary time the lessons because of her new responsibilities..
Children in the school singing the song about(Great Somalia, peace and for a Powerfull Goverment to restore The Order)
We ask Naima to join the song..She refuses..We understand that she doesn’t believe that will be a good future and peace..She doesn’t believe anyone and any promise for a better life..
Two portraits of children suffering for the needs of their families..All children have different tragic stories to tell..
The one who carries the 20 kg water jerrycan ,the one fighting elders in the water trucking que to get his jerrycan filled,and Abdullahi who struggles for 12 years in the same bed moved to different camps and ended in Korsan without any treatment yet..
It is very difficult to convince them about a good future..They know that they never have the chance to have a play ground,Access to internet,beautiful schools,chocolates..Their only task is to survive from the catastrophe that some others are responsible and they pay the bill.The sin of the elder Somalis is on their shoulders..But first they have to survive and then look for any chance for future..How many of them will survive?
When foreign NGO s representatives visit the camps they put their fingers to their throats,as a symbol that they are hungry and ask for food..They dont play..This is the reality.No food no life for them..No water no life..Nothing else..No one cares about education,psycology or rights of the children.
Nobody cares for justice
