Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoSOMALIA / DROUGHT
Download
There is no media available to download.
Share
STORY: SOMALIA / DROUGHT
TRT: 02:54
SOURCE: UNSOM
RESTRICTIONS: CREDIT REQUIRED
LANGUAGE: SOMALI / NATS
DATELINE: 24 FEBRUARY 2017, BAIDOA, SOMALIA
1. Wide shot, drought victims at a makeshift settlement
2. Med shot, a woman entering a makeshift house
3. Close up, child
4. Close up, kettle on a local cooking stove
5. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Fatuma Abdirahman, Drought Victim:
“We have been beset by difficulties. I ran away from Madhayta, in Bakool region. Drought hit us hard. Our goats were wiped out by drought; most were slaughtered because they could not survive, as there is no water and pasture for the animals.”
6. Wide shot, drought victims
7. Med shot, women carrying babies
8. Med shot, children at a makeshift settlement
9. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Yarey Mohamed Abdow, Drought Victim:
“We are deeply suffering. We are thirsty; we are hungry. We did not grow any crops in our farms for nearly two years. No animal is moving; all are dead. We have no water. Our suffering was exacerbated by the outbreak of cholera when we came here. We ran away from our villages especially Madina near Diinsoor, Bay region hoping that we will be provided for by the South West Administration but we haven’t been offered anything up to now. Our people have no water or food. Nobody has so far lent us a helping hand. The neighbors and relatives are sharing the little they have with us.”
10. Med shot, drought victims
11. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Yarey Mohamed Abdow, Drought Victim:
Some of the families here have not cooked anything since they arrived here. We have nothing to survive on. We are in need of sleeping materials, we need food and clothing. We need materials to build homes. We need cooking items. We left all our items in the villages. We are appealing for immediate assistance. We need to be supported, given food and water. We need efforts to be stepped up to help us. We are appealing for immediate assistance.”
12. Wide shot, drought victims
13. Close up, woman
14. Med shot, children at the settlement
15. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Yarey Mohamed Abdow, Drought Victim:
“I am one of those devastated by the drought and cholera outbreak. I ran away from Shabeelow, Goorisana and Buula Baraka. Our farms did not receive a drop of rain this whole year; there is no water at all and no crops in the farms. In addition, one dilapidated salty well in Dooy area is the only source of water for the villagers living outside of Baidoa. The contaminated well was the cause of the cholera outbreak that has claimed many lives. When the outbreak of the cholera began, people died in large numbers, so did their animals. The remaining population in the villages decided to seek refuge in Baidoa. People here have no food and water. We are being helped by neighbours and relatives, sharing with us the little water and food they have. We pray to God to alleviate the suffering. Equally, we are asking the humanitarian agencies to help us.”
16. Med shot, children at the settlement
17. Med shot, drought victims
Some 1.5 million people are believed to be affected by the severe drought and worsening food crisis in Somalia. More than 400,000 of those people are malnourished children.
Less than half of the people in Somalia have access to basic health services, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which announced that it is scaling up its response in the country amid the severe drought and worsening food crisis.
SOUNDBITE (Somali) Fatuma Abdirahman, Drought Victim:
“We have been beset by difficulties. I ran away from Madhayta, in Bakool region. Drought hit us hard. Our goats were wiped out by drought; most were slaughtered because they could not survive, as there is no water and pasture for the animals.”
The WHO’s support includes sending in rapid response teams to areas of greatest threat. That includes sending medicines and medical supplies to health facilities in drought-affected areas.
SOUNDBITE (Somali) Yarey Mohamed Abdow, Drought Victim:
“We are deeply suffering. We are thirsty; we are hungry. We did not grow any crops in our farms for nearly two years. No animal is moving; all are dead. We have no water. Our suffering was exacerbated by the outbreak of cholera when we came here. We ran away from our villages especially Madina near Diinsoor, Bay region hoping that we will be provided for by the South West Administration but we haven’t been offered anything up to now. Our people have no water or food. Nobody has so far lent us a helping hand. The neighbors and relatives are sharing the little they have with us. Some of the families here have not cooked anything since they arrived here. We have nothing to survive on. We are in need of sleeping materials, we need food and clothing. We need materials to build homes. We need cooking items. We left all our items in the villages. We are appealing for immediate assistance. We need to be supported, given food and water. We need efforts to be stepped up to help us. We are appealing for immediate assistance.”
In addition, the drought conditions are causing epidemic-prone diseases to spread. These include cholera and measles. According to the WHO, since early January, more than 6,000 cases of cholera have been reported, as well as more than 2,500 cases of suspected measles.
SOUNDBITE (Somali) Yarey Mohamed Abdow, Drought Victim:
“I am one of those devastated by the drought and cholera outbreak. I ran away from Shabeelow, Goorisana and Buula Baraka. Our farms did not receive a drop of rain this whole year; there is no water at all and no crops in the farms. In addition, one dilapidated salty well in Dooy area is the only source of water for the villagers living outside of Baidoa. The contaminated well was the cause of the cholera outbreak that has claimed many lives. When the outbreak of the cholera began, people died in large numbers, so did their animals. The remaining population in the villages decided to seek refuge in Baidoa. People here have no food and water. We are being helped by neighbours and relatives, sharing with us the little water and food they have. We pray to God to alleviate the suffering. Equally, we are asking the humanitarian agencies to help us.”
Some 44 local and international aid agencies working in Somalia launched an appeal for $825 million for the first half of 2017 for the pre-famine response. Of this, the health sector requires $85 million, including $10 million for the WHO.
