REPORTS

MOGADISHU — Muslima Abdirahman, a Somali mother of nine, escaped death twice in the past two years while shopping for groceries in Mogadishu, where Islamist insurgents regularly carry out suicide bombings on busy streets and markets. She shudders at the memories: “I wiped my tears with my veil and went …

MOGADISHU — As the COVID-19 pandemic landed in Somalia in mid-March, there was rampant anxiety about how the country with one of the most fragile health systems could handle a pandemic that was wreaking havoc in wealthy nations. There was fear among local communities that the pandemic could add another …

MOGADISHU —  Incessant fighting, recurrent droughts and floods, and the worst locust invasion in more than 25 years are forcing more people to flee their homes in Somalia, leading to severe overcrowding and an intensifying risk of COVID-19 among internally displaced people (IDP), Amnesty International said today. By 19 July, …

Six months ago, Beledweyne, a town in central Somalia was battered by heavy rainstorms. The flooding destroyed houses, crops, and roads, and displaced thousands of families. Now, Beledweyne, the capital of the Hiiraan province in Hirshabelle, is once again submerged in floodwater after River Shabelle burst its banks. Hundreds have …

MOGADISHU —  Somalia and the United Nations culture and education agency yesterday signed an agreement aimed at strengthening efforts to preserve the country’s cultural heritage and improve its educational sector. “Culture and education are vital for the country’s future. After years of conflict, they are vital to the human dimension …

MOGADISHU (SoOHA) – Children in Somalia suffer from one of the highest rates of abduction, recruitment, and conflict-related sexual violence in the world, analysis from Save the Children reveals. The charity’s analysis of the UN’s Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict found Somalia topped the list in three of …

DUSMAREB (SoOHA) –  Drought-hit families in remote parts of Galgadud region have welcomed an emergency water trucking service that has saved them from having to move to other places in search of water.  The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has hired 200 tankers to deliver water to 1,480 badly affected families in eight villages:Shilin-Wayne, Burdir, Meygag, Lan-aduray, Qurar, Habasley, Laan-Marer and Ardo In …

Conflict and disaster have shaped the lives of the Somali people for the last 30 years. Now, a new initiative is helping women to develop their own businesses – making them and their families more resilient to any future upheaval. The security situation in Somalia is still unstable after years …

HARGEISA (SoOHA) – The Somaliland government is urging farmers to plough their fields using oxen or donkeys to avoid missing the rainy season by waiting too long to hire one of the few available tractors for ploughing. Farmers in Awdal and Maroodi Jeex regions in the northwest are being encouraged …

GAROWE (SoOHA) – The number of girls completing high school in Puntland has slightly increased thanks to efforts made by the education ministry and international partners. According to the ministry, 1,888 girls completed their studies this year as compared to 1,600 the previous academic year. The general director of the …