Needy Somalis in Mogadishu gather every day in food camps, which are part of international aids coming to Somali.
(Photo: Atif Ala)
The people of Somalia who are suffering from the worst drought in the last 60 years, have been living on food sent from Turkey to refugee camps in the country's capital, Mogadishu.
Aid collected in Anatolian cities arrives in the drought-hit country through civil society organizations. Representatives from Turkish NGOs are working to deliver food to the tens of thousands of people living in refugee camps. Turkish reporters who visit the camps say that Turks receive a lot of attention from Somali children. Before the distribution of food begins, thousands of Somalis make long queues to get their share.
A drought in Somalia has killed 29,000 children under the age of five and left 12 million people on the brink of starvation since 2010. The epicenter of the drought lies on the three-way border shared by Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. Uganda and Djibouti have also been hit by the disaster. Tens of thousands of people have so far been displaced due to the drought in the region. The drought in Somalia has added to troubles resulting from the 20-year-long civil war in the country.
Somali people say they are grateful to Turkey for the aid, which they say contributes to their subsistence and also helps with school expenses for the families with children.
Other Turkish aid for medicine, food and health services to the internally displaced people continues. In addition, Turkey has launched more long-term initiatives including training medical staff and opening a hospital. Turkey also plans long-term projects in education including opening a school in Somalia. Somali Education Minister Ahmet Aidid İbrahim notes that the international community has been rather slow to respond to this drought in one of the world's poorest and most violent countries, but Turkey has been there from the beginning.
The Yardım Eli Aid Association, a Turkish charity, has recently started a project which enables Turkish families to assist needy Somali people who are currently experiencing hardship.
Within the project called “Brother Families,” Turkish families grant TL 100 monthly to Somali families. Mehmet Çitil, the coordinator for the association's activities in Somalia, explained that the project eases Somali families through tough times; TL 100 is an adequate amount for a Somali family to meet their monthly foods needs.
Çitil told the Anatolia news agency that the project has already been implemented in Palestine, Pakistan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Syria and Lebanon. Citil said that Turkish people have shown a great interest in the project, noting a total of 50 Somali families already have already found their Turkish brother families.
Source: Todays Zaman
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