Safiya Mohamud Said's blog

Because of drought and conflict in Somalia, Nadifo has lost everything but her three children — including her husband. Photo: Safiya Mohamud Said/Mercy Corps

Disasters take so many things from people; health, prosperity and hope can all fall victim. But no one can know what life has in store for them, and all we can do is carry on — just as women like Nadifo, who has struggled with some of the worst possible circumstances, has had to do.

This is a story of grief and loss. A story about a young woman in Somalia who in the prime of her life not only lost her livestock and everything she owned to the drought that has struck East Africa, but who also lost her husband and his parents in the bombing of Somalia’s war-torn capital Mogadishu.

Nadifo is a 25-year-old mother of three children. Not long ago she had a fine herd of livestock in the rural Somali area of Webiyada; she raised a wonderful family — three beautiful girls aged between two and six — and had a loving husband who helped her go about each day with harmony.

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Joint monitoring trips are the most exciting visits, in my opinion, to go and see Mercy Corps' program activities. Unlike other trips like assessments and activity supervision, these visits involve groups composed of both Mercy Corps program teams and government officials that are engaged in monitoring the impacts of our programs in the communities we serve.

One of the members of our joint assessment team, a government official, addresses a classroom full of young students. These trips offer great perspective for everyone: ideas for the Mercy Corps team, insight for government officials and encouragement for students and teachers. Photo: Safiya Mohamud Said/Mercy Corps

Our School Environment and Education for Somalia (SEEDS) program runs in 17 of the country's 18 regions. The program aims to improve the access of basic education, health and water services for communities throughout the country.

The Mercy Corps Somalia team conducts periodic monitoring trips every three months to measure program impact. The government is a key member in the process. We meet committees, school principals, teachers and students who tell the stories and experiences that define the impact in their communities.

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It was a long journey full of rough terrains and sleepless nights while we were assessing the areas that have been hit by droughts in the Bari Region of Puntland, Somalia. Farmers and pastoralists lost most of their assets and suffered from lack of water. Families started moving to urban areas to access emergency aid.

Talking with these families and listening to their stories has made me wonder what we could do to help. The needs were widespread, people were many and the road was rough, but there was hope. Maybe just hope.

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Shugri at work as a tailor. Photo: Safiya Mohamud Said/Mercy Corps

It was midday and the weather wasn’t favorable. The heat was scorching and everyone wanted to be in the shade. I was in the Buulo Abow displacement camp supervising Mercy Corps program activities when my attention was grabbed by a slim lady in her late thirties who was carrying firewood on her back. I stared at her, wondering about the strength of this lady, who was performing such strenuous work in such harsh weather conditions.

As I watched and sympathized with her, the load of firewood suddenly slipped off her back — she was too tired to continue her journey. I rushed to her and helped her collect the wood. She looked so down and exhausted, and I asked her if her house was near. She told me that it wasn’t that far, so I decided to go with her and follow her to her house. As we walked to the house she started telling her story as I eagerly listened.

This was the first time I met Shugri.

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Globalization has made making a living more difficult for traditional Somali weavers. Photo: Safia Mohamud Said/Mercy Corps

Somali women are very famous for their traditional weaving to make useful handicrafts such mats, baskets, hats and other household accessories. They use reeds and other special grasses locally known as "caw and meyr” to weave and decorate each and every product they produce. They add different colors to the products to make them look bright and shiny.

The process of making the product is never easy; it takes long hours of hard work and determination. But it becomes very attractive as soon as it's finished. If you saw it, you would like to take it with you!

Traditionally, it is the obligation of every mother to teach her daughter how to weave in order to make her a good wife that can take care of her household chores and other responsibilities. Women compete to invent their own unique designs in order to be the best in their field of expertise — and also to be a model in their respective neighbors and villages.

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In my daily field supervision of program activities, I encounter different scenarios about the people we support. Some are strong and challenging, while others are somewhat weakened by life's difficulties.

As a humanitarian officer I am deeply involved in our programs, which provide quick and critical assistance to the communities we serve. I see the impact of these programs in the pleasant smiles on the faces of the individuals who had once despaired and lost hope for building better future for their families.

One of those individuals is 18-year-old Amran Abdi.

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Life was fair enough when I got a job as soon as I finished school. It was my first time in the world of non-governmental organizations and there was a lot to expect in such a challenging environment.

I started working with Mercy Corps as a Project Assistant in an emergency response program to internally-displaced people and urban poor host communities in the eastern region of Somalia.

It was a great challenge for me to work with such vulnerable communities that have lost everything they had in their lives. It made me fall apart whenever I heard their stories. This made me feel sad and sometimes traumatized, but it did not stop me from doing my work and helping my people.

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