Saturday, January 28, 2012
advertisements
Six months ago, thousands of drought affected persons flocked the Somali capital Mogadishu after the United Nations declared six regions of Somalia as famine zones.The drought claimed thousands of lives and endangered the lives of millions others. Millions were also displaced inside and outside the country.
However, despite Mogadishu witnessing large IDP settlements in the capital, one aspect stands out clearly, and that is the business is that is booming inside the camps.
Majority of the camp residents are redirecting their relief aid supplies into commercial operations. Several IDPs are selling the financial support they receive from the local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in town.
Halima Ali, a milk trader at the Tarabunka IDP camp says that then need to find a better source of livelihood has forced her to stop relying on relief aid only, but rather come up with a new business idea. She however argues that trade inside the camp is not that good and she has come under attack on many occasions from armed men who cause chaos at times when aid agencies are distributing aid into the camp. She has dreams to expand her business so that she may offer them a better livelihood than the one she has undergone.
Another trader, Abdiaziz Mohamed says that he initially fled from South Somalia and resettled to Bakara Market where he began selling cooking items. He however fled the market in June after it came under rapid mortar attack from the African Union forces in Mogadishu who were struggling to dislodge the Al-Shabaab from Mogadishu.
Muktar Mohamed, a shop owner says that he decided to open a small business in the displaced camp after being forced to flee Elasha Biyaha, another displacement under the control of the Al-Shabaab and located 15 kilometers out of the capital Mogadishu.
Six months after the first declaration of famine in Somalia, hundreds of thousands remain at risk but analysts argue that things might change for the better giving the drought ravaged IDPs and renewing the hopes and expectations of the thousand of camp dwellers.