Making a
difference on internally displaced people
By
Zuhur Yassin Ibrahim--Somaliland
The state house is one of the biggest IDP
(Internally Displaced People) areas in the capital Hargeisa. Some families
have been living there as long as 16 years. Conditions within the IDP are
harsh; there is widespread unemployment in the population and many families
can’t afford to eat all three meals a day. There are no proper health
services or water access. The people see organizations filming,
photographing and asking them questions and they then have expectations that
they will be helped. They are still wondering why help has not arrived by
the government and/or organizations.
Efforts are been made my organizations to
help the needy people in there. One LNGO (Local Non Governmental
Organization) SOCSA is doing its part to help the children in the IDP. I got
a chance to interview Qani Abdi who is the Executive Director of SOCSA. I
started by asking what are some of the activities SOCSA is involved in the
state house?
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SOCSA has set up a tent school (Non Formal
Education) within the IDP camp. There are 4 volunteer teachers who teach
Math, English, Somali and Social studies to around 30 children. We started
the NFE classes after we saw the need of education in the IDP.
Q2. What are some of the major problems
facing the children in the State House?
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The children enrolled in the school can’t
afford to pay the fees for the formal school nor can they afford the uniform
for the school. This school that we set up is free of charge and the
children benefit from the classes. There are classes in the evenings
especially for the girls who don’t get a chance to attend school and are
also busy in the morning. Unemployment, lack of proper health services,
water and electricity access and sanitation are major problems within the
IDP. The risk of diseases spreading within the IDP is very high.
Q3. Who funds SOCSA with its activities in
the State house?
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The teachers who teach them are volunteers;
UNICEF has provided the tent and the study kit for the school. As an
organization we try to advocate for the needs of the people living in there
and in the future plan to extend our efforts in helping them in the areas of
health and sanitation.
Q4. What advice would you give to people?
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It is very important that the community,
organization and the government work together to help the people in the
state house. The people need our help. United we can make a difference and
we should make it a priority to help the needy.