Supporting Internally Displaced and Drought-Affected Families in Somalia
By Healthcare Extension Promotion & Training Organization (HEPTO)
Country Lead: Abukar Barre Mohamed, HEPTO Country Director – Somalia
Bringing Life-Saving Care to Forgotten Communities.
In the second week of December 2025, Healthcare Extension Promotion & Training Organization (HEPTO) successfully conducted a large-scale emergency medical and humanitarian outreach in Mogadishu, reaching internally displaced persons (IDPs) and newly displaced families fleeing drought, hunger, and conflict from Somalia’s agricultural regions.
In just one day, HEPTO delivered critical healthcare, nutrition support, food assistance, essential medicines, and dignity kits to approximately 400–500 highly vulnerable families. The outreach prioritized children under five, pregnant and lactating mothers, adolescent girls, and elderly individuals—those bearing the heaviest burden of Somalia’s prolonged humanitarian crisis.
What unfolded on the ground was not just data or statistics. It was human suffering and human resilience—children showing visible signs of malnutrition, mothers without access to basic hygiene supplies, and families surviving day to day with almost nothing. Yet amid the hardship, there was hope—created through coordinated humanitarian action and community solidarity.
Why This Outreach Was Urgently Needed
Somalia continues to face one of the world’s most complex and protracted humanitarian emergencies, driven by a combination of:
- Prolonged and recurring drought
- Armed conflict and insecurity
- Collapse of rural livelihoods and agriculture
- Mass internal displacement into urban centers such as Mogadishu
The IDP settlement reached by HEPTO is home to both long-term displaced families and new arrivals fleeing drought-stricken farming regions. Basic services in the settlement are extremely limited. Families lack access to healthcare, clean water, adequate nutrition, and sanitation, leaving women and children especially vulnerable to preventable disease, malnutrition, and death.
Outreach Location & Target Population
- Location: IDP settlement in Mogadishu (previously identified due to high unmet needs)
- Population Served:
- 400–500 displaced families
- Children aged 0–5 years
- Adolescent girls and women (approximately 14–40 years)
- Pregnant and lactating mothers
- Elderly and chronically ill individuals
Services Delivered During the Outreach
1. Medical & Health Services
HEPTO deployed qualified medical personnel who provided:
- General medical consultations and check-ups
- Distribution of essential medicines, including antibiotics and fever/pain management drugs
- Basic health screenings and referrals
- Health education sessions for caregivers
2. Child Nutrition Support
Children showing signs of malnutrition received:
- Nutritional biscuits for immediate energy and support
- Nutrition counseling for mothers and caregivers
- Identification of high-risk children for follow-up care
3. Food & Basic Relief Assistance
The most vulnerable households received emergency food support. Families expressed urgent needs for:
- Staple food items
- Sugar
- Tea leaves
4. Women & Girls Dignity Support
HEPTO distributed:
- Sanitary pads to women and adolescent girls
- Essential hygiene items to support dignity, health, and infection prevention
Many women shared that menstrual hygiene supplies had been completely unavailable to them for months, making these items both essential and deeply impactful.
Community Engagement & Volunteerism
One of the most powerful aspects of this outreach was the commitment of local female volunteers. Dozens of young women volunteered their time without pay, motivated purely by compassion and community responsibility. HEPTO supported them only with transportation and meals.
This strong volunteer turnout reflects:
- Deep community trust in HEPTO
- Growing local ownership of humanitarian efforts
- A sustainable, community-driven model built on participation—not dependency
Leadership & Field Coordination
The outreach was led by Abukar Barre Mohamed and Abdurahman Zalie, HEPTO Country Directors for Somalia. Their leadership ensured:
- Effective field coordination
- Clear prioritization of the most vulnerable families
- Accountability and transparency in service delivery
Their direct engagement with communities keeps HEPTO grounded in real needs, responsive to emerging challenges, and trusted by the populations it serves.
Impact at a Glance
- 400–500 families supported in one day
- Hundreds of children received medical and nutrition care
- Women and girls received dignity and hygiene kits
- Essential medicines delivered to a community with almost no healthcare access
- Strong volunteer mobilization and community partnership achieved
Voices From the Ground: The Human Reality
Mothers shared that:
- Their children had gone days with little or no food
- Medical care was otherwise unreachable
- Sanitary pads were a “luxury” they had not accessed for months
Children showed visible signs of:
- Malnutrition and thin limbs
- Fatigue and weakness
- Recurrent fever and infections
When care, food, and medicines were provided, relief and hope were immediate and visible.
Next Steps & Immediate Needs
Based on field assessments and community requests, HEPTO plans to return to the settlement within the coming week, Insha’Allah, with:
- Additional food supplies
- Sugar and staple items
- Expanded medical kits
- Increased nutrition support for children
- Continued distribution of hygiene supplies for women and girls
However, needs are growing daily, and resources remain limited as new displaced families arrive.
Call to Action: Partner With HEPTO
This outreach demonstrates HEPTO’s:
- Proven field capacity
- Trusted local leadership
- Transparent and accountable programming
- Long-term commitment to women, children, and displaced communities
We invite donors, humanitarian partners, foundations, corporations, and individuals to stand with HEPTO in expanding life-saving interventions across Mogadishu and beyond.
Together, we can transform emergency response into sustained hope.
Contact & Partnerships
📧 info@hepto.org
🌍 www.hepto.org
Healthcare Extension Promotion & Training Organization (HEPTO)
Serving vulnerable communities in Somalia, East Africa, and beyond
Impact at a Glance
- 400–500 families supported in one day
- Hundreds of children received medical and nutrition care
- Women and girls received dignity and hygiene kits
- Essential medicines delivered to a community with almost no healthcare access
- Strong volunteer mobilization and community partnership achieved
Healthcare Extension Promotion & Training Organization (HEPTO)
Serving vulnerable communities in Somalia, East Africa, and beyond
