Stories of Resilience and Hope
Cash transfer programme helps families to withstand the effects of climate change
Faduma, Mareergur, Galmudug State, Somalia
Faduma is a mother and proprietor of a small company from Mareergur, a village in the Galmudug State of Somalia. Mareergur is surrounded by a scorching, dry desert, and the locals rely on their goats, camels, and sheep for food and a living. A protracted drought has destroyed livelihoods in the Dhusamareb district and many other areas of Somalia for many years. Over a million Somalis have received direct assistance from the Baxnaano National Safety Net Programme since 2019 to deal with environmental shocks.
The Federal Government of Somalia has selected 910 households in Mareergur to receive unconditional cash transfers to support the well-being of vulnerable families and, as a mother with young children, Faduma is one of the recipients. Faduma owns a tailoring shop and a vegetable stand, thanks to the help she has received from the Baxnaano National Safety Net. She is able to support her family with the money she has invested.
“I paid for my children's education, bought these vegetables and a sewing machine, and gained a lot from the cash support the program provided to me,” she says.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has assisted nearly 10,000 households in 27 villages in Dhusamareb, including Mareergur, Faduma's village. Targeted cash transfers are just one aspect of Baxnaano's help; other crucial social protection initiatives include mobile health clinics to reach rural pastoralists, enhanced educational opportunities for young people, and mother-and-child health centers.
"The situation now is different from what it was in years past,” says Faduma. “Thanks to our government's assistance, our quality of life has improved, and I anticipate that my business will expand. Iam very grateful.”
Faduma is a mother and proprietor of a small company from Mareergur, a village in the Galmudug State of Somalia. Mareergur is surrounded by a scorching, dry desert, and the locals rely on their goats, camels, and sheep for food and a living. A protracted drought has destroyed livelihoods in the Dhusamareb district and many other areas of Somalia for many years. Over a million Somalis have received direct assistance from the Baxnaano National Safety Net Programme since 2019 to deal with environmental shocks.
The Federal Government of Somalia has selected 910 households in Mareergur to receive unconditional cash transfers to support the well-being of vulnerable families and, as a mother with young children, Faduma is one of the recipients. Faduma owns a tailoring shop and a vegetable stand, thanks to the help she has received from the Baxnaano National Safety Net. She is able to support her family with the money she has invested.
“I paid for my children's education, bought these vegetables and a sewing machine, and gained a lot from the cash support the program provided to me,” she says.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has assisted nearly 10,000 households in 27 villages in Dhusamareb, including Mareergur, Faduma's village. Targeted cash transfers are just one aspect of Baxnaano's help; other crucial social protection initiatives include mobile health clinics to reach rural pastoralists, enhanced educational opportunities for young people, and mother-and-child health centers.
"The situation now is different from what it was in years past,” says Faduma. “Thanks to our government's assistance, our quality of life has improved, and I anticipate that my business will expand. Iam very grateful.”
Nuuriya, Gabaney village, Bakool region, Southwest State
Pastoralists in rural Somalia have endured devastating cycles of droughts and floods that have gradually diminished their livelihoods. Top of their concerns is hunger and food insecurity.
Nuriya, a mother of seven young children, lives in the small village of Gabaney in the Bakool region of Southwest State. Describing the distressing situation in her village, Nuriya says the farms have died out due to the drought, stripping the people of all their possessions and livelihoods.
“All our livestock have died for lack of water,” she says.
To assist families like Nuriya’s, the Government of Somalia designed a Shock Responsive Safety Net for Human Capital Project, called Baxnaano and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the German Development Bank KfW, to provide longer-term, sustainable support beyond the short-cycle humanitarian approach. The programme addresses Somalia's immediate food security and nutrition concerns while building the foundation for long-term human capital investment.
Supporting households, boosting their resilience, and scaling up or down as necessary to meet growing demand due to recurrent shocks is one of Baxnaano's key goals. To streamline the provision of social protection services in a difficult environment, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has adopted the use of technological solutions that enable Nuriya to receive her money directly through her mobile phone.
With the support of the Baxnaano program, Nuriya’s life has improved.
“I use the money to buy food and pay for my children’s education. I also bought some livestock. The Government has helped me to better my situation.”
Dahir Mohamed Ali Raage, Shiikhaaley Village, Dhusamareb, Galmudug State
Severe droughts and locust infestations have decimated the native plant life in the little village of Shiikhaaley, located close to Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmudug State.
Farmer and father Dahir Mohamed Ali Raage (36) has lived in the village all his life and has seen it all. The father of three says locust infestations have long been a serious challenge for farmers in the village.
“The area was seriously damaged by locust swarms (in 2020), which was not a minor or simple problem. Ever since we received assistance from the government, we have made great strides towards recovering what we lost, and the locusts have since moved on. We received assistance and financing from the Baxnaano program and the Shock Responsive Safety Net for Locust Response Project.”
“Allah has taken it away (the infestation), but the issues and hardships they left behind are still apparent," he says.
The locust infestation was compounded by the COVID-19 outbreak and a prolonged drought that devastated huge swathes of Somalia.
Through the Shock Responsive Safety Net for Locust Response Project and the Baxnaano Initiative, the government provided Dahir with emergency cash assistance, a form of social protection designed to assist Somalis suffering greatly from natural catastrophes. Dahir appreciates the importance of such programs to communities like his.
“I used the money for many things, and I haven't experienced any trouble since then.”
”Iam appreciative of the Federal Government of Somalia for this initiative. We must, however, keep emphasizing that it is still insufficient and that the people have not yet fully recovered from the consequences of the locusts and drought."
Kalsoon Ahmed Warsame, Cadley Village, Beledweyne District, Hirshabelle State
Young mothers frequently experience significant difficulties caring for their children due to the difficult living conditions in Somalia caused by climate change.
A mother of five young children, Kalsoon Ahmed Warsame, lives in Cadley hamlet, which is close to Beledweyne district in Hirshabelle state. Her family has suffered greatly from drought and locust infestations, which have decimated livestock and crops. She receives a quarterly cash grant from the government through the Baxnaano programme which has greatly improved her financial situation to the extent that she now runs a small shop where she sells flashlights, soap, and sugar.
"Baxnaano has been a huge help to me. I started this small business with the money and was able to pay for my children’s hospital treatment when they fell sick,” she says.
The biggest challenge for families in remote, rural areas like Cadley is food and medical care. Baxnaano's social protection program focuses on assisting families with small children under the age of five with cash assistance to enable them meet these basic needs.
