The communities living in the horn of Africa have lived through four successive poor rainy seasons and their ability to cope with the worst drought in nearly 60 years has been stretched to the limit.
DAHABSHIL GROUP has proved to be most charitably beneficent institution in the private sector whose help has been likewise extends to social and community projects which play a major role in engaging in developmental, health, education and multitude of other needs.
During these year, Dahabshiil group has being stepping up efforts to help communities cope with a severe drought exacerbated by El Niño conditions in Somaliland and Puntland.
In November 29, 2016 contribute towards the drought relief effort in Puntland, Dahabshiil Group (DG) drew a check worth US$100 000 and handed it over to the State Drought Committee. Both the amount and the spirit delighted Puntland enormously making it the talk of the State.
At the occasion, Ali Mohamoud Hassan, Head of Dahabshiil Money Transfer (DMT) in Puntland, pointed out that the contribution the Group was making in Puntland was part of a larger effort throughout all the areas adversely affected by the severe drought.
“To come to the aid of our people, our customers in time of need is a long-established tradition that stems from the Group’s umbilical connection with its people,” Ali Said.
On the 10th of November ,2016 , His Excellency the President of the Republic of Somaliland, Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud ‘Silanyo’, called an emergency meeting for prominent business community members of Somaliland to apprise them of the drought situation in Somaliland and to discuss ways to rush aid to affected areas.
After much consultations on the matter at hand, again Dahabshiil Group lead the way in donating the sum of US$200 000 towards the national drought emergency fund, other major companies followed suit.
On the 6/8/2016 Dahabshil Group of companies donated foodstuff to 60 internally displaced families in dharkygeenyo district of Sool region.
Mr. Khadar Ali Jama, Manager of Dahabshil in Sool region speaking during the handing over of the food donation donate today included of rices, dates, cooking oil and consisting of other assortment of food stuff to the displaced persons and their families and $US 10,000 dollars to be divided among the affected communities.
Dahabshil representative said, the Dahabshil group has in the past made similar donations and will continue to help needy people in our society by providing the poor with donation in form of cash or food donations will go a long way in supporting the less fortunate families of whom are elderly and orphans who rarely leave their homes.
In a similar ceremony held at the headquarters of the Somaliland Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Fisheries and Agriculture, on the 18/2/2016, Dahabshiil Group contributed generously towards the drought relief effort by handing over USD 80 000 to the Committee overseeing the effort – an amount not yet to be exceeded by any other company or individual in Somaliland.
Dahabshiil money transfer CEO, Abdirashid Farah Ahmed, pointed out that USD 30 000 of the contribution the Group made towards the emergency relief underway came from the Hargeisa branches employees of the remittance company and the remaining USD 50 000 from the Operations Center of the Group.
Sheikh Hassan Abdisalam, representing the committee, profusely thanked Dahabshiil and the other companies that started off the donations being collected for drought devastated areas in Somaliland that are mostly located in the western regions of the country.
The occasion aimed to kick start a humanitarian campaign that would mean a difference between life and death for a great number of herders and pastoral nomads in the countryside,” he said. “We are gathered here today to start the effort rolling towards its ultimate goal of proffering a helping hand to the needy.
- Critical water shortage in Somaliland and Puntland is due to prolonged drought conditions further aggravated by El-Nino effects.
- An estimated 510,000 people face acute water and pasture shortage in drought affected parts of Somaliland and Puntland
- In Puntland, 215,000 people are affected by drought
- In Somaliland 295,000 people are affected by drought
- Out of the total of 510,000 draught affected people in Puntland and Somaliland, 50 percent are children
- Over 304,700 children are acutely malnourished while more than 58,300 children are severely malnourished in Somalia/Somaliland.
- More than 70% of population does not have access to clean drinking water in Somalia/Somaliland.
- Fewer than 1 in 4 people have access to adequate sanitation facilities in Somalia/Somaliland
- In Puntland and Somaliland, water scarcity for animals has resulted in loss and reduced health of livestock, as well as declining milk production.
By Mustafa Abdi Ibrahim
