Ayaan Mahamuud Muuse, wearing pink headscarf, holding her infant son on lap and sitting beside her young son, who is smiling

Somalia

Why are we in Somalia? Our programmes respond to the effects of natural disasters, such as drought and floods, as well as population displacements caused by conflict and ongoing insecurity. We work on emergency responses and also longer-term programmes that seek to build the resilience of affected communities.

A humanitarian crisis driven by climate change and conflict

The Horn of Africa is currently experiencing its worst drought since 1981. The drought has caused major water shortages and food insecurity fuelling high levels of displacement in Somalia.

UNICEF has estimated that 1.4 million Somali children are suffering from acute malnutrition as a result of the drought, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that by this summer 350,000 of the 1.4 million severely malnourished children in the country may perish if nothing is done to help them now. Over 3,500 cases of suspected measles have been reported in the first quarter of 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic delayed elections in Somalia causing political instability and outbreaks of violence distracting from the major humanitarian crisis at hand.

Latest achievements

Health and nutrition

Concern supports 13 fixed and 15 mobile health centres in Somalia, providing out-patient consultations, treatment for malnutrition, antenatal and post-natal supports, as well as childhood immunisations to over 503,000 patients in 2022.

Cash transfers

Livelihood support

Concern Country Financial Controller smiles while signing piece of paper outside Concern office

Amos Mambo, Country Financial Controller, Somalia, signing appreciation note. Photo: Shaloam Strooper/Concern Worldwide

Group of women smiling and presenting coloured bottles of shampoo in Somalia

Shampoo production at Hill-Haween Cooperative centre. Photo: Fatima YouthLink/Concern Worldwide

Farmer in Somalia shows off crops hanging from tree

Lead farmer Qasam Mumin Warsame, shows off his farm and crops in Shirwac Village, Adwal Region. Photo: Ed Ram/Concern Worldwide

Woman carrying water cans and walking towards truck

A Somali woman walks to Concern's water truck to fill up her containers for her family in Odweyne in the Toghdeer district where water sources have dried up due to drought. Photo: Concern Worldwide

Farmer Ahmed working on his farm and using rake

Ahmed* working on his farm in Korji village, Arabsiyo. Photo: Mustafa Saeed/Concern Worldwide

Rugiyo*, a woman in a black niqab, holds her two infant sons

Rugiyo* lives in an IDP site in Mogadishu with her husband and children. Photo: Mustafa Saeed

How we're helping Somalia

We respond to emergencies such as drought, floods and population displacements caused by conflict, climate change and ongoing insecurity, and we build resilience within communities to these shocks.