Somalia’s Families Face Impossible Choices as Fuel and Food Costs Soar

One of them is Hassan. He is not yet three and a half years old. Hassan arrived at the centre in July, showing signs of severe malnutrition, stomatitis, marasmus, and pneumonia.

His mother, Sabirin, is a widow. When she saw Hassan’s condition deteriorate, she knew it was a matter of life or death. But with no clinic nearby, transport prohibitively expensive, and the roads clogged with mud, reaching help would not be easy.

“[Hassan] was swollen, and his skin was cracking all over. I didn’t have money for transport, so contributions were made. I got in the car, and we spent days on the road. It had rained, making the road impassable. We got here on the third night, around evening,” she said.

“Now, thank God, he is doing better.”