Christmas - a time for reflection at SOS Children Somalia

By Ahmed Ibrahim, National Director of SOS Children Somalia

"Christmas is a time of celebration for much of the world, bringing with it a sense of peace and goodwill. 2008 has been a very demanding year for the SOS Children projects in Mogadishu. Never an easy place to work, the Children's Village, the hospital, the schools and the nursing school, have faced challenges that even they, over 17 long years of civil war, have not seen before.

Apart from being caught in the crossfire of battles between insurgents and government and Ethiopian troops, the people of Mogadishu have had to contend with soaring food prices which have reduced many to one meal a day, massive displacement of a population in search of safer areas to live, and a weak transitional government propped up by an occupying army and a small contingent of African peacekeepers.

Yet, despite the daily challenges, there are people in Mogadishu who strive against the odds to maintain an island of humanity in a sea of brutality. These include the staff of SOS Children's Villages Mogadishu who have chosen to stay at their jobs in the Children's Village, the hospital, and the schools, in order to make a difference to the lives of those who have been left behind in the war-torn capital. And make a difference they do, as you will find out if you continue to read.

SOS Children's Villages Somalia

SOS Children's Villages has a relatively long history in Mogadishu. The Children's Village opened in 1985 with 15 family houses, a youth home and a nursery. In 1989 we opened an SOS Maternity and Emergency Paediatric Hospital for the many impoverished women and children in the area, and an SOS Primary and Secondary School; and in 2002, we opened a nursing school, attached to the hospital.

Since 1985 we have had a continued presence in Mogadishu and maintained our operations (with some temporary closures in the last 12 months) throughout the civil war (begun in 1991) until the present day. We have also maintained a good relationship with UN agencies, international NGOs, local authorities, community elders and leaders in the project area and we have constructive partnerships with ECHO (EU Humanitarian Office), UNICEF, the World Health Organisation and the World Food Programme.

Just 12 months ago the SOS families, including 65 children, were moved from the Village, to areas of relative safety in Mogadishu, because of the danger of being caught in crossfire. The school and the nursing school were also relocated, and continued to function until October this year, when they were temporarily closed to protect the lives of the co-workers and students. (We expect to reopen when the security situation improves.)

A new project touches many lives

As we temporarily close some projects, others open up, such as the new satellite clinic established in April at Afgoye, 22 km from Mogadishu by the dedicated medical director of the SOS Hospital, Dr Abdullahi Hussein Moallin. The Afgoye clinic is run by a mobile team who spend 24 hours in the SOS Hospital in Mogadishu and the next 24 hours in the field in Afgoye.

Since July over 700 babies have been born there, 1,287 pregnant women were given doses of anti-tetanus vaccines, 3,640 pregnant women attended the ante-natal clinic, 15,260 sick children were treated as outpatients and 1,726 children were vaccinated. And this is just a satellite clinic. The SOS Hospital (maternity and paediatric) has had an even greater impact during the last 12 months and continues to be a beacon of hope to the helpless women and children of Mogadishu.

Despite suffering structural damage and the tragic loss of two co-workers in the last year, the hospital has continued to function. In maternity alone, nearly 10,000 women were helped; while over 1000 deliveries were recorded, including 136 Caesarian sections. There is no doubt that without these surgical interventions many babies and their mothers would not have survived. Meanwhile the emergency paediatric unit has treated nearly 40,000 children and over 3,000 children have been vaccinated. We will never know how many children would otherwise have died had we not been there to assist.

Having the courage to face their fear

All of these medical interventions have been carried out in what is effectively a battle ground. But they have not been undertaken lightly. Tragically one of our long-standing nursing colleagues became a victim himself in November, shot on his way home from the hospital. He was not targeted because he works for SOS Children's Villages. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, as is the case in many deaths in Mogadishu. SOS staff are aware of the dangers they face every day as they make the journey to and from their work places, yet they continue to do it because they know they can make a difference to so many other lives. They are humanitarians, which by its very definition, means that they are compassionate, civilized, caring and kind. These are the heroes of Mogadishu, the people who in the end can save it.

Yes, SOS Children's Villages is paying a high price for its work in Mogadishu, but is the price too high when you consider the number of people who have been touched by our work and the number of lives that may have been saved through the courage of our staff members? Talking of courage - this is one of our values, something that we as an organization stand for. If anyone can demonstrate this it is our colleagues in Mogadishu who have the courage of their convictions, the courage to face their fear, and the courage to continue that perilous journey to work everyday - so that they can make a difference.

Do not forget

Although the situation is precarious we are cautiously optimistic that it will improve after the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops at the end of the year. We would like to remind our partners that SOS Children's Villages is one of the few NGOs (if not the only one) that has continued to operate throughout the civil war, for which we have achieved a great deal of respect from the local population. Before making any decision that might jeopardize our operations we should consider the consequences for the people of Somalia, who have been deserted by so many former friends.

Christmas is a time of celebration for much of the world, bringing with it a sense of peace and goodwill. As we wait for a precious window of peace to open in Somalia we ask you to continue to sustain our efforts in providing life saving support for the helpless women and children of that land. Please keep them in your thoughts as you celebrate with your own families during this festive season."

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