Emergency response in Somalia
Source: Norwegian Church Aid - Norway
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Norwegian Church Aid has decided to fund 40.000 dollar for immediate emergency response in Somalia. The relief operation will supply IDP's in the Gedo-region with non food items and
shelter.
The area around to Baidoa, south-eastern Somalia has been the focus of heavy fighting involving tanks and artillery. UNHCR has asked NCA to monitor the situation in the Gedo-region and coordinate information.
"Nobody has a complete overview over the situation and we do not know the total numbers of IDPs, but we expect that thousands will escape the fighting in Mogadishu and Baidao. A team from NCA's office in Gedo-region is doing a preliminary first assessment this week to identify the needs of the IDP's" says Bjørg Mide, head of Division East Africa, Norwegian Church Aid.
Heavy rains continue to pound all over East Africa, particularly in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.
"Infrastructure around the areas has been completely destroyed by the floods and will make the emergency response difficult", says Mide
NCA's Program in Somalia covers two separate geographic areas – Gedo and Puntland. Gedo, located in the South-western most of Somalia, is the region where NCA has been operating since 1993. Regarded and categorized as an area of insecurity by the international community, NCA has been the only International NGO that stood for the cause of the vulnerable communities of Gedo for over a decade. In the absence of any form of civil governance in the Gedo region, and NCA being the only organization that has an established office there.
NCA's program in Gedo covers both emergency and rehabilitation interventions including food aid distribution to the general public and the schools; development oriented interventions in education, water supply and agriculture; and cross-cutting interventions such as HIV/AIDS, FGM, gender based violence, capacity building and in the area of peace and reconciliation. These activities are implemented in an integrated and complementary way. For example, the students in the schools are also exposed to awareness on HIV/AIDS, FGM etc.
The area around to Baidoa, south-eastern Somalia has been the focus of heavy fighting involving tanks and artillery. UNHCR has asked NCA to monitor the situation in the Gedo-region and coordinate information.
"Nobody has a complete overview over the situation and we do not know the total numbers of IDPs, but we expect that thousands will escape the fighting in Mogadishu and Baidao. A team from NCA's office in Gedo-region is doing a preliminary first assessment this week to identify the needs of the IDP's" says Bjørg Mide, head of Division East Africa, Norwegian Church Aid.
Heavy rains continue to pound all over East Africa, particularly in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.
"Infrastructure around the areas has been completely destroyed by the floods and will make the emergency response difficult", says Mide
NCA's Program in Somalia covers two separate geographic areas – Gedo and Puntland. Gedo, located in the South-western most of Somalia, is the region where NCA has been operating since 1993. Regarded and categorized as an area of insecurity by the international community, NCA has been the only International NGO that stood for the cause of the vulnerable communities of Gedo for over a decade. In the absence of any form of civil governance in the Gedo region, and NCA being the only organization that has an established office there.
NCA's program in Gedo covers both emergency and rehabilitation interventions including food aid distribution to the general public and the schools; development oriented interventions in education, water supply and agriculture; and cross-cutting interventions such as HIV/AIDS, FGM, gender based violence, capacity building and in the area of peace and reconciliation. These activities are implemented in an integrated and complementary way. For example, the students in the schools are also exposed to awareness on HIV/AIDS, FGM etc.
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