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Trócaire has been working in the Gedo region of Somalia for twenty eight years. Last year our Somalia programmes helped 210,000 people.
Nasra Ali Baale receives her baby kit from Trócaire. Photo: Eyeris Communications/Trócaire.
Nasra Ali Baale walked 70 kilometres across rock, scrub and desert to reach a Trócaire hospital. She was eight months pregnant. Thanks to Trócaire supporters she was able to have a safe birth.
Paul Healy, Trócaire’s Somalia Country Director says many of the women and children who arrive in Trócaire hospitals do so having run from conflict in the surrounding regions. They are often in terrible condition when they arrive.
‘I’ve worked in Somalia for the last four years. I’ve met many mothers like Nasra. And listened to their stories. They live in the midst of violent, lawless, chaos. As you can probably imagine, the fear is constant.’
Paul describes Gedo as a little larger than Ireland. He says, ‘the hospitals and medical centres in this whole region are Trócaire ones. We provide health services in three Hospitals, one Referral Health Centre, three Health Centres, six mobile screening and eleven Primary Health Units. And the only guaranteed source of sanctuary, shelter and nutritional support to people who have been forced from their homes, is Trócaire too.’
‘Support from the Irish public and Irish Aid makes it possible for us provide the medicine to rehydrate exhausted and weakened pregnant mothers. Proper nourishing food to bring them back to health. Life-saving drugs alongside skilled and loving care are what will make safe births possible, and save babies from malnutrition.’
Dr. Abdinasir Hassan works in Trócaire’s hospital in Dollow. He says, ‘Somalia is a very poor country. Even getting basic medicines into the country is a struggle. Medicines most hospitals in Ireland would take for granted.’ He says that with the conflict and drought he is seeing cases of severe acute malnutrition rising steeply.
This year you can give the Trócaire Gift of Mother and Newborn Baby care to a loved one for €55/£45. This gift will provide antenatal classes for mothers, training for midwives and vital supplies for mothers and their new babies.
Trócaire also supports 13 schools providing quality primary education to 4060 children. We ensure that schools are administered efficiently, teaching and learning material and teachers are provided, and teachers are trained on curriculum development.
Through our school-feeding program, we also provide daily nutritious meals to encourage children especially from poor backgrounds to enrol in school, concentrate in class and complete their education.
Our Gift of a School Kit for €30/£20 will send a child to school, paying their school fees and providing books and pencils too.
