Human Interest Stories
Mohamed and his Family returning to Hiran
In his young age, Mohamed Abdi Yusuf always wanted to move away from his home country, Somalia to wherever he could get better life. In doing this, Mohamed tried to migrate to Europe through Libiya and was caught and brought back. Another time Mohamed tried to go to Saudi Arabia, through Yemen, however, Mohamed could not do this and ended up in Yemen where he started his life. Mohamed is now 29 years old and the father of three children. He spent in Yemen for over six years. Though he does informal jobs like packing clothes in cloth stores, his earning was never enough to cover the expenses and pills of his family. Thus, Mohamed’s family was registered in a refugee camp where they were given the food and the small amounts he earns were used to cover the other remaining services or products needed in their life. In this, Mohamed and his family were happy about their life and were living stably.
However, when the war started in Yemen, everything has turned upside down, the food that Mohamed’s family was getting stopped and Mohamed was also unable to get a job, this threatens Mohamed and his family’s survival. In addition, there was also fear and insecurity especially for the Somali people which worries Mohamed. “Every one of the parties in the war believes that the Somali people support the other and consider us a threat”, Mohamed mentioned.
Mohamed moves his family to Alkharas which is rural area where Mohamed thought is safer, however, the live was hardly possible in Alkharas for this family which worries Mohamed more than anything. Mohamed wished if they would have been in their home country and would have loved if they could do that, by any means, going to their home country, Somalia, where their people live. However, considering the life they are in and their financial muscles, this option, going home country, seemed hardly possible to Mohamed.
One day, Mohamed heard that there are ships taking the returnees to their home countries. He tried every effort possible to get more information about this and as he was in desperate about staying behind, become the second person to register for the first ship taking returnees back to Somalia.
Finally Mohamed and his family had the opportunity to be part of the first group of people who have been offered to a passenger ship to return to their country. He and his family were given a room in the ship with food and water and they enjoyed in their travel. “We traveled with wonderful ship and were given room, food and water. We really enjoyed and traveled in a way we never expected!” said Mohamed.
Mohamed and his family set their foot on the soil of Berbera, Somaliland and breathed the fresh air in peace. As part of the returnees, Mohamed and his family received a warm welcome and emergency care from the government of Somaliland, IOM and UNHCR. Mohamed and his family were transported to a well prepared place to host them before they move to their home towns and provided with food, water, shelter and other necessary materials.
Mohamed is happy about what they were offered and how they were received. “I thank all those that helped us in getting us here, receiving us here and providing all this, food water, other materials”, he said Mohamed together with his family is now planning to move to Hiiran, their home town and want to join their relatives.
IOM through the funds of Kings Malik Salman, started a project to help the Somalia returnees from Yemen in offering comfortable transportation through passenger ships and emergency care in the port of Berbera.
IDS has conducted case studies to document the stories of the returnees and refugees who have benefited from sea transport services offered by IOM through a project financed by the King Salman of Saudi Arabia.
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IDS offers full services in documenting and capturing the human interest stories for both humanitarian and development programs. If you need any of these services, IDS service is at your disposal.
Salah’s journey from Yemen to Berbera
Salah Mohamed Abdala is forty years old man and the father of two children of nine and seven year old. Salah lived in Yemen for 25 years and was working as a tailor. In his job, tailoring, Salah used to make living for his family and lived stable life. Like other Somali people in Yemen, the war has changed the living and working conditions for Salah. “Previously, I and my family were living happy life in Yemen, however, when the war started everything has changed. No work, no earning and life becomes very hard for us. On top of that the fear and insecurity was making our lives miserable” said by salah. Salah was no longer able to do tailoring and sell the tailored clothes.
Consequently, Salah was unable to pay the bill of his family and life was threatening to Salah and his family. He moved his family to camps where NGOs are organizing people for emergency care and evacuation. Experiencing the challenges of the war, fear and insecurity, Salah decided to return to his country and stay for the rest of his life but Salah was hopeless in doing this, reaching his country, since Salah could not afford the cost of transportation
However, when Salah noticed about the ship that is going to Somalia and transport the Somali returnees, Salah tried to be in that first ship and had the opportunity. Salah and his family traveled with the passenger ship provided by IOM and reached Berbera, Somaliland on 7 November, 2016. The government of Somaliland, IOM and UNHCR received the ship passengers, the Somali returnees, including Salah. Salah and his family were transported to a place which was prepared for the returnees and were given food, water, blanket, and other emergence care materials. He was excited to receive this and indicated that he is very thankful for all what they are offered.
Salah is now heading to Mogadishu with his family and want to remain in Somalia for the rest of his life.
IOM through the funds of Kings Malik Salman, started a project to help the Somalia returnees from Yemen in offering comfortable transportation through passenger ships and emergency care in the port of Berbera.
IDS has conducted case studies to document the stories of the returnees and refugees who have benefited from sea transport services offered by IOM through a project financed by the King Salman of Saudi Arabia.
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IDS offers full services in documenting and capturing the human interest stories for both humanitarian and development programs. If you need any of these services, IDS service is at your disposal.