Hundreds of Somali families, who returned from refugee camps in Ethiopia two years ago when aid was reduced, are now struggling to survive in a displacement camp in southern Somalia’s Dollow region – where assistance has also been cut.

Madino Mohamed Aden, a mother of nine, returned to Dollow following cuts in support for Somali refugees by the Ethiopian government and aid agencies. After her return, she relied on aid distributed to her relatives in Kabaaso displacement camp in Dollow. The cash assistance in Kabaaso was discontinued in May due to overall funding shortages.

Madino now depends on small contributions from local residents to feed her family. ‘Right now, except for the little breakfast we manage, we can’t afford anything else. The people who used to help us also have nothing left so they barely find enough for themselves. Everything has been taken away from us. My children are really suffering. We were relying on whatever our hosts received that they shared with us,’ she explained.

Previously, Madino received five kilos of assorted items and 2.5 litres of oil from her neighbours in the camp after they collected their $80 cash assistance from WFP. Now she spends most of the day walking around the camp seeking small cleaning jobs or handouts, but there is little available work and too many women competing for it.

Several of her children have developed malnutrition. ‘I have one child who is severely malnourished. I take him to where children are measured, and they also give him nutritional sachets. I gave him the five sachets they provide. There is no organization or any other place from which we receive help. Hunger is our biggest problem right now,’ she stated.

Three of her school-aged children remain at home because she cannot afford the $5 monthly fees. While some free schools exist, they are at capacity. She expressed that the concern about her children’s future weighs heavily on her, as she is the sole provider for them since their father is elderly and unable to contribute.

Madino’s family returned to Somalia in 2023 after more than a decade as refugees in Ethiopia, departing only when ration cuts made life in the refugee camps unlivable.

Many others in Kabaaso share similar circumstances. Amino Abdi Ali, a mother raising six children alone, depends on the minimal income from occasional cleaning jobs. She earns no more than $3 weekly, which falls short of their basic needs. When unable to find work, she either begs or sends her children to bed without food.

Access to basic water supplies presents another challenge. ‘Everything, including water, costs money. We often cannot afford the $0.6 needed to purchase a jerrycan from the camp taps. Sometimes we rely on carrying water from the River Juba or sending the children to fetch one container. When we are able, we buy it; otherwise, we carry it ourselves,’ she explained.

Her daughters, aged 10 and 12, must walk more than half an hour to the river, and due to hunger, they become exhausted, often requiring a full day to fetch and transport 20 litres of water. She also worries about their safety during the journey as neither child can swim.

Amino has battled chronic illness for three years, and the lack of proper nutrition has worsened her condition. ‘I am sick and struggle with anaemia. A few years ago, I received blood during childbirth. The intense heat and physical labor affect me severely, but there is no one else to care for my children except me. I cannot sleep while they are hungry. I am compelled by necessity to go out and find whatever food they can eat,’ said Amino, who is separated from her children’s father.

Amino’s family returned in 2024 to Gedo from Ethiopia’s Liban zone, where they had resided as refugees for over a decade.

Others who returned to Dollow in 2024 include Suldano Abshir Ali, who departed Boqol-Maayo refugee camp in Ethiopia when life became too difficult without assistance. She established a small grocery stall in Kabaaso IDP camp in Dollow, taking small loans to maintain it. She earned two to three dollars daily from her business.

However, her business collapsed in July following the implementation of aid cuts, which left most of her customers without money to purchase from her. She used the remaining food from her shop to feed her children. She also has a $50 outstanding debt with no means to repay it.

‘We are under tremendous pressure. We are experiencing severe food shortages, and I can only cook once daily for my children. We must purchase water – a 10-litre container costs us between five and 10 shillings, and we must wait in line for it,’ she stated. ‘We require assistance in the form of food, water, and any other support available.’

Caught between two countries without support, these struggling Somali families who have lost their livelihoods face an uncertain future with no assistance or alternative means of survival.