BAIDOA, SOMALIA — In addition to disaster-affected areas in the archipelago, Dompet Dhuafa’s Tebar Hewan Kurban (THK) Program also targets various locations abroad. One of them is Somalia. There, Dompet Dhuafa partnered with a local social institution, Tadamun Social Society, to implement the program and distribute meat to beneficiaries in need.
Dompet Dhuafa and Tadamun Social Society team gathered and celebrated Eid-ul-Adha with internally displaced people in Baydhabo District in Southwest Somalia on Thursday (29/6/2023). A total of 38 cows weighing around 250 kilograms were slaughtered and distributed to 500 families directly. In addition, there were also indirect beneficiaries that reached 2,700 family members.
Baydhabo also known as Baidoa locally is the capital of the bay region and the temporary capital of Southwest Somalia State. Baidoa is located approximately 240 kilometers west of Mogadishu and Southeast of the Ethiopian border, on one of Somalia’s main trade corridors, connecting the Port of Mogadishu and the productive region of the Lower Shabelle with Ethiopia and Kenya.
Since 2004, Baidoa has experienced massive spatial expansion, tripling in size between 2004 and 2019. This increase in spatial size is in line with rural-urban migration into Baidoa due to successive displacement events. Since 2011, the impacts of drought, flooding and insecurity have led to massive displacement of people fleeing crises in rural areas to Baidoa City.
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In 2019, Baidoa hosted around 360,000 refugees housed in 435 locations. In 2021, the number of refugees increased to 430,991 people housed in 548 camps. About a quarter of Somalia’s refugee settlements are located in and around Baidoa, mostly in peri-urban areas. Urbanization in Baidoa is largely due to successive displacement processes that led to an increase in the number of IDPs in Baidoa.
The high number of refugees due to the natural crisis is the main reason for Dompet Dhuafa to present the THK Program there. Dompet Dhuafa’s GM of Strategic Alliance and Advocacy, Arif Rahmadi Haryono, said that the presence of the THK Program for the Somali people is a form of humanity from the Indonesian people to others.
“The people of Indonesia and Somalia are brothers and sisters. Their hardships and crises have encouraged us to share with them. Assistance through the THK Program is a moment of added value. Not only is there a social and humanitarian element, but also a spiritual one,” he said in Jakarta, Friday (7/7/2023).
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Abdullahi Mohamed, Program Manager of Tadamun Social Society, explained that the process of distributing qurbani animals includes several stages. Namely, determining the breeder who will supply the sacrificial animals, identifying the beneficiaries, transporting the sacrificial animals to the slaughtering location, checking the animals for their suitability for consumption, slaughtering the animals according to Islamic procedures, transferring the meat packages to the distribution site, verifying the beneficiaries, and finally handing over the sacrificial meat.
At the distribution location, beneficiaries carrying vouchers are called in small numbers to maintain order and security. After showing the voucher to the distribution team to be exchanged for a package of meat. The elderly and pregnant women get priority, so they don’t have to wait long. The distribution took place at the evacuation site to reduce the distance the beneficiaries had to travel with the meat packages. This was done for safety and security reasons in line with TASS’ protection principles.
“The beneficiaries were very appreciative of this arrangement and expressed their happiness at the way the sport was handled. They are very grateful for the respect and humanity shown,” Ibrahim said.
He went on to mention that the distribution also targeted the poorest households from the four IDPS IDP camps of Jawaareey, Galool, Towsikaar and Kooraarr identified in participatory activities in consultation with local government authorities, traditional elders, religious leaders and IDP camp management committee members. The selection criteria used were based on the needs of the intended beneficiaries. Minority groups, women who are heads of households, people with disabilities and the elderly were given quotas to ensure that all aspects of the community in the camp were reached.
“Amidst the economic hardship and ongoing drought crisis in Somalia, particularly in Baydhabo, most of the population is deprived of basic needs including food. This location has a high population density,” Ibrahim explained.
After receiving rations for his family, Maadeey Nuur (68) expressed his gratitude to Dompet Dhuafa and Tadamun Social Society. He stated that he can now provide his family with proper food for a few days. After fleeing the Somali countryside a few months ago due to the effects of persistent drought, Maadeey had difficulty feeding her family of eight. He admits that he had difficulty gaining access to food, medical services, and water.
In the same place, Astur (72) expressed his relief at being able to access food to feed his family for the next few days. As experienced by other refugees, the struggle to access the basic needs of food, shelter and water has taken a heavy toll on the elderly like Astur. Astur’s family lost all their livestock, their only source of livelihood. This was caused by a severe drought and having to move to get help in refugee camps in Southwest Somalia. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text: Riza Muthohar
Photo: Tadamun Social Society
Editor: Dhika Prabowo