Somalia - Prolonged conflict and food insecurity has severely affected the lives of many families in southern Somalia’s newly liberated Bay region in the past one year. Massive displacements have taken place in most neighbouring villages and districts.

Since March 2014 military operations between Somali Government and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops, and Al Shabaab militia, have been ongoing. Between March and August 2014, a total of 1,780 displaced families arrived in Baidoa in search of assistance.

Baidoa town is the capital of the region and has a large number of internally displaced people (IDPs) living in 77 settlements. It is also one of the main areas of return, with a large number of voluntary and forced returnees opting to go there.

Schools are under pressure due to the new arrivals and in January 2015, IOM handed over school equipment, including desks, to serve 360 students at the Baidoa Primary and Secondary School. This is a free learning institution run by the community to cater for the educational needs of children who are mainly orphans or from vulnerable families.

The school raised its concerns about the lack of desks and benches during a visit by IOM, in October 2014. The visit was part of an IOM information campaign to discourage irregular migration funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security.

The furniture was made by 25 young people who are currently training as carpenters in a Baidoa town-based project funded by the Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) and implemented by IOM and a local partner – Rural Education and Agriculture Organization (READO). Some 206 displaced young people are currently benefiting from the scheme. The materials were paid for by the Japanese Government.

For more information, please contact

Abdirahman Ahmed Mohamed

IOM Somalia

Tel +254 726410202

Email: abdimohamed@iom.int