Madiino Abdille still recalls the heavy rains and flooding that battered her home in Bardheere late in 2023.

“When the rain came, it washed away everything: our food, our mattresses, and my children’s school supplies. Our house could not protect us from the rainwater due to its poor roof conditions,” says the 43-year-old widow and a mother of five children. Her family was lucky enough to still be awake when the water began pouring in one night. She fled the flooding and has been living at Al-Baraka site in Bardheere for the past one year. As the sole breadwinner for her family of seven, Madiino takes on irregular casual labor jobs, such as washing clothes for local families, to provide for her family’s basic needs.

Madiino struggled to provide for her family and sometimes went days without earning any income due to limited movement during the rain or floods. She was among nearly 900 people enrolled in Bardheere for NoFYL’s cash voucher assistance. For Madiino and many others like her, the cash assistance couldn’t have come at a better time.

“When you have exhausted all avenues to support your family, and then, out of nowhere a miracle comes to you. That’s how I feel about the cash assistance I received from NoFYL. The best thing about it was that it was mobile money and you can use it for many purposes; you have the power to choose what you need most.”

Cash in hand, Madiino was able to purchase food items for her family, pay off debts and saved the remaining money. This cash assistance provided Madiino and her family with the opportunity to regain stability and restore dignity to their lives. Amid the deadly floods, cash assistance softened the blow.

In Somalia, humanitarian crisis such as flooding and drought often force people to leave their homes, leading to massive displacement. In particular, women and children face increased vulnerability during the displacement, as they might not have adequate shelter, privacy, or security. The climate change compounded the erosion of protection mechanisms and increase the vulnerability of women and girls to gender-based violence and harmful practices like child marriage. In temporary shelters, the risk of gender-based violence, including sexual exploitation and abuse is heightened. To mitigate the heightened risk of gender-based violence and child protection concerns, Northern Frontier Youth League (NoFYL), with support from Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF), provided cash voucher assistance (CVA) to 1,350 households in Bardheere and Deynille districts. NoFYL supports the most vulnerable IDPs with cash assistance – empowering them to address their essential needs.

In Bardheere, a total of 874 vulnerable individuals including, 500 women, 189 girls and 185 boys were provided with $130 as cash voucher assistance to help them meet their immediate and long-term needs. The cash vouchers offered immediate financial relief to vulnerable families, including those responsible for separated or unaccompanied children. This support enables caregivers to fulfill the essential needs of these children, ensuring access to food, shelter, clothing, and vital services like health care and psychosocial counselling services. Furthermore, cash vouchers play a vital role in expediting the reunification process for unaccompanied and separated children.

Usmaan Maxamed is a caretaker of 3 separated children from Garasley Camp in Bardheere. For Usmaan, the cash assistance was a lifeline he never expected but desperately needed.  

“I have been through so much with these children,” Usmaan Maxamed says, his gaze fixed on the youngest child. “It’s not easy for me to get a meal every day for the children,” says Usmaan, who survives on small jobs. “I used part of the cash distributed to buy food, so my family can have something to eat for the coming months. A weight had been lifted off my shoulder!” With the cash, Usmaan wasted no time in ensuring the children’s needs were met. He purchased food items that can last a month or two and some clothes for the children.

In Deynille, NoFYL supported 425 individuals including 250 women and 175 girls who have experienced gender-based violence to address their immediate and long-term needs. Each individual received $200 cash voucher assistance to meet their basic needs, access healthcare services, and legal services, and engage in income-generating activities, putting hope, choice, opportunity, and self-empowerment in the hands of the people we serve.

For Faadumo Abdiqadir, it was her first time receiving mobile money through Cash Voucher Assistance (CVA). This meant two important things; first, the ability to choose essentials with dignity and second, it meant that she could get medical supplies for her children.

“The cash voucher assistance came at the right time for me when I needed it most. When you do not have cash, it is exceedingly difficult to get what you want from the shop. Thanks to NoFYL, the cash assistance helped me buy school uniforms, shoes, shampoos, cleaning materials, vegetables and meat; everything we need to survive,” says Faadumo, who hails from Buwaadi site in Deynille. The rest of the money went to cover medical expenses.

Ruweyda faced a devastating loss when heavy rains wiped out nearly all of her livestock, leaving her without a means of income. This crisis put her family’s well-being at risk, as livestock was her primary source of livelihood. NoFYL stepped in with cash assistance, offering a vital support that helped Ruweyda navigate the challenging time.

“I can’t express how grateful I am for this support. The money given by NoFYL will help me set up a tea stall, which will allow me to earn an income and provide for my children. My goal is to save and reinvest in the livestock business so I can regain back my stability and continue to support my family.”

Timiro Muhumed, a mother of four from Bardheere also lost her livelihood to the floods. “With the cash voucher, I was able to buy seeds and tools to start a small vegetable garden. I am planning to use the vegetables at home and also take it to the market to sell.”

Photos: Beneficiaries of cash voucher Assistance in Bardheere & Deynille districts.