(ERGO) – Kayf Mohamed Farah moved into a new two-bedroom house just outside Galkayo in central Somalia last week, putting to an end several years of displacement and uncertainty.
With 12 children, Kayf’s family fled Galadi in Ethiopia’s Somali region in 2015 after losing their entire herd of 180 animalsto the drought.
They were evicted four times over three years from different sites within Talo-ad IDP camp, and lived with constant anxiety.
She told Radio Ergo she felt relieved to move to a house in Garsoor resettlement village just outside town, withits own toilet, plenty of water and solar lights around for security.
“Monkeys used to enter the huts and steal our food. Our hut was made of plastic sheets and old clothes so it didn’t protect us from the rain. Floods even washed away our belongings and we spent nights out in the cold,” she said.
Kayf, who relies on the support of relatives in town, now plansto set up her own small business.
So far 202 displaced families have been given houses in Garsoor built by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and funded by the UN refugee agency, UNCHR.The plans are to house 1,000 families in total.
Najma Omar Nuur was displaced by drought from Odwaa on Somalia’s border with Ethiopia three years ago and settled in Bula-agon camp, six kilometres from Galkayo. They faced constant water scarcity as the areas had no borehole.
There were also constant threats of rape and sexual violence against women and girls living in the camp.
“I have experienced several attacks by rapists. Once atnight I was woken up by a man outside my hut shining a torch on me. I was lucky to escape,” Najma said.
Mudug administration donated the land for the resettlement of IDPs, according to Mudug governor, Ahmed Muse Nur.
He said told Radio Ergo that the families were selected from seven different IDP camps in Galkayo according to their needs and circumstances.
