Burhakaba, Somalia

A Mother’s Struggle

Before PASOS’s medical outreach teams arrived, life in Ay Dhurey IDP camp was a daily battle for Amina. She had fled drought and conflict from her rural home, traveling over dusty roads with her three young children. By the time she reached the camp, she had lost her small herd of goats, the crops she once depended on, and the community support system that used to sustain her. But what frightened her most was the constant sickness of her children. Without access to clean water, they suffered from repeated bouts of diarrhea. During the cold nights, coughs turned into chest infections, leaving her youngest son weak and struggling to breathe. Amina could not afford transport to the health facility in Burhakaba town, and even if she could, the cost of medicines was far beyond her means.

“I felt powerless,” she remembers. “Every time my child had a fever, I thought I might lose him. I could only pray.”

The Turning Point

Everything began to change in March 2025 when Amina heard that a medical outreach team was coming to Ay Dhurey IDP camp. The team, organized by PASOS under the (SOMJR) project funded by DRA through World Vision, arrived early in the morning with doctors, nurses, and community health workers carrying medical supplies, screening tools, and medicines.

For Amina, this was the first time healthcare had come so close to her family. She no longer needed to walk hours in the scorching sun or worry about being turned away at an overcrowded facility. That day, she brought all three of her children to the outreach site.

Her youngest was examined and diagnosed with acute respiratory infection and signs of early malnutrition. The team provided antibiotics and nutrition supplements immediately. A MUAC screening confirmed that he was at risk, and he was enrolled for follow-up. Another of her children, who had persistent diarrhea, was given rehydration salts, and Amina received health counseling on safe water handling and hygiene practices.

“I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders,” Amina recalls. “The medicines were given for free, everything was explained to me in simple words, and they told me how to care for my children at home. For the first time, I felt hope.”

The PASOS outreach did more than treat illnesses. It educated Amina on how to recognize danger signs in children, how to prevent malnutrition at home, and where to seek help in case of emergencies. This knowledge gave her confidence to care for her family even when the outreach teams were not around.

The Change in Daily Life

Weeks after the first outreach, Amina began to notice remarkable changes in her children. Her youngest son, once weak and lethargic, started playing again with other children in the camp. The constant fevers and coughs that had haunted their nights grew less frequent, and his appetite slowly returned. The nutrition supplements given by the PASOS team made him stronger, while the advice on feeding practices helped Amina use whatever food she could access more effectively.

Her daughter, who had struggled with diarrhea, also improved after treatment and health counseling. Amina followed the hygiene advice she received, treating water before drinking, washing hands more regularly, and keeping utensils clean. Simple practices that had once seemed impossible to manage in the harsh camp environment became part of her daily routine.

But perhaps the most profound change was in Amina herself. “I feel like I have knowledge now,” she says proudly. “Before, I only prayed for my children to get better. Now I can do something to protect them. I can prevent sickness instead of waiting for it to get worse.”

The outreach program gave her more than medicine; it gave her confidence and dignity as a mother. It showed her that even in the difficult environment of Ay Dhurey camp, with its crowded shelters and scarce resources, she could still safeguard her children’s future.

Today, Amina speaks with a renewed sense of hope. While life in Ay Dhurey IDP camp remains difficult, she no longer feels abandoned in the face of sickness. Each month, when PASOS medical outreach teams arrive, she joins other mothers with her children, knowing that her family will continue receiving care and monitoring.

The follow-up visits reassure her that her youngest son’s health is steadily improving. The MUAC screening has become a routine she looks forward to, as it tells her whether her children are safe from malnutrition. Beyond her own family, she has become a source of encouragement to other mothers in the camp, often reminding them about hygiene practices or urging them to attend the outreach sessions.

“I know the drought took away my animals and my land,” Amina reflects, “but thanks to PASOS, it did not take away my children’s future.”

Her story is just one among hundreds in Ay Dhurey and beyond. By bringing healthcare directly into vulnerable communities, PASOS is not only saving lives but also restoring dignity, knowledge, and resilience among families like Amina’s. Through the SOMJR Project, hope is being rebuilt one outreach, one child, and one mother at a time.