Somalia: Sitting down with Somali nomads

Director’s Note: I went out on a week-long trip to chat with Somali nomads on livelihood and any substandard living conditions. I was interested in joining a new programme ‘Reporter and the News’, and funded by Puntland Development Research Center (PDRC). So what has impressed me much about the modern lifestyle of Somali pastoralists nowadays? Did I see mobile health and schools? But the rare glimpse inside life is never told here.

I found the beautiful nature surrounding villages of Kalabayr, Remanti, Awr-Ulus, Qaf-qaris and Yombays so daisy, something I couldn’t predict. In some areas, people complain of lack of mobile health, veterinarian services and shortage of water as well.

Large amounts of vegetation that seemed untouched natural beauty covered tracts of land. You can’t drive over these, you may get busted by young men, locally known as ‘vigilantes’. There was some law reinforcement and you will end up before a court if you are caught red-handedly for degrading environment.

Having reeled under devastating cyclonic storm, pastoralists have a lot to share now and they couldn’t bow to charcoal profiteers; a good yet voluntary endeavor to preserve Somalia’s hidden treasure, just a country belted by spectacular pageant.

Health Services

Access to potable water is still a worry for rural communities. Limited health personnel is another burden, and nomads have called on Puntland government to give much attention to their plight.

Elders who traditionally play a vital role in decision-making process in remote rural areas want that new health centres be constructed and nurses and midwives be dispatched very soon.

They are dependent on farm animals- cattle, camels and goats- for their livelihood. Apart from search of pasture and watering holes, nomadic communities are up in arms over a strange disease that affected camels most.

Facebook

This exposes how far Somali nomads have gone with the new technology [From the possession of smartphone to the introduction of third generation]. I saw a male herder with a smart phone, his waists were wrapped with sarong (Macawis) but he was sharing something of heedful.

When questioned on his interests in facebook, he replied: “I closely follow the latest events, I have friends and relatives abroad…More recently, when two female camels gave birth, I snapped them and sent the photos to my brother”.

Besides, i felt a departure from traditional wedding ceremonies. Sofas were in portable houses of nomads somewhere in Nugal region of northeastern Somalia.

Special thanks go to Puntland Development Research Center (PDRC) for sponsoring the key journalistic exercise. It is worth continuity as many are keen on divulging stories kept in rarity.

Ahmed Awil Jama, Radio Garowe Director has contributed to this report.

Garowe Online is the online sister publication of Radio Garowe.