A gift of Livelihoood
In the vast land of Sheer-Dheer, 16 kilometers away from Garbodadar district, five goats are grazing, oblivious of the hot blazing sun and the clear bright skies. Halimo Mohamed Mousse, the owner of the goats, watches in admiration as the goats graze on the expansive land. The goats are a gift she received from World Vision.
To her, this is not just a gift, but also her lifeline. The goats’ mean so more to her than just livestock. She has had no livestock that she can call her own and so like children who need to be nurtured and cared for, that’s how she takes care of her goats.
Through the interventions of Irish Aid; mobile health care, cash transfer and restocking activities are being implemented. Halimo was among the beneficiaries of the unconditional cash transfer and goat restocking.
“I have no livestock except these goats, provided by World Vision. I love them and so I have to take care of them very well until they deliver,” she happily states.
Halimo, guarding her goatsas they graze. The goats are her only source of livelihood.
She further states that, “when the goats deliver, my children will get milk and they will be healthy with no malnutrition.”
She also received unconditional cash, amounting to USD 220, that she used to buy basic needs for her family.
“With the money, I bought food like rice, sugar, wheat and milk for my family”
As the sole provider for her family, Halimo is grateful for this help. Her husband is unemployed and she has been depending on her relatives for support.
“At times, I would work for my relatives, to get some money to feed my family. Other times they would give me some little food and milk to share with my children,” she says.
Due to lack of food, her youngest son became malnourished.
“Mobile community nutrition workers came to us and they screened my son and found that he was malnourished. He was too weak to take anything, so they took him to the World Vision health centre in Garbodada for treatment.”
Her son is now recovered and is a happy and playful child as he should be.
Story By:
Abdirahman Abdilahi Muse
WASH Communications Coordinator