A Grandmother’s Fight Against Malnutrition
In the heart of Dollow, Gedo, the unrelenting drought and conflict have left many families struggling to survive. Among them is Dahabo Yalahow, a 54-year-old grandmother, who has been caring for her grandchildren while her daughter seeks medical support outside Dollow. The harsh conditions have taken a toll on her family, leaving them without a livelihood and a home. The most heartbreaking part for Dahabo was watching her grandchildren grow weaker each day, their tiny bodies ravaged by malnutrition and disease.
Dahabo, a participant in the EO Metterdaad project, with her grandchildren at a World Vision mobile clinic, receiving life-saving treatment for malnutrition through the program.
"I was helpless. I knew my grandchildren needed medical attention, and I had nothing to give them. No food, no medicine, and that made me worry a lot," Dahabo recalls.
For months, Dahabo searched for assistance, walking long distances under the scorching sun, only to return empty-handed. Her youngest grandchild, Ali, barely two and a half years old, had stopped eating. Fever, diarrhea, had weakened his body. Then came a turning point—World Vision’s mobile health team arrived in her community.
Through the Improved Well-being for Disaster-Affected Communities in Dollow project, funded by EO Metterdaad through World Vision Netherlands, World Vision Somalia has been providing life-saving healthcare and nutrition services to vulnerable families like Dahabo’s. The project focuses on integrated basic primary healthcare, nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), livelihoods and maternal and child health services—critical needs in drought-affected and conflict-ridden areas like Dollow.
Based in the Shilinka area near the outskirts of Xuansaley IDP camp, Dahabo’s grandchildren were immediately screened for malnutrition. The diagnosis was severe acute malnutrition (SAM). They were admitted to the Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTP), receiving ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) and medical care.
"The mobile team treated my grandchildren as if they were their own. They gave them Plumpy'Nut and medicine," Dahabo says.
Within weeks, Dahabo saw a transformation. Her grandchildren’s strength returned, their cries turned into laughter, and their sunken eyes regained their light. The mobile health team didn’t just stop at treatment; they trained her on proper nutrition and how to identify early signs of malnutrition.
"Now, I know how to protect my grandchildren. I check their arms for signs of malnutrition, and I make sure they eat what is good for them. I am not just a grandmother anymore—I am their first doctor," Dahabo proudly states.
Through World Vision’s health and nutrition intervention, mothers like Dahabo are finding hope amid hardship. The fight against malnutrition is far from over, but for Dahabo, this is more than just survival. It is a second chance at life.
World Vision mobile clinic team providing life-saving treatment for the community in Xuansaley IDP camp
"I thought I had lost everything, but today, I have my grandchildren back. And as long as they are alive and well, that’s everything to me," Dahabo says with gratitude.
Dollow faces severe health issues, with acute malnutrition prevalent due to insufficient food and milk intake, further aggravated by disease outbreaks and a lack of healthcare and WASH services. The situation has led to a spike in malnutrition cases, especially among children under five, exacerbated by the region's enduring drought that has severely limited access to clean water and sanitation facilities. This has resulted in the spread of diseases such as Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) and measles.
World Vision’s efforts in Dollow are providing essential services and support to the most vulnerable, ensuring that families like Dahabo’s can look forward to a brighter, healthier future.
Story by Ahmed Osman Ahmed Communications Coordinator, World Vision Somalia.