Cusuba’s story: Turning the tide
When heavy rains inundated her neighbourhood in the Gedo Region of Hiiran, Somalia, in early 2024, destroying her family's food supplies and household items, 33-year-old Cusuba* and her six children were forced to flee. With no choice but to leave everything behind, Cusuba and her family sought refuge in the Towfiq Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, along with thousands of other families displaced by the rising waters.
With support from the Government of Canada through the Humanitarian Coalition, our member Oxfam Canada mobilized to address the urgent needs of flood-affected families in Hiiran. In partnership with the Zamzam Foundation, Oxfam Canada launched a Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) program for 1,000 families in two of the hardest-hit districts of the Gedo Region -- Beletweyne and Bardere.
In Beletweyne, 500 families, including Cusuba's, received two rounds of cash payments of CAD $100 per month. This immediate assistance enabled families to purchase food, water, and other essential supplies, providing them with much-needed relief in the wake of the disaster, helping her family survive the initial shock of the disaster and begin the process of recovery. The flexibility of cash assistance allowed people like Cusuba to choose what best suited their needs, from daily essentials to medical care, giving them a sense of agency in an otherwise desperate situation.
The flooding, which displaced more than 695,000 people across Somalia, left widespread destruction in its wake. The floods, caused by the El Niño rains, were among the worst the region had seen in years, sweeping away homes and livelihoods in their path. In Beletweyne, 20 lives were lost, roads and bridges were washed away, and essential goods became scarce as prices surged by 12 percent. In light of the floods, cash assistance was key in providing families like Cusuba's the flexibility to prioritize their immediate needs as they worked to rebuild their lives.
As communities continue to recover, the ongoing threat of further rains and the destruction of critical infrastructure highlight the need for sustained humanitarian assistance. For now, cash assistance has been a lifeline for families like Cusuba's, offering them a way to cope with the immediate aftermath of the disaster. The road to full recovery remains long, and continued support will be essential to help Somalia's flood-stricken communities rebuild and strengthen their resilience against future crises.
*Pseudonym