A grandmother of seven was forced to walk for over 514 kilometers alongside her grandchildren in search of a better life.
In an interview with iNews, a UK publication, the grandmother, Barwako Shithe Lohos, revealed that she walked from her home in Saakow, Somalia, to Dadaab Refugee Camp, in the hope of securing food for herself and grandchildren aged 18 years and below.
She noted that the family embarked on the journey to escape the ravaging drought, the worst in four decades, that has afflicted war-torn Somalia.
Lohos revealed that her journey was also necessitated after the death of her daughter and son-in-law. Her livestock also died from the drought.
She noted that during their 12-day journey, the family of eight met good samaritans who offered them food during their intermittent journey breaks.
“When we lived in the village in Somalia, the children did not go to school because there were no schools. I decided to come to this camp in search of a better life.
“Living in this camp is hard; there is not enough water and food, and we don’t have shelter. After school, all of the children go to the market to beg for food. I sleep on the ground as I do not have a mattress," Lohos stated
According to the outlet, the eight family members are part of the over 90,000 new refugees expected at the camp by the end of 2023. For now, over 400 individuals arrive at the camp every day.
Dire Drought
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 40 years which has pushed over 20 million individuals in three countries - Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia - on the brink of starvation.
The drought is a cause of concern that saw the United States Government step in to help alleviate the suffering and accord affected families decent living.
In her Kenyan visit towards the end of February, US First Lady Jill Biden highlighted the plight of residents in drought-stricken areas left communities, arguing that the disaster left them with devastating consequences.
“As our world has become more connected, we have seen how hunger and violence, poverty and natural disasters, are not contained by borders.
“Our futures are woven together — and we must all come together to continue to help fight the effects of this historic drought,” Jill Biden pleaded on Sunday, February 26.
Two days later, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced Ksh16 billion to the affected families.
