Somalia Uprooted: Millions Affected (with Photos)

Amina Jamaa Hussein is one of the millions of displaced people in Somalia. She fled her home in Las Anod with her children and grandchildren after conflict broke out between Somaliland’s army and local clan militia. They left everything behind and settled in a camp for displaced people in Garowe, the capital of Puntland province. The camp is made up of shacks made of tarpaulins and corrugated iron, and the land is scorched due to a five-year drought. Displacement has become an elemental part of life in Somali society, with 3.8 million people displaced this year alone. Internal displacement is one of the main drivers behind the country’s fast urbanisation, with projections showing that the urban population will overtake the rural one by 2026. The effects of climate change have worsened the situation, with Somalia being one of the countries most vulnerable to its effects. Hospitality being one of the pillars of Somali culture, many displaced people find food and shelter with host communities, even as the local economy is under strain due to the prolonged drought.