Football - or soccer in the U.S. - is far and away the most popular sport in Somalia, and in Yemen, too. So when we asked young Yemeni refugees what sport they'd like to play more of, let's just say we weren't exactly surprised... In all 40 of the schools where ARC works throughout Mogadishu, Yemeni boys said, "MORE soccer, please!" We wanted to do something not just to spark more play, but to keep the ball rolling. "We gave the students resources to start their own clubs," said Mohamud from the ARC team. "More than anything else, these boys like taking time outside of school to play in competitive football matches. Now they can do that." Practice makes perfect, and playing more often helps these kids hone their skills - and perhaps become talented players. These sporting opportunities are new to many of the schools. But they're already helping kids stay in shape, and be more engaged in both schoolwork and daily life. “I like playing football with my classmates and … [Read more...] about Go for the Goal
In Somalia
Traditions of Home
Feeling tied to your culture is important for anyone. But it's especially important for refugees who are separated physically by their homes - cultural traditions are sometimes the last ties that bind them to something comfortingly familiar. Yemeni refugee families living in Mogadishu feel that loss acutely. Mogadishu hosts over 7,000 of them who have fled from Yemen since 2015. For parents, it's especially important for their kids to celebrate the culture of home. We wanted to do something to help them come together, and do just that. We hosted a Yemeni Cultural Day event, bringing together primary and secondary students and their families, helping everyone reconnect with one another after fleeing to Mogadishu. Both parents and students performed in costumes with props, and cooked up different traditional foods, and filling the hall with the smells of home. "Today I took part in a mini theater play and really liked," said Fatima. "I got chance to interact with other … [Read more...] about Traditions of Home
Generation to Generation
Who doesn't love mom's cooking? When we chatted with Yemeni refugees in Mogadishu, they talked about how many moms are such fantastic cooks, but they had no formal way of sharing their skills with the younger generation. The ARC team in Mogadishu had an idea...combine forces with Yemeni moms, leveraging their superpower fishing skills to host a friendly fish cooking competition for youth! And host a party to taste the goods afterwards, of course. Refugee secondary students, plus half a dozen refugee kids attending Mogadishu Marine Academy, learned different ways to filet, cook, and prepare fish! "Today I have cooked fish in three different methods," says Khadija Yasir, a second-year high school student. "The activity made me realize that my ability in fish cooking is good – but I still need to practice more at home." This change made possible by the Margaret and Jennifer Kress Foundation, Inc. … [Read more...] about Generation to Generation
Slam Dunk
Since 2015, tens of thousands of Yemeni refugees have made a home in Mogadishu, Somalia, seeking refuge from the civil war. Many are school aged children with their families, hoping to pick up where their education left off. Our team works with these Yemeni students to place them successfully in Somali schools, and we offer after-school programs to help them build community and ease their transition to Somalia. Sports are such a unifying thing - no matter who you are or where you're from, love of the game brings everyone together. Playtime is important for both boys and girls. But some parents tend to encourage only their sons to play. So many of these kids love basketball. So, we thought, why not host a tournament, just for Yemeni girls? Playing basketball and staying active has so many benefits, especially for girls. It can be a boost in confidence and self-esteem, playing on a team and finding something that you're good at. It's a great way to socialize, to stay fit, and to … [Read more...] about Slam Dunk
Neighbor to Neighbor
Today is our last day in Annayo, the farming community that's doing their best to rebuild after years of devastating drought. Despite the hardships they face, they're optimistic. They have so many ideas for how to make things better, day by day. To wrap things up, and thank the community for an amazing month together, we got gathered everyone for a meal - a time to relax, take a load off, and enjoy each other's company. Farmers sat beside security guards, who sat beside local council members, who sat beside reporters from the media, documenting the changes made. The meal was delicious - goat meat, rice, pasta, vegetables, and spices. A feeling of contentment settled in, as hearts and tummies were filled. "This is the first time an NGO has actually come and helped the community," said Issa from the local town council. "We are so humbled by the support and grateful for all that you have come and done in our community." The positive change that's happened over the … [Read more...] about Neighbor to Neighbor
Make Tracks
Any farmer can tell you about the two busiest parts of the year — planting and harvesting. The upcoming rainy season is on everybody's mind in Annayo, as they get everything prepped and ready to plant. While the tools we provided are helpful, using them to prepare the land is highly labor intensive. Progress depends on how many people they have on hand to pitch in. What's the next best thing to having all hands on deck? The right machinery to do the job for you. We set up a tractor-share system so that they can rent out the tractor to prep their fields for planting. Sharing the machine is an efficient way for resources to go farther - and get to more farms. "We have many things to support on our teams, about 50 sheep and goats and 10 camels as well as fruit trees and crops," said Osman Adan Noor. "We will need to plant new crops like carrots, onions and tomatoes soon. Tractor hours would be so helpful in this process." This change made possible by Mankind is My … [Read more...] about Make Tracks
Bah-lieve in Change
It’s hard to overstate the value that people place on their animals, pet or livestock. The farmers in Annayo are no different - they depend on the work their animals do, whether it’s the guard dog, or the milk-producing camel. We wanted to honor this relationship and and add a few more to the community...starting with sheep! They're such a low-maintenance and resilient animal, part and parcel to the daily lives of Annayo's farmers. The community was so grateful for this effort, underlining how it helped them gain back some of that sense of security they lost in the most recent drought. "My husband is the head of our household but he is sick right now, so I am managing the farm," said Maryan Ahmed. "We previously had many livestock, but lost most of them during the drought. Restocking our lost livestock is such a help to our farm and our livelihood." Today's change made possible by Mankind is My Business. … [Read more...] about Bah-lieve in Change
Precious Cargo
Goats are precious cargo. They offer stability, food, a livelihood, and so much more. Farmers in Annayo rely on them, if not for meat and milk, then to sell their offspring to earn enough money to send their children to school. The farmers in Annayo continue to feel the effects of the devastating 2017 drought, when they lost many livestock, including goats. We weren’t able to get all of the farms enough goats the first time around, so today, we decided to get these hardworking farmers some more! "Many of our livestock have died because of drought cause by climate change," said Adnan Gahayr Farah, "and this isn't something that previously used to happen. I once had many more goats and now I only have five. Restocking our livestock will be such great help for my family." This change made possible by Mankind is My Business. … [Read more...] about Precious Cargo
Getting Where We Need To Go
Pipe extensions will help the farmers of Annayo transport water from one end of their farm to the other, but it won’t get the water to the nooks and crannies that it needs to. We heard farmers talk about the need for irrigation systems that go the distance, but that are pliable, too. So we decided to help them get both! Today, we’ve gotten them soft, bendable pipes. They can attach these to the 100 and 200-meter pipes and reach any and all of the places they need to water. "One of our biggest problems is having long enough pipes that can reach all of our trees," said Mohammed Mahdi, "and we risk losing some of them because we can’t get enough water to them." Having not only enough pipe length, but the flexibility to get the water where it needs to go, will ensure that farmers like Mohammed can save their trees - and help them bear fruit. This change made possible by Mankind is My Business. … [Read more...] about Getting Where We Need To Go
Saving the Soil
One of the hidden impacts of climate change is erosion, the farmers in Annayo told us. They're worried about how increased erosion on their farms might impact them in the future - especially farmers with orchards. For those farmers, erosion can mean wiping out 50 year old trees that are producing hundreds of fruit, providing shade, and supporting their livelihood. "Because of the floods, my whole farm is at risk and my trees especially are at risk of washing away," said Hinda Emli. "I would love if I could get support to stop erosion." To help tackle this problem, we provided vouchers that farmers would be able to use to rent tractors that can be used to combat problems of erosion! The tractors can manipulate the soil in ways that help mitigate the impact of the shifting soil. It won’t solve all of their problems, but it’s a small way to prevent what we can! This change made possible by Mankind is My Business. … [Read more...] about Saving the Soil