Save the Children

6 month old Hoda's family were nomadic pastoralists with around 80 goats, until drought came and they lost all but seven goats. Having lost their livelihood, they moved to an Internally Displaced Person's camp on the outskirts of Gardo, where they live in a shelter made of scraps of metal and wood.

Hoda's mother, Shukri brought Hoda to the stabilisation centre in November after she became very weak due to vomiting, fever and diarrhoea. There she was given antibiotics and therapeutic milk, and recovered and gained her strength again over the course of her 10 day stay.

Shukri says “Before, life was much better than in the town, we had around 80 goats and we sold or ate them when we needed something. Now we’re in a desperate situation, and we depend on the help of neighbours. If I could have stayed and had my animals I would have, but I have to accept the situation. We don’t have a stable source of income. Everyday I go to town to see what I can do, if I can wash clothes etc. My husband is jobless.  I wouldn’t want to think about death, but if Hoda hadn’t come to the stabilisation centre she wouldn’t be the same as she is now, she wouldn’t be happy. You can understand, I was very worried and didn’t know what would happen. I’m very happy now to see her well again.”

“I want to tell Save the Children that without this service, a lot of people would not be alive today. I want to encourage them to carry on supporting it.”