Project Focus: Strengthening Resilience and Food Security for Displaced and Vulnerable Children and Their Families in the Afgoye Corridor, Mogadishu
In the harsh, densely populated IDP settlements of the Afgoye Corridor, life is a daily battle for survival. For families like Makka Abukar Ahmed’s, the interlocking crises of conflict, displacement, and drought have created a relentless cycle of vulnerability. Yet, in the heart of Kaafi IDP Camp, a thread of resilience is being woven, thanks to targeted nutritional support.
The Face of Desperation: Makka Abukar Ahmed
Makka Abukar Ahmed is just 28 years but her life has already been marked by extraordinary loss and hardship. A mother of six and seven months pregnant with her seventh child, she is the sole anchor for her large fractured family.
Three years ago, conflict forced her family to flee their home in the Marka district of lower Shabelle region-Somalia landing them in the unforgiving environment of Kaafi IDP Camp in Kahda district of Mogadishu. Her initial trauma was compounded when her first husband, the father of five of her children was tragically killed in crossfire in Mogadishu. Today, she faces the devastating reality of abandonment; the father of her youngest child has vanished, leaving her pregnant and penniless.
“I pray every day to keep my children safe but when I look at their faces, I worry most about their hunger. I am the only one they have and carrying my baby while trying to feed six others is a burden that crushes my heart,” Makka Abukar shared during her initial screening.
With no family income, Makka Abukar’s family of six (soon to be seven) relies entirely on the irregular assistance of neighbors and aid organizations. They were among the most vulnerable households in the entire camp.
The Turning Point: Timely Intervention
During the DBG team’s rigorous house-to-house screening for Malnourished Children under 5, the team, alongside local elders approached Makka Abukar’s simple shelter. They assessed her young daughter, Maida and confirmed the mother’s worst fears: Maida was suffering from Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) with a Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) reading of 12.4 cm.
Given the family’s extreme socioeconomic vulnerability—a widowed, pregnant, female-headed household with five orphans—Maida’s enrollment in the DBG Nutritional Support Program was immediate and critical. The support included high-value, nutrient-dense food rations and essential health education from the DBG field staff.
The Evidence of Resilience
The true impact of donor support became visible during the routine follow-up visit just weeks after the first distribution cycle. The DBG field team found a measurable and immediate improvement in Maida’s condition.
Maida’s MUAC reading had increased from 12.4cm to 13.3cm moving her out of the MAM category and firmly back into a healthy nutritional status. This dramatic positive shift is a direct outcome of the targeted nutritional package and the essential health and hygiene awareness provided by the DBG team.
Seeing her daughter look stronger and play with spanking energy brought a wave of relief to Makka Abukar who is preparing for childbirth in the hardest of circumstances.
“When the food came, it was not just food for Maida, it was life for my whole house. Now, my baby is smiling and the color is returning to her cheeks. The DBG staff taught me how to use every grain of the support to make her strong. This relief that Maida will be healthy for the next few weeks, is the greatest gift. It gives me strength to keep going for all my children,” Makka Abukar said, her eyes shining.
The Appeal for Sustained Impact
Maida’s journey is not yet complete. To ensure her full, sustained recovery and safeguard her against relapsing into malnutrition, she is scheduled to receive the second essential support cycle in early January 2026.
DB| through Gesunde Africa support not only provided a vital lifeline for Maida but also stabilized the most vulnerable household in the camp, strengthening the resilience of Makka Abukar and her six children during her most critical stage of pregnancy. Continuing this vital program is essential to secure the futures of children like Maida, protecting the most vulnerable residents of the Afgoye Corridor.