Qatar Charity (QC) has started distributing a shipment of dates weighing 150 tons to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Somalia, with the support from Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD).

The distribution took place in the presence of Mr. Abdul Aziz Osman Mohamed, Deputy Governor of Banader for Social Affairs, Mr. Abdur Rahman Mohamed Hussein, representative of the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), and Mr. Khalid Abdulla Alyafei, Director of the Emergency and Relief Department at Qatar Charity, in addition to QFFD’s urgent relief team that included Abdulaziz Al-Tamimi and Samer Franjieh.

Mr. Khalid Abdulla Alyafei, Director of the Emergency and Relief Department at Qatar Charity, thanked the government of Somalia, the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), and the Banader Regional Administration for their cooperation in carrying out this charity work. He indicated that the first distribution took place in the camp on the outskirts of the capital, and additional distributions are planned to be distributed in the next three months.

Alyafei added that during this period, nearly 150 tonnes of dates will be distributed to the IDPs in Somalia to alleviate their suffering and provide them with food support. He praised the efforts of the generous donors of Qatar in supporting the Somali people in these challenging circumstances.

Eng. Samer Franjieh, Deputy Director General for Risk and Compliance and Head of Urgent Relief at QFFD, noted that this is not the first project implemented by Qatar Charity in Somalia, as it has already financed other strategic projects in the country, including the Mogadishu-Afgoye and Mogadishu-Jawaher Road project. He indicated that QFFD has also supported many drought-affected families across Somalia, benefiting nearly 36,000 families.

Eng. Samer Franjieh thanked the Somali authorities for facilitating the distribution process and ensuring that aid reaches the deserving persons. He emphasized that the State of Qatar remains a strategic partner and a friendly country to Somalia and will continue its comprehensive support for the Somali people in this difficult period.

The Deputy Governor of Banader for Social Affairs, Mr. Abdul Aziz Osman Mohamed, expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the generous support provided by the State of Qatar to the Somali people. He indicated that this aid is part of the continuous cooperation between the two countries. He also emphasized the importance of strengthening this cooperation in the field of relief and development to address the challenges faced by the Somali people.

He praised Qatar Charity's roles, noting that it makes continuous efforts to support different segments of the Somali people, especially through orphan sponsorship programs. He stated that the number of orphans benefiting from these programs reached 22,000.

For his part, Mr. AbduR Rahman Mohamed Hussein, representative of SoDMA, said that QFFD and Qatar Charity are not only contributors to urgent relief efforts, but they are also loyal partners who work hard to find solutions to the obstacles and disasters facing communities. He thanked them for their firm commitment to delivering aid to many countries and communities in need of support.

Many Somali IDPs appreciated the efforts of Qatar Charity and QFFD in delivering humanitarian aid to them.

“This aid will help us provide food for our families,” said Habiba Abd Musa, an IDP from the Middle Shabelle region. "We are very grateful for this help, as it came at the right time," she added.

“This aid will contribute to alleviating our suffering,” said Lul Mohammed, an IDP from the Hiran Region. "We thank Qatar Charity and QFFD for this initiative, as it will help us overcome the difficulties we face,” she added.

It is worth mentioning that this distribution is part of the ongoing cooperation between Qatar and Somalia. Qatar has provided huge humanitarian aid to Somalia over the past years, including food, medical, and infrastructure aid.