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| Msgr. Bertin, Bishop of Djibouti and Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu |
The Catholic Church through Caritas Somalia, for the last two years, in partnership with a local NGO called WAANO, is working for the improvement of nutrition among the people of Lower-Shabelle Region.
According to report sent to AMECEA Online News by Msgr. Giorgio Bertin, O.F.M. Bishop of Djibouti and Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu; many international NGOs and UN bodies such as WHO, UNICEF and relief and health agencies from Turkey provide short term humanitarian emergency aid which is basically limited to Mogadishu city which is controlled by the Federal Government of Somalia; but Caritas has ventured to render its services beyond the city of Mogadishu.
The purpose of this project is to reduce the morbidity and mortality arising from lack of or limited access to nutrition, basic health, and promote services for children aged below five and the general community within the targeted areas.
The objective of the project is to feed, support and manage malnourished children under the age of 5 years and the general community within the targeted areas.
According to the report published by Agencia Fideson 31st January, 2015; more than 38,000 Somali children are at serious risk of starvation in the Country which continues to be battered by war.
“Statistics, based on the latest UN figures, reveals that after three years of severe drought and armed conflict, more than a quarter of a million of the population have died due to the consequences of famine in the Horn of Africa. In total, more than 731 000 people, including 203 000 severely malnourished children, live in conditions of acute food insecurity, according to a joint study carried out by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit of the United Nations (FSNAU) and the US-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET),” Agencia Fides reported.
Bishop Bertin still maintains that he has an intention of reviving the presence of the Catholic Church in the country once security is assured. His last visit to Mogadishu was in June 2014.
“At Christmas I could not go, so I sent one of my priests to the airport of Mogadishu to celebrate Mass for the expatriates there (mainly Italian soldiers),” he said adding that “The only celebration was at the airport for that the priest who went to Mogadishu could not go out of the airport.”
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News Reporter