Five-year-old Hassan (in red shirt) finds joy in playing with balloons and plastic toys at the Child-Friendly Space (CFS) in the Malkayo displacement camp in Baidoa. He has made new friends, including four-year-old Adan and five-year-old Mumad, who add to his laughter and playfulness.
“I learn new things every day,” says Hassan, full of smiles.
His family relocated from Ooflow village in February 2023. Hassan and his three-year-old sibling felt a sense of detachment from their previous village life. They desired the familiar play routines of running competitions and the freedom to openly interact with friends. The family left their village due to food scarcity caused by the loss of their herds during the Jilaal season (winter) of 2023. The floods that followed in November worsened the food access problems, leading to an unexciting life without play for children like Hassan in the camp.
To ensure their safety, Hassan’s mother, 27-year-old Isho, kept Hassan and his three-year-old brother Abdi indoors, fearing they might get lost or face harm from other children due to limited play spaces in the urban camps of Baidoa. This has made life harder for young children like Hassan, who feel like the camp is a prison.
Recognizing the threats children face during crises like floods and the importance of providing a recreational space, SOS Children’s Villages established a child-friendly area where children and their parents could engage in play and enhance their psychosocial well-being.
The Child-Friendly Space (CFS) in the Malkayo IDP camp, where Hassan and his family currently live, has a dedicated play teacher and offers a variety of activities – socialization, arts and craft, toys, and sports among others. The CFS has become a sanctuary for children like Hassan to play, while also providing his mother, Isho, with an outlet to cope with emotions and rebuild their lives.
“The child-friendly space has made our lives easier by giving our children a chance to play and learn,” shared Isho. “Hassan asks me to tell him stories when he comes home,” she adds.
Supported by funding from the British Embassy Mogadishu through the Caafimaad Plus Consortium, which consists of six humanitarian organizations including SOS, the child-friendly space (CFS) delivered customized essential services to meet the unique needs of children like Hassan. In the autumn of 2023, the British Embassy Mogadishu provided four million sterling pounds funding to the Caafimaad Plus Consortium, the largest health and nutrition consortium in Somalia, which offers life-saving emergency assistance to crisis-affected families.
Within the child friendly space, Group psychosocial support sessions are also organized for the parents of CFS attendees, covering topics such as coping strategies, positive parenting skills, and protection and safety strategies. More than 200 parents, including Isho discovered joy and practical guidance through these sessions. Some caregivers like Fadimo, Isho’s neighbor have found joy in the child-friendly space, using singing as a way to relieve the pressures they face.
With newfound hope, Fadimo now sees the need to educate her children. This is after realizing how quickly her four year old daughter Maryan is learning. “As a parent, I see the need to educate my childen despite the displacement. It’s not easy, but we’ll find ways to adapt and keep their learning journey going.” Said the 33 year old mother from Diinsoor.
Hassan’s learning, along with the testimonies of Isho and Fadimo, emphasizes the importance of having recreational spaces for families, even during crises like droughts and floods.
At the child-friendly space run by SOS Children’s Villages, you’ll find a lively atmosphere filled with noises of mothers singing, children clapping, and little ones sitting in circles for storytelling sessions. This special place is designed to help families affected by crises, ensuring that children stay safe and providing support for their emotional well-being.
According to a UNICEF report, children in Somalia experience alarming rates of recruitment, killings, abductions, rape, and other forms of sexual violence, making it one of the most critical situations on the children and armed conflict agenda. In response to some of these challenges, the child-friendly space will provide a haven where children can learn and find support, aiming to address these issues effectively.
