Health awareness saves lives in Somalia's Diinsoor

Written by Ahmed Abdi (New Ways Organization) and Jane Kiiru (OCHA)

“Now, we have a trusted neighbor who brings the clinic to our houses” – Feysal Abdow, an internally displaced woman in Diinsoor, Somalia.

In Diinsoor District, located in Somalia’s Bay Region, one woman is on a life-saving mission – one piece of information at a time.

In a district affected by drought, displacement, and limited access to health services, Fadumo Orey’s work has become a critical part of daily life.

Through a project funded by the OCHA-managed Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF) and implemented by New Ways Organization, Fadumo plays a key role in raising awareness and helping families access essential care.

“Awareness is the first step of the journey to healing,” Fadumo says.

There is a good reason for this.

Many communities in Diinsoor live far from health facilities, and preventable illnesses such as pneumonia, malaria, diarrhoea and malnutrition remain common, especially among children and pregnant women. Limited awareness of early warning signs often means families delay seeking care, increasing related risks.

Through regular visits to displacement sites and host communities, Fadumo provides practical health information to help families recognize illness early and seek timely treatment.

“I tell the mothers in my village that a clinic is only a building until you have the knowledge to walk through its doors,” she says. During her outreach, she teaches caregivers how to identify danger signs such as fever, rapid breathing, and weakness in children. She also shows families how to use color-coded nutrition tapes to monitor children’s nutritional status and seek support before conditions worsen. This early detection helps prevent severe malnutrition and improves recovery outcomes.

"Before the health mobilizers started visiting our village, many of us relied on rumors or traditional practices that weren’t always safe and reliable. Now, we have a trusted neighbor who brings the clinic to our houses. Fadumo doesn’t just give us medicine; she offers us the knowledge to prevent illness before it starts," says Feysal Abdow who lives in a nearby internal displacement camp where Fadumo does her routine awareness work – underscoring the importance of community-based outreach in improving access to life-saving services in crisis-affected areas.

Read Fadumo’s full story that highlights why sustained humanitarian support is a lifeline for many families and communities in Somalia's hard-to-reach areas: Health awareness saves lives in Somalia's Diinsoor | OCHA

Posted February 2026

Pooled Fund impact stories