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Transcript/ScriptSOMALIA EID DROUGHT
HEADLINE: Drought Forces Somali Livestock Farmers to Live in Camps for Displaced People
TEASER: Somalia is normally a top exporter of livestock to the Middle East, especially for this month’s annual festival of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast of sacrifice
PUBLISHED AT: Monday, 07/11/2022 at 4:12p
BYLINE: Mohamed Sheikh Nor
DATELINE: MOGADISHU
VIDEOGRAPHER: Mohamed Sheikh Nor
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Salem Solomon,
VIDEO SOURCE (S):
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TVX RADIOX
TRT: 2:40
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITORNOTES:))
((INTRO))
[[Somalia is normally a top exporter of livestock to the Middle East, especially during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. But a record drought in the Horn of Africa has wiped out millions of livestock, leaving Somali livestock farmers struggling — some forced to live in camps for displaced people. For VOA, Mohamed Sheikh Nor reports from Mogadishu, Somalia.]]
((NARRATOR))
In one of Somalia’s largest livestock markets, located just outside Mogadishu, sales have stagnated during one of the busiest times of the year — Eid al-Adha.
Muslims celebrate the holiday in July with three consecutive days of mass slaughtering. But this year prices are too high for many to buy an animal to celebrate the holiday.
Mohammed Abdi says he came here to buy a goat but cannot afford it.
((Mohamed Abdi, Customer (in Somali 14, Sec))
“Since I was among those who came to this market this morning to buy animals for Eid al-Adha, the things we planned and the prices we intended to buy something are quite different because the prices are higher than ours.”
((NARRATOR))
Experts blame inflation and a drought that has killed millions of animals in the Horn of Africa.
((NARRATOR))
Elsewhere, Marsheey Salasow waits with others to receive meat at a camp for internally displaced people.
The father of three — who also cares for his aging mother — used to own his own herd of livestock in the lower Shabelle region of Somalia.
((Marsheey Salasow, Displaced (in Somali 21 Sec)))
“I owned a herd of animals, but all of them died in the drought, and the drought has forced me to live in this IDP camp, and as you see today, I have nothing left of my belongings. Please help me.”
((NARRATOR))
The drought has had an impact on inflation, holiday activities and livestock sales and exports according to Hassan Isse, an adviser with Somalia’s Humanitarian Ministry.
((Hassan Isse, Humanitarian Ministry Adviser (in Somali 13, Sec))
“As a result of the drought, nearly 700,000 Somali animals, including camels, cows, and goats, died. They had lost their livestock, which provided them with an economic backbone, such as milk, so they had to move.”
((NARRATOR))
In his Eid al-Adha message to worshippers, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had this message to Somalis.
((Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Somali President (in Somali 13, Sec))
“I urge my Somali brothers; help your brothers who are in dire situations, help your neighbors, the poor and affected families, no matter how much or how little.”
((NARRATOR))
Marsheey Salasow and other Somali livestock farmers – who once had comfortable lives – now live in abject poverty and like many other Somalis, live with an uncertain future.
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