Children sit on the carpeted floor; drawing, playing with building blocks, and reading.
“I like drawing houses!”, says Sahra*, 10, as she sketches on paper using brightly coloured pencils. Sahra* regularly attends the local Child Friendly Space, a place where children can laugh, play and be themselves.
Right now, in Somalia where Sahra* lives, children are facing the threat of hunger.
“When I don’t eat something, I feel tired, and I don’t play so much”, explains Sahra*. She lives in a camp for people affected by conflict and climate change. It is becoming more difficult for families here to afford enough food because of rising global prices.
Save the Children supports families in Somalia with health services, schooling, Child Friendly Spaces and emergency cash to spend on food. Sahra’s* local health centre provides a special peanut paste for babies and children who need extra nutrients.
“After eating it, I get the energy to play my friends,” says Sahra*. The local health workers have inspired her career ambitions, “I want to be a doctor because I like to help people.”
There is a Save the Children supported health centre in the camp where Sahra* lives. The health centre provides medicine and healthcare for a range of illnesses, including malnutrition. Sahra* eats therapeutic peanut paste when she hasn’t had enough to eat. This can be eaten when a child has malnutrition. The health centre can refer patients to the main hospital for more advanced treatment, including if a child is suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).
Save the Children runs a Child Friendly Space in Sahra*s community. Children attend weekly play and learning sessions. The topics include drawing, reading and writing. The Child Friendly Space also has lots of toys, like skipping ropes, balls, and building blocks, so children can make friends and have fun.
Sahra* will soon attend the local school in the camp, which is supported by Save the Children. We provide school materials and support to teachers, including stipends. In addition, Save the Children has set up clean water systems within the camp. This ensures children and families can access clean drinking water.
Some families in the camp receive cash transfers from Save the Children. The transfers can be used to buy food and other essential items. This is particularly needed for families living in the camp. Many of whom have moved to the camp from other areas of Somalia, due drought killing their livestock or fleeing from conflict.
When we are at the Child Friendly Space we play with toys. We play skipping rope and seesawing. Those are the games I like most.
