Drought in East Africa has affected particularly Somalia as well as Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Djibouti. To deliver humanitarian aid to regions with high famine-related child mortality the people of Turkey pooled in their efforts.
The IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, which has been carrying out relief activities in the region for 12 years, stepped up emergency aid activities to fight famine. The IHH aid teams in the country are delivering relief supplies to the needy in the capital Mogadishu and southern regions, while at the same time providing relief works at Dadaab camp in Kenya that houses 580,000 Somali refugees.
The IHH sent a 3000-ton cargo vessel to the region several weeks ago and is sending a second 6000-ton ship to Somalia. The ship has been loaded and will set sail from Mersin Port on 31 August for Mogadishu. Trucks full of aid supplies were donated from different parts of Turkey to fill the aid vessel.
The cargo contains food items, medicines, medical materials as well as two large boring machines to dig water wells with water shortages. There are also various materials onboard for local orphans whom are cared for by the IHH.
The 6000-ton aid vessel will leave Mersin Port and arrive in Mogadishu within 12-13 days sailing through the Suez Canal. As soon as the ship reaches Mogadishu the IHH teams in the country will swiftly deliver the relief supplies to the needy.