Somalia is facing a deepening, multi-sector humanitarian crisis driven by overlapping climatic shocks, disease outbreaks, and persistent conflict. Prolonged drought and poor seasonal rains have depressed agricultural production and livelihoods., At the same time, sudden flash and riverine flooding have damaged essential infrastructure. Combined with persistent insecurity, these shocks have led to significant internal displacement.
According to the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU,), between July and September 2025, around 624,000 people (3% of the population) were facing food insecurity marked by severe shortages and high levels of acute malnutrition (IPC Phase 4 Emergency), while more than 2.8 million (15%) were in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), meaning they could not meet basic food needs without harmful coping strategies.
To effectively and rapidly respond to different emerging shocks and ongoing humanitarian needs, the Somali Cash Consortium (SCC) of which Acted is a key partner, delivers Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) to crisis-affected households following alerts and rapid joint needs assessments. Funded by ECHO, the project is designed to alleviate the suffering of newly displaced households impacted by conflicts, droughts, flash and riverine floods, and other protracted crises/shocks across Somalia. Through flexible, timely cash support, the SCC enables vulnerable families to meet their urgent basic needs while restoring dignity and strengthening their capacity to cope with shocks.
To effectively and rapidly respond to different emerging shocks and ongoing humanitarian needs, the Somali Cash Consortium (SCC) of which Acted is a key partner, delivers Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) to crisis-affected households following alerts and rapid joint needs assessments. Funded by ECHO, the project is designed to alleviate the suffering of newly displaced households impacted by conflicts, droughts, flash and riverine floods, and other protracted crises/shocks across Somalia. Through flexible, timely cash support, the SCC enables vulnerable families to meet their urgent basic needs while restoring dignity and strengthening their capacity to cope with shocks.
Restoring hope: enabling displaced families in Afgoye to access basic services through MPCA
Afgoye District stands as a clear example of how overlapping shocks continue to disrupt lives. Surrounded by conflict prone villages, Afgoye receives large numbers of displaced families affected by recurrent conflict and drought. Throughout this year, several incidents of conflict occurred in the surrounding villages, exacerbating an already fragile situation and triggering major displacement into Afgoye. This created an urgent need for humanitarian support for the newly displaced families who flew from their homes.
In response, Acted, in partnership with the SCC, provided MPCA to 186 vulnerable households, with each family receiving three cycles of cash transfers over three months. The assistance specifically targeted newly displaced households, conflict-affected families, persons with disabilities, and woman-headed households.
Acted uses the Single Registration Form (SRF) tool for continuous registration of new arrivals at Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) sites. This on rolling-based registration enables Acted to respond to displaced households within 7 to 14 days (in line with the SCC guidelines), ensuring timely assistance by cross-checking beneficiary data in other interventions to avoid duplication and ensuring the equitable distribution of resources.
Fariah's journey
Fariah*, a 58-year-old mother, was among those forced to flee her home in Sabiib village, with her eight children (2 girls and 6 boys) after conflict, which caused the death of her husband, and drought took away all their livestock, the only source of their livelihood. Widowed and shouldering both parental roles for her children, she arrived at Awgedi IDP camp in February 2025 with nothing and was almost losing hope.
Having met the vulnerability-based targeting criteria and verified through the SRF tool, Fariah registered as one of the 186 households to receive three cycles of MPCA via mobile money in Acted’s emergency response program. Receiving $90 per month for three consecutive months, she could cover immediate household needs like food, water, and essentials, lifting her family out of extreme vulnerability.
Living in an IDP camp after fleeing conflict and losing all sources of income, Fariah faced daily struggles to provide for her eight children. When she received her first cash installment, she made a courageous and strategic decision: instead of using all the money for urgent needs, she invested part of it to start a small kiosk inside the camp—a dream she had once thought impossible amid displacement and uncertainty.
Fariah traveled to nearby Afgoye markets to buy affordable, high-demand items such as fresh vegetables, onions, tomatoes, cooking essentials, and basic household goods like soap, sugar, and detergents. These items were difficult for displaced families to access due to long distances, high transport costs, and insecurity. Back in the camp, she built a modest kiosk beside her shelter using wooden poles and plastic sheeting. It quickly became one of the few functioning shops in that section of the settlement, attracting neighbors—especially mothers and elderly residents—who valued the convenience.
As her customer base grew, Fariah reinvested a portion of her earnings to restock and diversify her goods. Within two months, her kiosk expanded from selling vegetables to a broader range of daily-use items, becoming a lively meeting point in the camp. The income from her business began to transform her family’s life: she could now prepare nutritious meals without relying on borrowed food, save small amounts each week, and buy school supplies and uniforms. For the first time since arriving in the camp, her children could return to school and regain a sense of normalcy.
Before the cash support, I felt trapped. Today, I woke up with purpose. My business feeds my children, pays for their school, and gives me hope for tomorrow
Fariah’s journey shows how MPCA can restore dignity and open real pathways to self-reliance, even in the harsh conditions of displacement. Through her determination and the timely support she received, she has become a source of inspiration for other women in the camp, many of whom now see that rebuilding their lives is possible despite the challenges of an IDP settlement.
With support from DG ECHO through the SCC, families like Fariah’s are not only meeting their basic needs but also gaining the means to rebuild their livelihoods and regain control over their futures.
*Names have been change for privacy purposes