Over the past week the trend #TurkishAirlinesHelpSomalia had gone viral calling for the international population to bring attention to Somalia. Over the past decade Somalia has undergone an intense duration of droughts followed by famine. The condition in Somalia is considered one of the worst in the Horn Of Africa region. The condition has to death of 250,000 people and the displacement of millions as well. Because of the ongoing issues in Somalia, there are five million people in Somalia in the need of immediate attention. Thousands of Somalians have been entering the capital, Mogadishu, to check into feeding centers. The constant stream of citizens has overwhelmed local and international agencies who are trying to aid. The droughts and famines can also pose future threats to surrounding nations including Nigeria, and Yemen.
Countless celebrities have been paying tribute to Somalia by posting about the condition and raising awareness. The attention had begun by French Entrepreneur and Social Media Star, Jerome Jarre. Jarre started a campaign to bring goods to Somalia by asking Turkish Airlines. Turkish Airlines is one of the only companies who bring direct flights to Somalia. Co-star of Jarre on the movie Zoolanders 2, Ben Stiller, posted a video on Twitter asking Turkish Airlines to donate a plane and help the people in dire need. Jarre had also posted a video on his inspiration for the cause. Jarre claimed that talking with a volunteer in Somalia inspired him to begin his campaign to provide funding. Since then, Turkish Airlines has agreed to allow food containers to travel on commercial flights to be shipped to Somalia until the end of the famine. As more attention was brought to the issues in Somalia, a GoFundMe page was created leading to gaining one million dollars in under twenty four hours allowing to provide aid for Somalia. After the tweeting to Turkish Airlines it brought attention to Somalia from all over the world. The group is now working together with the “American Refugee Committee” a non-governmental team that is already on the ground.
Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback of the San Franicisco 49ers, has also brought attention to the condition in Somalia. Hours after the posting by Jarre, Kaepernick responded on Instagram by stating his willingness to help Somalia. Kaepernick stated “Mainstream media is not covering this! Make a video in your own language and help us get aid to the many people in Somalia who need it! Use the hashtag #TurkishAirlinesHelpSomalia and @TurkishAirlines . We can be the difference!”. Kaepernick urged viewers to support the cause and bring aid.
Humanitarian Efforts have also been made by countless countries and organizations to raise awareness to the world community. The United Nations Secretary General , Antonia Gutteres, is a consistent supporter of the Somalians. Gutteres has visited Somalia to bring attention and mobilize the international community. Gutteres has stated that “We need massive support from the International Community to avoid a repetition of the tragic events”. The Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan, is one of the first high profile leadersto visit Somalia and raise awareness for the current condition. The Turkish Government has agreed to send troops as well to fight the Al- Shabab militants. Turkey will join the fight to defeat Somalia’s al-Qaeda faction by building its largest ever military base abroad in the East African country. The country of Malaysia has also brought aid to Somalia by sending troops in the hope to avert the famine crisis in Somalia.
The drought is one of the first internal problems for newly elected president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. The country has been left in a fragile state due to the current conditions affecting the nation. While Somalia is a functioning state there is not complete control over the entire nation. There are vast areas where the militant group, al-Shahbab, has taken over and has remained active. Mohamed has asked for help to the international community and Somalia’s diaspora of two million for aid. As of right now, Somalia has over six million people in need of aid according to statistics. The government of Somalia has a concern that aid supplies could reach the wrong hands of militant groups like al-Shabab. Al-Shabab has tried to overthrow the Somalian Government for nearly a decade. The ongoing presence has made it difficult for aid to reach those locations. Resolutions to the drought are still trying to be carried through.
