MOGADISHU, Somalia – The cries of malnourished children echo through the wards of Banadir Hospital in Somalia’s capital. Among them was 1-year-old Maka’il Mohamed, whose tiny body struggled to survive. Despite desperate efforts by doctors, he succumbed to complications from severe hunger.
His father, Mohamed Ma’ow, stood in shock. “Are you certain? Did he really die?” he asked, unable to process the loss.
Maka’il’s tragic death reflects a worsening crisis in Somalia, where U.S. aid cuts are leaving thousands of children without life-saving support. Once the largest provider of foreign assistance, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded 65% of Somalia’s aid programs. Now, as funding disappears, nutrition centers are shutting down, and families are left helpless.
A Looming Catastrophe
Somalia has long battled food insecurity due to droughts and conflict, but the withdrawal of U.S. support has pushed the country toward disaster. Save the Children, a leading humanitarian organization, warns that 55,000 children could die by June as it closes 121 nutrition centers due to lack of funds.
Without intervention, 11% more children are expected to suffer from severe malnutrition compared to last year.
Why Is Aid Disappearing?
Under recent U.S. policy shifts, USAID’s funding for Somalia has drastically declined. While the State Department claims some programs will continue, aid workers say the future remains uncertain.
- CARE International estimates 4.6 million Somalis will face severe hunger by June—hundreds of thousands more than previously projected.
- UNICEF reports that 15% of Somali children are acutely malnourished, yet its partners can no longer provide essential therapeutic food.
- Alight Africa, a key nutrition provider, has closed multiple centers in Mogadishu, leading to preventable child deaths.
Families Left Without Hope
In displacement camps across Mogadishu, over 800,000 people struggle to survive. Many nutrition centers they relied on are now shuttered.
- Fadumo Ali Adawe, a mother of five, watches helplessly as her 3-year-old daughter wastes away. The nearby feeding center she depended on has closed.
- Mohamed Jama, a doctor at Banadir Hospital, says malnutrition cases have surged unexpectedly, even without a major drought or famine.
Empty Shelves, Broken Lives
Inside abandoned nutrition centers, empty food packets litter the ground. USAID posters still hang on the walls—a reminder of support that once was.
Somalia’s health system, already one of the world’s most fragile, is collapsing under the weight of these cuts. Without urgent action, more children like Maka’il will perish.
What Can Be Done?
The international community must step in to fill the gap left by U.S. aid reductions. Immediate funding is needed to:
- Reopen nutrition centers
- Provide therapeutic food for starving children
- Support healthcare workers whose salaries have been cut
For millions of Somalis, survival hangs in the balance. The time to act is now—before more innocent lives are lost.