The intensifying global climate crisis is hitting Somalia hard—disrupting ecosystems, displacing communities, and threatening both human and animal life. What was once a sustainable way of life in many regions is now vanishing under the weight of environmental collapse.
In central Somalia’s Mudug region, two ancient villages—Kulub and Dhinowda—stand as tragic examples of what climate change can do to the land and its people. Once thriving hubs sustained by pastoralism and the nearby sea, these villages are now being consumed by encroaching sand dunes.
A Disappearing Landscape
Kulub and Dhinowda were places of balance—where families depended on livestock and fishing, children attended local schools, and the community flourished. But over recent years, strong winds and shifting sands have gradually buried homes, trees, and buildings that stood for decades.
What remains today are ghostly outlines of what used to be. Homes lie abandoned, their windows and doors choked with sand. The village primary school, once filled with 125 students, now sees only 25 showing up—most classrooms unusable due to overnight sand accumulation.
Essential Services Lost
The community’s Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Center has been forced to shut down, leaving families without critical healthcare. Without proper evacuation planning or support, most residents fled early—some to nearby towns, others retreating to rural areas in search of pasture.
The next generation faces an uncertain future. Education is out of reach for many, and with families struggling to recover from repeated droughts, youth are increasingly pressured to leave school behind—some to help care for livestock, others looking toward migration as their only option.
A Warning—and a Call to Action
Kulub and Dhinowda are not just villages lost to the sands. They are stark reminders of the human cost of climate change. But they are also a call to action.
We must act now to:
- Protect and rehabilitate grasslands and forests
- Promote reforestation and sand dune stabilization
- Support vulnerable communities with adaptation tools and resources
The future of Somalia’s environment—and its people—depends on urgent climate action. By restoring the land and empowering communities, there is still hope to reclaim what has been lost.
📽 Watch the full video to witness this unfolding crisis and the voices of those affected.
🎥 Video Produced by: Saed Faisal
Multimedia Consultant, USAID Somalia 2024 Award Winner
CEO of Alool / Contributor at Green Media Initiative (GMI)
