Fierce fighting occurred on the hospital grounds on Saturday and Sunday when the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) supported by African Union (AU) troops took over the SOS properties. In mid-August SOS had already transported the SOS families from Mogadishu to safe houses seven miles away because of fighting that damaged one family home. The security staff and gardener who remained on the premises at that time were evacuated as of Monday. One SOS employee was killed in the crossfire between TFG/AU troops and al-Shabaab forces as he reported for work after the forced evacuation. Friends say that he returned to SOS in the belief that the area had been secured. The body of the employee remains where he was killed on Monday morning despite pleas for recovery.

SOS Children’s Villages has operated continuously in East Africa for over 40 years, providing family-based homes to orphaned children, along with medical facilities and numerous programs to others in need. In September alone, SOS-Mogadishu assisted nearly 12,000 individuals, providing medical care to those affected by the severe drought, famine and civil war in Somalia. SOS has increased the capacity of schools to provide more children with a safe haven and meals during the day, and implemented a program that allows people to purchase food from local grocers despite severe inflation.

Our focus on helping children – the defenseless victims of these tragedies - regardless of politics or religion has allowed us to continue to serve those in greatest need. Please sponsor a child or village today and help to secure the future for a boy or girl.

Many generous individuals have sponsored SOS Children in Somalia, but child sponsors are urgently needed in Ethiopia and Kenya.