Hormuud Salaam Foundation ramps up Ramadan food aid for families, hospital and people with disabilities
MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Hormuud Salaam Foundation has launched an expanded round of Ramadan relief across Mogadishu, delivering food assistance to low-income families, mental health patients and people with disabilities as part of its 14th annual Iftar and Support Project. The foundation says this year’s campaign aims to reach more than 67,000 vulnerable people nationwide.
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The latest distributions spanned multiple sites and partner organizations:
- On Feb. 25, essential food supplies reached 60 low-income families supported by the SOHEEDA Association, which focuses on the education and development of underprivileged children.
- On Feb. 24, the foundation delivered food staples to Foorlanini Mental Health Hospital (formerly Ex-Lazaretti), which treats patients from across Somalia.
- Additional food parcels went to people with physical disabilities through a local coordination effort led by the SDI organization.
“Standing by the most vulnerable members of our community is both a social and a humanitarian duty,” said Abdirahman Ibrahim Elmi, deputy director of the Hormuud Salaam Foundation (HSF). He noted the support to SOHEEDA builds on a decade-long partnership that extends beyond the holy month, including year-round educational financing for the children of participating families.
SOHEEDA representatives, including Sultan Hassan Abdulle and the association’s founder, MP Yusuf Haile, thanked the foundation for sustained assistance. They said the annual Iftar support has been a lifeline for families the group serves, particularly as food prices and living costs strain household budgets ahead of Ramadan.
At Foorlanini Mental Health Hospital, HSF Chairman Abdullahi Nur Osman led a delegation that toured wards and met with staff to assess immediate needs. The donation — including flour, rice, oil and sugar — is intended to support meal provision for in-patients during the fasting month.
“These patients require both medical care and consistent nutritional support,” Osman said during the handover. “It is vital that we show them solidarity.”
Hospital director Dr. Mohamed Jafar Ali said the contribution would help bridge resource gaps at a facility that frequently receives patients referred from across the country. “This support significantly eases our current strain,” he said, adding that reliable supplies are essential to maintaining care and recovery plans.
The foundation also distributed food parcels to people with disabilities this week. Ahmed Mohamed Abdi of SDI, which coordinated the outreach, commended HSF’s visible role in amplifying services for marginalized groups. The disability-focused distributions are part of the foundation’s broader plan to reach patients, prisoners, refugees and people with special needs during Ramadan.
“Our commitment is to ensure that those facing the toughest circumstances are not forgotten,” said Rahmo Hussein Hirsi, HSF’s deputy director.
HSF said its Ramadan initiative complements longer-term investments in social protection and community resilience. Alongside emergency relief, the foundation supports education, health and livelihoods through grants and partnerships with civil society groups across Somalia.
Hormuud Salaam Foundation is the charitable arm of Hormuud Telecom and Salaam Somali Bank, and has emerged as one of the country’s most active corporate social responsibility actors, particularly in crisis response and recovery. This year’s Ramadan drive continues that effort, targeting thousands of families and institutions ahead of the holy month to stabilize food access and reduce hardship.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
