Community and civil society organisations
Somali Red Crescent Society (Bisha Cas): what it does
The Somali Red Crescent Society was founded in April 1963 and is Somalia's national Red Crescent society. It runs clinics and mobile health teams, the Keysaney hospital in Mogadishu, rehabilitation centres and disaster response. It reports serving almost 1.5 million people through its clinics in 2024.
What it is
The Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS, in Somali Bisha Cas) was founded in April 1963 and became a legal body under Presidential Decree No. 187 in 1965. The IFRC describes it as an independent, non-political national humanitarian organisation (IFRC case study). It is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and works across Somalia and Somaliland (Wikipedia).
What it reports doing
The SRCS annual report for 2024 lists these programmes (SRCS annual report 2024):
- Primary health care: which it calls its flagship programme. In 2024 it reports serving 1,477,502 people through its clinics and mobile health teams, 90% of its target. Of these, 664,876 were children under five.
- Mother and child health: antenatal care, deliveries, nutrition for children and mothers, and immunisation.
- Keysaney hospital: its war-wounded and fistula hospital in Mogadishu.
- Physical rehabilitation: centres in Mogadishu, Hargeisa and Galkayo.
- Disasters: flood response, cash help and hygiene campaigns, with emergency funds from the IFRC.
Earlier reports give 57 fixed and 15 mobile clinics in 2019, and 65 fixed and 35 mobile clinics in 2023 (SRCS annual report 2019; SRCS annual report 2023).
Who leads it
Dr Ahmed Mohamed Hassan was president of the SRCS for 43 years until he died in July 2018 (Wikipedia). The 2018 and 2019 annual reports name Yusuf Hassan Mohamed as president (SRCS annual report 2019). The 2024 report says its general assembly extended the terms of the president, vice president and executive committee for another four years (SRCS annual report 2024).
Partners
The 2024 report thanks the ICRC, the IFRC, the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization, the Red Cross societies of Norway, Germany, Britain, Finland, Canada, Iceland and Denmark, the Turkish, Kuwaiti and Qatar Red Crescents, and Hormuud Telecom (SRCS annual report 2024). See also the ICRC in Somalia.
The money
OCHA's Financial Tracking Service (FTS) records humanitarian funding that donors and agencies report to it. It is not the whole budget of an organisation, and recent years are still being filled in. FTS lists these amounts received by the Somali Red Crescent Society itself for work in Somalia (OCHA FTS):
| Year | Humanitarian funding recorded (US$) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | US$269,951 |
| 2025 | none recorded |
| 2026, to November | none recorded |
The same figures for 212 organisations are on this site's aid funding list.
Most money for its work reaches it through partner Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, which FTS lists under their own names, such as the Norwegian Red Cross (OCHA FTS).
Sources
- IFRC case study · ifrc.org
- Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
- SRCS annual report 2024 · data-api.ifrc.org
- SRCS annual report 2019 · data-api.ifrc.org
- SRCS annual report 2023 · data-api.ifrc.org
- OCHA FTS · fts.unocha.org
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Where this matters
- Muqdisho (Mogadishu) and BanaadirMogadishu (Muqdisho) is Somalia's capital and makes up the Banadir region, with about 2.97 million people in 20 districts.
- Hargeysa (Hargeisa) and Woqooyi GalbeedWoqooyi Galbeed is the north-western region that holds Hargeisa (Hargeysa) and the port of Berbera, with about 1 to 1.45 million people.
- Boosaaso (Bosaso) and BariBari is Puntland's north-east region, with the port city of Bosaso (Boosaaso) as its capital and about 1.28 million people.
- Garoowe (Garowe) and NugaalNugaal is the region around Garoowe (Garowe), Puntland's capital, with about 656,910 people in three districts.
- Gaalkacyo (Galkayo) and MudugMudug is a region of central Somalia with about 1.5 million people, split between Puntland in the north and Galmudug in the south.
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in SomaliaWhat the Norwegian Refugee Council does in Somalia: since when, staff, people reached in 2025, who leads it, funding 2024 to 2026, and what it says about 2026.
- Save the Children in SomaliaWhat Save the Children does in Somalia: since when, people reached in 2025, who leads it, funding 2024 to 2026, and what it reports about hunger in 2026.
- Concern Worldwide in SomaliaWhat Concern Worldwide does in Somalia: since when, where, people reached in 2025, programmes, partners and funding 2024 to 2026.