The grim spectre of drought has hold of Somalia once more.

War has wracked this fascinating country for decades and, as always, it is the civilians, particularly the poorest, who suffer the most.

The last three months of 2022 saw my team and I make multiple trips to Somalia. It is a dangerous place, with few places to stay.

We made the first of our films in and around the city of Baidoa…a hot spot surrounded by the militant fighters of Al-Shabab. Here we found camps and clinics full of hungry people, including a young man called Dahir..to learn more you can view the two films below. In the first, we meet him and his family and in the second we return a few weeks later.

For those interested in kit, I shot the films below using my new Sony A7S III with the 24-240mm lens and the Sony A6500 with the 10-18mm lens.

We then deployed to the border town of Dolow. This is a calmer, safer town. Here we could even visit a local restaurant…something I hadn’t been able to do on previous trips to the country. Camel anyone?

But despite an increased level of security, the drought still has a deadly grip on the region. At the local clinic we stood by helplessly as 2-year-old Abdiwali died.

It was a horrific moment. The doctors tried their best to save him, but he was too sick, too weak from hunger. I cried as I filmed.

Despite their pain, Abdiwali’s family understood why we were there and allowed us to come home with them and film the funeral. It was brave of them. Braver than I could ever be.

Imagine tearing through the desert in Toyota pickup trucks, hanging your gear on the muzzle of a 50 calibre machine gun. That was the experience of our last film in Somalia.

We were embedded with Danab – the Somali special forces unit that is funded and trained by the Americans. These tough, capable warriors took us under their wing and escorted us through territory recently recaptured from the militants.

We were with them for an exciting but gruelling 24 hours that culminated in a mad dash to the local airport to board our flight back to Mogadishu. You can view the film below.