Dear supporters, Kismayo is a port city and the commercial capital of the Jubaland region, located on the southern Somalia coast. This important commercial and cultural center has been continuously inhabited since the Middle Ages. However, in 2006, the Islamic insurgent group al-Shabaab seized Kismayo and held control for six years. In September 2012, the Somali National Army and African Union forces re-captured the city from al-Shabaab. Despite the progress that has been made since then, there is still much work to do in rooting out al-Shabaab influence, ensuring the extremists do not return, and establishing safety and security throughout the city and greater region. One critical need identified by US forces deployed to the area was improved healthcare, which had been neglected over the years of extremist control. This manmade stressor was worsened by drought, famine, and weakening sanitation infrastructure, resulting in a humanitarian catastrophe. With your support, Spirit of America is helping fund a continuing education medical seminar for local health providers in order to address this urgent need. This seminar provides local doctors and nurses with better skills and information to combat the growing health needs of their community. For more information on the seminar, check out my blog here. Please consider making a gift today to help bring health and stability back to southern Somalia. As always, thank you for your incredible support, Chris VanJohnson Deputy Director of Field Operations