Somalia

Somalia sits at the Horn of Africa where the Indian Ocean meets the Gulf of Aden, with the longest mainland coastline on the continent. Home to roughly 20 million people and one of the youngest populations in the world, Somalia is also among Africa’s most ethnically homogeneous nations. Over 85% of its people belong to five major patrilineal clans that shape identity, land ownership, and political life—structures that both hold society together and have fueled devastating conflict.

Since the collapse of the central government in 1991, Somalia has endured decades of civil war, famine, and political instability. Millions remain internally displaced, and the country faces recurring humanitarian crises marked by drought, economic collapse, and fragile health systems. Life expectancy hovers around 50 years, infant mortality is among the highest globally, and a severe shortage of medical professionals leaves mothers and children especially vulnerable.

Amid this instability, the militant Islamist group Al-Shabaab continues to exploit weak governance and insecurity, controlling territory and enforcing violent rule. Its presence deepens fear and suffering, particularly in regions where basic services and protection are absent. This climate of extremism has made daily life perilous for ordinary Somalis and has crushed hopes for lasting peace.

Within this harsh reality, Somalia’s tiny Christian community stands as one of the most persecuted in the world. The country ranks near the very top of Open Doors’ World Watch List, as conversion from Islam—Somalia’s official religion—is punishable by death. Known underground believers, numbering in the thousands, live in absolute secrecy. Men risk forced conscription into militant groups, while women face forced marriages, violence, and displacement simply for their faith.

Yet even here, God is at work. Quietly and courageously, underground leaders are emerging, and acts of compassion—often through medical care—are opening doors to the gospel among women and children in unreached areas. Though public church life is impossible and most people groups still lack access to the gospel, the Church of Jesus Christ is alive behind closed doors. This Ramadan, we believe God sees Somalia—the cries of its children and the faith of its hidden saints—and that the gates of hell will not prevail.