Good Practice
Durable solutions for Somali refugee returnees and IDPs in Baidoa through promoting immediate and sustainable livelihoods - Final evaluation
Good Practice Description
Somalia suffers significant skills gaps, following years of conflict. Skills enhancement is therefore central to the reconstruction of Somalia. This project largely focused on enhancement of skills for sustained development of Somalia. Do Noutechnology, which simply involved the use of gunny bags to strengthen the base of a gravel road, was a welcome piece of technology in a country with limited capacity for other methods of road construction. One road was earmarked for construction through the technology. At the same time local authority representatives and local community members were set to acquire skills in use of Do Nouin road construction, by learning while the road was being constructed. Given the illiteracy levels in Somalia, on the job learning was a practical approach to skills transfer. The idea was to impact skills among local people who could hence forth make use of the technology to construct and maintain roads. The on the job learning was strategic and useful under the circumstances where theoretical training would not work.
Involvement of relevant stakeholders: In virtually all Somali communities the clan system remains a central part of the people's day to day activities and decisions made. Understanding of all potential interests and interests groups is usually important is a context where overlooked some would be detrimental to the project. This project sought to support the reintegration returnees and host community, who often viewed each other with suspicion. The project needed to be seen to support this reintegration. There was no better way of doing this than to map out all stakeholders and involve them fully in the project. This was the case for example in the selection of target caseloads as well as in selection of grant beneficiaries. The results of the two processes were thus above board, transparent and acceptable by all. This ensured smooth flow in all project activities.
Somalia suffers significant skills gaps, following years of conflict. Skills enhancement is therefore central to the reconstruction of Somalia. This project largely focused on enhancement of skills for sustained development of Somalia. Do Noutechnology, which simply involved the use of gunny bags to strengthen the base of a gravel road, was a welcome piece of technology in a country with limited capacity for other methods of road construction. One road was earmarked for construction through the technology. At the same time local authority representatives and local community members were set to acquire skills in use of Do Nouin road construction, by learning while the road was being constructed. Given the illiteracy levels in Somalia, on the job learning was a practical approach to skills transfer. The idea was to impact skills among local people who could hence forth make use of the technology to construct and maintain roads. The on the job learning was strategic and useful under the circumstances where theoretical training would not work.
Involvement of relevant stakeholders: In virtually all Somali communities the clan system remains a central part of the people's day to day activities and decisions made. Understanding of all potential interests and interests groups is usually important is a context where overlooked some would be detrimental to the project. This project sought to support the reintegration returnees and host community, who often viewed each other with suspicion. The project needed to be seen to support this reintegration. There was no better way of doing this than to map out all stakeholders and involve them fully in the project. This was the case for example in the selection of target caseloads as well as in selection of grant beneficiaries. The results of the two processes were thus above board, transparent and acceptable by all. This ensured smooth flow in all project activities.