Himilo Relief and Development Association
Crossborder Project
|
Location: |
Cross border between Somaliland and Ethiopia |
| Aim: |
To improve the livelihood of the vulnerable pastoral and agropastoral community located at the border between Somaliland and Ethiopia To empower women and youth to participate in the decision-making process at community level |
| Results: |
Improvement of food security in at least 10 rural villages at the border through sustainable resource management and strengthening institutional and human capacities in rural livestock and agriculture-based livelihoods.
|
| Partners: | Oxfam Novib, HAVOYOCO, SOLPAF AND CANDLIGHT |
| Duration: | 4 years |
This project intends to address long existing need for resilience and human security for the vulnerable pastoralist and agropastoralist communities in border areas of Ethiopia and Somaliland. Moreover, the project incorporates institutional capacity building trainings for women and youth. Empowering women and youth in its areas of operation form the core of HIRDA’s objectives. And, it’s on this very objective that the Institutional Capacity Building project for the women and the youth in the aforementioned areas is predicated.
The realization of the project objectives hinge on the institution and implementation of two key areas: policy issues for pastoral communities and institutional capacity building for pastoralist youth and women.
Policy Making
In order to achieve progress in this area, the project team conducted preliminary research to review existing policies. This has been done through discussions, visits and facilitating meetings with local community, district and regional authorities. The project team succeeded to petition the relevant ministries and policy makers in Somaliland in its bid to formulate new regulations in the pastoral sector through sharing of reports with stakeholders and partners.
Institutional Capacity Building for Pastoral Women and Youth
In close collaboration with the local community, the project team works to empower women and youth to participate in the decision-making process at the community level. This is done through offering leadership and management training to women and youth from 10 rural villages at the cross border of Somaliland and Ethiopia. The project formed one umbrella for pastoral rural development and 4 youth organizations from different villages that re-activated by the project. Additionally, the project enhanced Community-based and rural development capacity building and lobbying/advocacy of pastoral civil society bodies.
Therefore, in order to achieve the objectives of this project the team has planned below activities to be implemented;
- Disease surveillance capacity building and support for Community Animal Health Workers
- Training and technical support on production chains for fodder and live animals
- Rehabilitation of selected physical market structures.
- Facilitate market information flow
- Assessment to identify relevant market interventions for women and youth
- Vocational training for youth (based on an assessment).
- Provision of technical assistance on livelihoods diversification for women
- Organizing and mobilizing women’s savings and loans associations (following Islamic banking principles)
- Learning exchange visits for women to see successful examples of livelihoods diversification.