IOM #Somalia Monthly Newsletter (End of January 2015)

Comments/questions: IOMSomaliaPIUnit@iom.int

No. 01 | End of January 2015

One Fact About Somalia Every day, IOM’s Yahye Aden Shire (in the blue vest) travels an average of 10 hours by road to get from one project site to another. Many times, the roads are so bad that his car sinks into the ground (see photo below). The work he does benefits more than 5,000 people in some of Somalia’s most secluded regions.

Yahye Aden Shire is our Migrant Hero!

FROM SOMALIA: Fardows Uba Aden’s story Capturing the Action

Thanks to IOM, 100 returnee households in Buulo Sheikh and Xaanshooley villages, received 5 goats each (1 hegoat and 4 she-goats), in Jowhar District, Somalia.

Partnership Highlight

After the collapse of the Central Government of Somalia, crucial infrastructure was not maintained and quickly deteriorated, causing further problems such as flooding.

In Shangaani District, the drainage system fell into disrepair and caused massive flooding in the streets and negatively affected area businesses. IOM supported the Shangaani District administration to rehabilitate 500 meters of drainage and sewer canals. Read more

“IOM’s Jowle Mobile Health Centre in Garowe, Puntland should be scaled up.

There is a great need on the ground for this quality of health services.” ~ Philippe Lazzarini (United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia)

How a Trafficked Somali Migrant was Rescued

IOM Somalia TV

IOM's Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) Programme has so far assisted more than 300 Somali technical consultants to deploy on short-term capacity building appointments within government institutions across Somalia. Watch here

January Highlights

When 21-year-old Fartuun* left Somaliland 15 months ago, she weighed 60 kilos.

Today, at 25 kilos, she is a pale reflection of the vibrant girl who left home in 2013 to seek her fortune in Europe. But now she’s home safe after an ordeal that took her from her village to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and eventually, Libya. “Fartuun made the return trip to Somaliland from Libya with an IOM medical escort, because she is paralyzed from her waist down and is not able to walk without support,” said IOM Libya’s Dr. Aladin Abukashim. Her rescue is as remarkable as the rigors she endured during her journey – which included riding in a car trunk part of the way, before travelling by sea to the Arabian Peninsula and then across the desert to Egypt and Libya. Read more

At IOM Somalia We Are Passionate About What We Do!

“The work I do at IOM Somalia gives me an opportunity to improve the well-being of our universe every day. I am living my dream! This is a chance of a lifetime.”

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To re-build lost livelihoods, IOM distributed 500 high quality goats to 100 returnee households who arrived in Jowhar in the past few months with little to no livelihood assets.

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To promote healthy migration, IOM provided primary healthcare services to 9,767 migrant, mobile populations and their host communities across the country.

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To improve healthcare, IOM opened a clinic at Digaale IDP settlement that will benefit more than 500 displaced (IDP) families and their host communities.

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To support efforts to deter crime and increase safety, IOM assisted in the installation of 46 solar streetlights in Heliwa District, and 40 solar streetlights Afgoye District.

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To facilitate effective garbage collection in Jowhar district, IOM purchased a six ton garbage truck.

Women from HantiWadaag, Kulmis, Horsed and Bulosheikh villages volunteered to collect garbage across the town for collection by the district administration.

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To enhance civil registry efforts by the Somaliland Ministries of Health and Interior, IOM provided 632 registration books for Berbera and Gabiley District which will be used to launch the civil registry exercise in the two areas.

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To support women’s efforts in improving their access to economic resources, IOM provided equipment and training materials to the Wabeeri Women Centre. The vocational training material is being used by women to make traditional baskets, mats, brooms and fans in order to hone their skills in the said crafts.

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To support capacity building and institutional development initiatives of the Somali Justice sector, IOM placed a Civic Education and Communication Advisor at the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

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To enhance the leadership and Institutional capacity of Somalia’s regional states, MIDA placed four diaspora experts; an Internal Auditor, two Senior Policy Advisors and a Senior Technical Advisor at the Puntland Office of the President.

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To contribute to the overall capacity building and service delivery of the Somali Health Sector, IOM together with the other 20 health doctors and professional dispersed within Puntland and Somaliland, recruited a Nurse Lecturer at the Hargeisa Institute of Health Sciences.

Carolyne Ndonj is a Grants Clerk with IOM Somalia (Photo: IOM/Mary-Sanyu Osire)

IOM Somalia Public Information Unit | IOMSomaliaPIUnit@iom.int