As part of its collaboration with the Somaliland Durable Solutions Consortium (SDSC), the European Union and its partners delivered today critical medical supplies to 7 health facilities and the Burao General Hospital in Somaliland in their COVID-19 response. The supplies comprise face masks, face shield, clean gloves, heavy duty gloves, hand sanitizers, sodium hydrochloride solution, liquid anti-bacterial soap, protective goggles, gowns and snap sack sprays. The virtual handover took place in presence of the EU Ambassador H.E Nicolas Berlanga-Martinez, the Somaliland Health and Development Minister H.E Omer Ali Abdillahi Bade, and the World Vision Country Director representative.
The handover is part of the final phase of the project called “Enhancing Durable Solutions for and Reintegration of Displacement Affected Communities in Somaliland”. The region has indeed been known to be a place of origin, destination and transit for mixed migrants in the Horn of Africa. The 4.4 million EUR project aims at providing a better access to basic services and increasing livelihood opportunities in the main areas of departure and return in the region. The focus is Hargeisa and Burao.
The main achievements of the project include:
- Increased community representation in IDP settlements: 670 (347female) IDP camp leaders were trained with skills of right awareness, resource mobilisation and action planning. Community leaders had started to talk and meet with Government officials including local municipality officials and line ministries, especially the National Displacement and Refugee Agency director, to inform on their developmental priorities and needs. Over 84% of the beneficiaries feel confident to voice their concern and engage in advocacy, while 24% reported the same at the beginning of the project;
- Training of 245 healthcare workers and provision of medical supplies in 7 health facilities;
- Training of 165 health workers on GBV case management and of 278 duty bearers on prevention of violence and GBV;
- More than 100 self-help groups were supported, serving mostly youth and women;
- Training of 60 TVET teachers and 3 TVET centers rehabilitated with 402 students graduating and 87% of those finding a job after the training;
- Training of local government counterparts on durable solutions framework.
The project has been financed by the European Union and implemented by World Vision International (WVI) as the lead agency of the SDSC alongside Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC),Concern Worldwide (CWW) and Danish Refugee Council (DRC). The SDSC is a partner of the European Union under the REINTEG Programme. REINTEG is a EUR 50 million EU Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) programme, that consist of 9 projects that started in 2016 and will end in 2021. Its overall objective is to contribute to stability and better migration management additionally. The specific objective aims to support the economic and social development and the reintegration of refugees and IDPs.