In 2024, over 8.3 million¹ people in Somalia need humanitarian assistance. The country has been subject to recurrent crises, including climate change induced shocks such as prolonged drought and extreme flooding, as well as conflict, insecurity and widespread poverty. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Somalia, the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) cluster have identified 854 internally displaced persons (IDPs) sites that have been affected by floods. These sites accommodate a total of over 109,628 households, equivalent to approximately 626,461 individuals. These figures have been compiled by the CCCM cluster and partners through regular site assessments across 17 districts.²
The majority of Somali IDPs have self-settled in over 2,400 sub-standard IDP sites³ in urban and peri-urban areas across the country. People displaced to these sites are living in precarious conditions and are not able to meet their basic needs due to inconsistent service provision or exclusion from accessing humanitarian support.
Acted, with the funding support from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection (ECHO), has been implementing life-saving humanitarian services and information management activities. Through this one-year project, Acted aims to provide humanitarian information management and Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) services, as well. The project supports displaced persons residing in 70 IDP sites within Jubaland, Southwest States and Somaliland.
Empowering camp leaders to address the needs of the IDPs
As part of its CCCM activities, Acted, with the funding support of ECHO, provided capacity building training for 70 Camp Management Committees (CMCs) to enhance their skills and knowledge as key community decision makers and representatives, enabling them to better fulfil their roles and responsibilities as representatives of their site residents’ needs.
Moreover, Acted facilitated monthly site level coordination meetings to ensure Camp Management Committees (CMCs) members collaborate and share information in committees and with partner organizations that are implementing activities in the area. This ensures the alignment of collective efforts and resources toward meeting the needs of IDP residents.
Kamal Geedi*, is 51 years old, and has been the leader of Adan Yare IDP camp in Baidoa for about 3 years. Initially, Kamal faced several challenges including lack of key competencies in settlement coordination and management that hindered his ability to effectively address the needs of the IDPs communities in the site. Thanks to Acted’s capacity building training, provided in 13 sites in Baidoa, Kamal has improved his knowledge and capacity. Kamal acquired valuable skills on strategies to manage resources efficiently, foster community cohesion, and advocate for the needs of IDPs.
Furthermore, Kamal participated in the monthly site-level coordination meetings facilitated by Acted, that were instrumental to collect and utilize accurate information about the gaps and needs of the population.
These meetings provided a platform for relevant stakeholders to exchange information, share best practices, and collectively address challenges faced by the IDP community. As a result, Kamal gained access to up-to-date information and resources, enabling him to make informed decisions for the benefit of the IDP camp residents. Kamal has emerged as a resilient leader, driving positive change and fostering resilience within his community.
In addition, along with its CCCM activities, capacity building training and coordination efforts, Acted has also ensured the provision of airtime to enhance information sharing and provided support through the distribution of hygiene kits (HKs) and Non-Food Items (NFI) kits, cash for work activities, rehabilitation and construction of latrines, installation of solar streetlights.
Acted, with its ECHO funded project, is playing a crucial role in coordinating and supporting the governance structures in IDP camps, ultimately contributing to the overall protection and support to more than 91,705 displaced individuals. This project is important to better protect IDPs in the country and work towards the development of best practices to resolve issues that may arise in IDP camps. Additionally, by contributing to the improvement of coordination and resource distribution in camps, Acted is improving living conditions in the sites concerned.
¹https://reliefweb.int/report/somalia/humanitarian-action-children-2024-somalia
² https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/somalia/card/1LGtSj8Z6l/
³ https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/cccm_somalia
*The names have been changed to protect the identity of the beneficiary.