Abdi iid Ahmed

The fall of the Somali Central Government in 1991 and the subsequent long-running and multifaceted conflict, coupled with terrorism and natural disasters have destroyed the Somali peoples’ way of life. Many Somali families have been displaced in the past 30 years, and the periodically descending conflicts and constantly changing political environment has contributed to the worsening situation. Terrorism has been the most common cause of unrest for the past decade, leading to the death of many people and the destruction of public infrastructure, and has been depriving people of their livelihood. This prolonged conflict, together with terrorism, has led to and continues to displace thousands of people, mostly women and children. Displaced and vulnerable they lack the basic humanitarian needs, and their rights are often abused by various warring militias, armed criminal gangs, and terror groups. In response to this, Somali Women and Children Care Organization which was founded in 2020 by local professionals who have worked to mitigate the basic humanitarian needs of displaced persons by providing food, water, shelter, and sanitation, and by protecting their fundamental human rights and dignity. SWCCO provides livelihood development programs based on participatory approaches involving the beneficiaries. SWCCO aims to tackle the humanitarian crisis presented by the war, terrorism, and natural disasters, such as droughts to reduce the suffering of IDPs and help them rebuild their lives. The organization also provides training and capacity building, organized for women groups in order to economically empower them, inform them of their rights, and fight vices like female genital mutilation and gender-based violence. The organization is also involved in programs aimed at de- radicalizing the youth and countering the terrorism narrative in Jubaland State of Somalia. SWCCO is registered with the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation of Humanitarian Affairs.