Somaliland

	Country representative in Hargeisa:
	Adan Yousuf Abokor
	Programme coordinator in London:
	David Tanner
	No. of development workers currently in post:
	11
	Progressio re-opened its office in Hargeisa in 1995 having been obliged to withdraw in 1989 due to civil war

Progressio has been working in Somaliland since 1995. Our early work focused on supporting the local NGOs and people's organisations that were beginning to emerge following the country's declaration of independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991. This work continues today and our local partners represent a wide range of local interests including women's rights, the disabled, youth, minority groups and human rights.

Progressio development workers (DWs) have also:

• helped improve the provision of basic health services, working alongside traditional birth attendants, midwives, nurses and doctors
• built up the capacity of heath care staff at Hargeisa Hospital and helped co-ordinate the rehabilitation of the hospital laboratory, several wards, pharmacy and the blood-testing centre
• worked alongside local religious and community leaders, NGOs and government institutions to educate people about HIV and AIDS and help reduce misunderstanding, stigma and discrimination
• helped set up the country's first HIV and AIDS Voluntary Counselling and Testing centre
• helped establish the country's best library at Amoud University; and set up three networked computer laboratories and two Internet satellite systems, and trained technicians, lecturers and professors, and hundreds of students in IT.

Progressio in the UK has been heavily involved in highlighting the excellent progress the Somaliland government has made in democratisation and stabilising the country. We have been active in linking diaspora groups together to support Somaliland, and Progressio led the international monitoring team for the 2005 parliamentary elections.

Challenges remain:

• Many local NGOs remain very much nascent organisations with unclear operational structures, ill-defined roles and responsibilities and poor strategies. Additionally, many staff lack skills, knowledge and experience. This means that they are less successful at implementing projects to help local communities and in raising funds for long-term sustainability. Progressio continues to focus on building the capacity of local partners in Somaliland, drawing on a wealth of experience and achievements in this field over the past 10 years.
• The level of awareness of HIV and AIDS at the community level remains low, particularly in rural areas. Meanwhile infection rates are likely to rise with increased trade and movement of people within Somaliland and the region. Progressio has now built up in-depth knowledge and experience of working on HIV and AIDS in Somaliland and will continue to draw on this in opening up public debate on the issue, fighting stigma and discrimination, and driving appropriate responses to the disease.
• In 2007 Progressio plans to develop new partnerships in Somaliland around the theme of sustainable environment - aiming in particular to help address issues surrounding deforestation, promoting sustainable farming methods and the conservation of water resources.

Read more about our work:

Somaliland - Country Programme Statement (71k Word)