DANWADAAG TOT Action Plan Implementation in Somaliland

Jan 9

Written By Association of Local Government Authorities of Somaliland (ALGASL)

Drought is a major natural hazard that affects many parts of Somaliland and has a significant impact on the livelihoods of the agro-pastoralist and pastoralist communities in the country and specifically in Burao and Abaarso. These communities rely heavily on water and fodder resources, which are often scarce during times of drought. The DANWADAAG program in collaboration with The Hague Academy aimed to build a team of trainers (TOT) and equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to train and support local governments, civil society organizations, and media partners in developing action plans for effective disaster risk management.

The TOT members received intensive training from The Hague Academy and then their first batch conducted trainings on disaster risk reduction and management for civil servants in the municipalities of Burao and Hargeisa, NADFOR staff in both Hargeisa and Burao, and community members in the Abaarso village. These trainings took place from November 27 – 28, 2022 in Burao, December 10 – 14, 2022 in Hargeisa and Abaarso, and used a combination of lectures, group work, discussion, and presentation to increase participants' understanding of disaster risk reduction and climate change, as well as to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to implement prevention, mitigation, and preparedness measures in the event of a disaster.

The trainings emphasized the importance of including diverse genders in disaster preparedness efforts and aimed to enable participants to take action to cope with the impacts of disasters. As a result of the training, participants gained a better understanding of disaster risk reduction and were able to identify hazards, assess vulnerability and capacity, and prepare for potential disasters. The trainings also aimed to provide participants with new skills and tools to improve disaster life cycle measures and better protect their communities against the impacts of natural disasters.