Improving employment opportunities in Baidoa

Context

In Somalia, three decades of ongoing conflict have shattered political, economic and social structures. Attacks by the terrorist group Al-Shabaab, frequent environmental disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine have all aggravated the humanitarian situation. On top of this, rising numbers of internally displaced persons and returnees are settling in urban areas such as Baidoa.

This influx increases the pressure on already scarce resources and the risk of conflicts with the host communities.

Objective

Employment opportunities in Baidoa for internally displaced persons, returnees and the local population – especially young people and women – have improved.

Approach

The project creates better framework conditions for employment and income. As part of this, it supports the individual needs of the target group, particularly in terms of professional qualifications and psychosocial situations. The project operates in three areas:

• It enables private sector and state actors to provide advice to the target group and to promote income generation. For instance, the project supports the Ministry of Planning, Investment and Economic Development and the Ministry of Labour in Baidoa in terms of personnel and training.
• It also increases the individual skills of target group members to work in self-employment, as an entrepreneur or as an employee. To achieve this, training is given in basic skills and support provided for (micro)-entrepreneurship and for business models.
• In addition, the project offers low-threshold psychosocial measures. An example of one such measure is the training provided to midwives so that they can support parents with post-natal depression. The training courses aim to enhance the self-confidence needed to participate in the economy and to create more opportunities for internally displaced persons, returnees and local people to work together.

Last update: May 2023