Somalia is constantly faced with both natural and man-made disasters. Disasters that continue to wreck havoc in the areas where GECPD operates include droughts, conflicts and fire outbreaks in IDP settlements. Persistent human conflict leads to death, injury and large scale displacements. These disasters lead to deprivation of livelihoods and displacement of persons.
GECPD’s work towards disaster mitigation and rehabilitation has adopted a livelihoods approach. Self-reliance and self-sufficiency of people in need particularly IDPs and other communities affected by shocks, is promoted through provision of vocational skills in food production, carpentry and joinery and welding. Besides, GECPD also works with other stakeholders in providing emergency humanitarian assistance to families and communities affected by shocks and disasters. Emergency interventions have included distribution of emergency relief food, non-food items (NFIs) and provision of water. GECPD’s large scale emergency humanitarian intervention premiered in early 2005, in the aftermath of the December 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that had ravaged several coastal settlements and towns in Somalia particularly those on the north eastern part. GECPD was among the first agencies to intervene, sending in an assortment of cloths, blankets and prayer mats to the estimated 786 affected families in Garacad and Kulub, just 3 days after the disaster happened. There were subsequent interventions that included blankets, an assortment of clothes and plastic tarpaulins (for building temporary shelters) and later on an Integrated Education program for women that included lessons on primary health and sanitation.
GECPD has since been involved in the distribution of both Food and Non-Food relief supplies and provision of cash support to newly arrived, evicted, conflict affected, fire and flood affected IDP families in Galkayo on a yearly basis since 2005, with the support of various donors. GECPD in partnership with WFP has also been involved in the distribution of food to internally displaced, poor and famine affected families in Galkayo, Harfo, Ba’adweyn, Bursallah and Galdogob under the Food For Training Program and to internally displaced and pastoral family girls in Harfo and Buulo Ba’aley under the School Feeding Program.
GECPD also participates in recovery activities aimed at addressing basic nutritional requirements to people in humanitarian emergency and acute food and livelihood crises including displaced families facing acute food shortages.
Strategies employed by GECPD in its emergency humanitarian response include:
- Facilitation/distribution of food and critical non-food items (shelter, blankets, cooking utensils, etc.)
- Psychosocial counseling for women and child victims of trauma or rape and physical protection of those at risk
- Facilitation/provision of emergency water to neighboring communities and IDP camps
- Facilitation/provision of emergency health (including women reproductive health)
- Training on peace education and conflict resolution
- Training on Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction initiatives