Halabookhad IDP settlement was established in April 2010 to accommodate 278 IDP families evicted from the ex-Siinay IDP settlement in Galkayo. The settlement is situated about 11 kilometres from the Galkayo Town. While the settlement had been earmarked to only accommodate the evicted families, the populations swell to 500 households by the end of the 2nd month of settlement in the camp. Today the settlement has between 600 to 700 households. Resident families include those displaced by conflict and instability from Central and South Somalia and others displaced by drought from various parts of Mudug and other areas of North East Somalia.
GECPD-a local women organization- has been working with the Halabookhad community since establishment in 2010 providing cash and non-cash based livelihood support, non-formal and formal primary education to women, girls, vulnerable boys, early childhood education and psycho-social support to neglected, abandoned and abused children in the settlement as well constructive engagement of youth through sports. With support of various donors including IFRC through funding from the Icelandic Redcross, GECPD has established a Community Center in the settlement to facilitate the running of the above programs.
The center had initially 3 blocks consisting 2 classrooms, 1meeting room, 1 store room, 2 rooms operating as child friendly spaces and a play ground. With the financial support of Icelandic Red Cross through the IFRC/SRCS, an addition was made to the facilities at the center in 2013. This was in form of a block building comprising of a dining room for children attending the child friendly space, a kitchen and a store, a water tank and 2 toilets.
But despite the availability of these amenities, need was identified to provide the youth in the settlement a place where they could meet, organize themselves, share ideas, positively engage their energies and release their steam through sporting activities. Need was also identified to install the necessary infrastructure to facilitate introduction of IT programs to youth in the settlement that is not connected to the city power grid. The facility has since been established with support of IFRC/SRCS with funding from Icelandic Red Cross. The corner consists of 2 dressing rooms with inside toilets/ water closets and 1 meeting room. In front of the changing rooms and meeting room is a High School standard basketball court. A power solar system has also been installed at the Halabookhad Community center to service the power energy needs of the center. The system comprises of 6 solar panels of 140W, 2 deep cycled solar batteries of 200A, a 30A charge controller and 1000w inverter. The system supplies power to the office rooms, dining hall, meeting room and changing rooms at the community center.
Halabookhad Youth Pictures
