The impact of NGO development projects on the livehoods of the local community in Hargeisa, North-Western Somalia: a case of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)

Abstract

This research study was undertaken to assess the impact of ADRA's development projects on the livelihoods of the local communities in Hargeisa, a town in north-western Somalia. The study was guided by three objectives. The first objective was to review the performance and impact of training on the installation of solar electricity systems provided to local technicians in Hargeisa, Somaliland. The second objective was to evaluate the results and impacts of seed financing provided for local cookstove producers in Hargeisa, Somaliland. The third and final objective was to assess and document the expected and unexpected impacts of installation of solar electricity systems in schools, health centres and water points in Hargeisa, Somaliland. The study reviewed a sample of the ADRAs projects implemented over five years (2005-2010) based on a review of secondary literature and interview schedule administered to proj ect beneficiaries. This study is important for the local communities in the north-western Somalia region of Somaliland, who are the intended beneficiaries of the development initiatives. The study is also important to ADRA and other local and international NGOs involved in the implementation of the projects in post conflict countries, and specifically in Somalia, as it will measure the results of their efforts. The findings of this study indicate that ADRA's projects in north-western Somaliland have recorded overall positive results and impacts on the livelihoods of beneficiaries. Skills have been positively improved, and incomes of local communities have also been improved. However, employment opportunities have not changed significantly as a result of ADRA's interventions. This means that majority of those who are in production continue to operate at the same scale, and have not been able to grow to a scale where they can expand and employ additional people. The most successful intervention by ADRA in terms of impact on livelihoods is the seedfinancing for cookstove producers, which led to 100% positive impacts for local communities involved. The installation of electricity in schools, health centres and water points was the second most important intervention, as it achieved all its expected impacts and will continue to impact communities for a long time to come. As a result of the findings of this study, the following recommendations that could assist ADRA in designing future projects and ensuring that they have maximum positive benefits are proposed. A detailed pre-training skills analysis must be undertaken, to ensure that those who are selected for training will benefit from the training in terms of learning new skills. Communities should be mobilized to contribute in cash and kind, where possible, towards meeting the cost of solar electricity systems to ensure ownership in the long-term. The donation of these systems with no contribution from the community was likely to lead to dependency and uncommitted ownership. In order to ensure maximum impact of interventions in schools and health centres, ADRA could consider holistic support by not only providing the lighting system, but also supporting other needs of the schools and health centres. This can be done by forging partnerships between ADRA's various programmes and other donor and implementing organisations.