HARGEISA WOMEN’S RESCUE ASSOCIATION (HWRA)The Hargeisa Women’S Rescue Association is a voluntary nongovernmental, humanitarian organization focused on and around the main themes of gender, human rights and peace, which involves good governance.
Legality: The organization is local and is accordingly registered within the good offices of the authorities in Somaliland and is associated with the registration of MFA this makes it a legal entity within the framework of Somaliland.
Historical Background: HWRA was originally established in 1996 in response to the Somali crises situation. In the long term, the organization aims to improve the social standards of life in Somalia, in terms of realizing its human resource potential and ensuring the wellbeing (health conditions) of Somalis. In the short tem, the organization works through education, ensuring access of vulnerable groups & marginalized sectors of concern to literacy classes, health education through awareness and counseling for special needs and special groups.
Target Area of HWRA NGO: HWRA has been operating in the State House since 2000, located in western part of Hargeisa, close to the city center. When the civil war ended in 1991, a large proportion of Somali refugees returning from Ethiopia could not afford to buy or rent their own housing, and hence large numbers of returnees sought shelter in government buildings and public land such as the State House. The first influx of settlers to the State House area arrived in 1991, the second group in 1999. Within the State House and its park there are now hundreds of overcrowded small round huts occupied by returnees, IDPs and refugees. The population of State House is currently estimated 21,900.
HWRA is the only NGO that has an education/training facility for both children and adults located within the State House Park. This education/training facility is run and managed by HWRA and includes a literacy program which provides courses free of charge for 35 children in the morning and 35 adults in the afternoon. HWRA has been running this education/training facility in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and some NGOs including UNICEF, WFP, SC/USA, among others. The number of beneficiaries since 2000 is estimated to be about 420 children and 420 adults.
Programs of Action: Education and training constitutes our main areas of concern and serves as a focal point for our current activities. HWRA is associated with one of the poorest residential quarters in Hargeisa i.e. the slums at the former State House area. There, HWRA run a training program that consists of two phases. In the initial stage we run literacy classes for around 70 pupils (35 children in the morning & 35 adults in the afternoon). The objective is to expose them to a six-month training course on reading, writing and arithmetic. The second stage provides them with another six-month skills training course in cooking embroidery/tailoring and a basic English language course.
Main activities of the program include:
1) Assessment of needs
2) Curriculum development
3) Designing efficiency measures which includes materials and methodology development
4) Delivery of training
5) Monitoring and evaluationCivic Education: This component is still under the stage of its initial design. However, it is planned to consist of two major parts. Part I focuses on HIV/AIDs control, maternal and child health and other public health related problems, and Part II focuses around the main themes of human rights and good governance. The subject of human rights will be approached differently where translation of the basic human rights documents have been seen as the most proper point of entry. A project proposal has been developed.
Organizational Development: HWRA is of the opinion that local human resources must be employed and utilized to build up organizational capabilities. HWRA is keen to seek foreign and technical assistance through the design and development of viable project proposals. Linkages and networking with other members of the civil society is also seen as an essential element in HWRA organizational development. To this effect HWRA applied and got a membership of the large consortium of LNGOs called COSONGO, HWRA is also interested in partnership programmes with LNGOs and UN organistions. HWRA is already linked with ICD. WFP has supported us with food for work to sustain the school and training programme, HWRA has recently partnered with UNHCR for the Population Movement Tracking (PMT) programme. HWRA has benefited a lot from workshops held by various organizations for various purposes. A lot of learning has been gained through participation of workshops and venues within our reach.
Previous Implemented Projects:
1) Literacy program: a literacy program consisting of a curriculum, two classes, fifty students and teachers have been though the program with the future intention of making it a model school to expand to different areas. WFP provided food for work for six months for the literacy and numeric school located at the former State House compound in Hargiesa and is intended for the benefit of one of the poorest segments in the society.2) HIV/AIDs program: as a preliminary intervention, a simple IEC project based on raising awareness among school age boys and girls has been planned. Activities were centered on the distribution of leaflets to schoolboys and girls. Both private and public schools have been targeted.
3) Capacity Building & Networking: HWRA has acquired a new office and school facilities provided by ICD. The organization has also joined the large consortium of NGO’s – COSONGO.