Scaling Durable Solutions and Urban Resilience in Somalia {Scaling Solutions)

In 2019 the innovative Barwaaqo 1 development project provided an alternative strategy to meaningfully reduce recurrent humanitarian needs and better integrate internally displaced Somalis into neighbourhoods. The Barwaaqo Model established new neighbourhoods creating a permanent urban expansion and giving land titles to clusters of long-term I DPs. Replications of the model have already started in three Federal Member States, with more being planned. Despite this growing trend, scaling the model using its current design is not politically and financially viable or sustainable.

This 3-year project funded by USAID takes a systems strengthening approach that builds the capacity of the local private and public sector actors to build on the success of the Barwaaqo Model, which aimed to reduce recurrent humanitarian needs and better integrate internally displaced Somalis into neighbourhoods. This program will enhance the design and scale of the Barwaaqo Model to better contextualize political settlements, self-finance and create the livelihood/economic growth opportunities necessary for sustainable scalability. The impact of this activity could realistically result in saving millions of dollars of both humanitarian and development assistance, by providing durable solutions for displacement affected communities and making the Barwaaqo Model self-funded.