CAS ACTIVITIES IN PUNTLAND STATE OF SOMALIA
BACKGROUND
In 1991, the world was shocked when civil war engulfed Somalia, the government collapsed and a humanitarian tragedy of unprecedented scale unfolded. The impact of “state collapse” on human development has been profound, involving the mass loss of life, massive internal migration and flight abroad, the collapse of political institutions, the destruction of social and economic infrastructure.
As a result of these combined factors, three state communities-based and regional entities emerged; the self administering north-western “Somaliland”, the self-administering Somalia state of Puntland, in the north east and the newly created transitional government based in Baidio. Currently the Islamic Court militias have taken over almost the whole of the southern Somalia including the capital Mogadishu, and there is fear of escalating conflict.
Therefore, the current regions of Puntland state of Somalia had particularly, suffered from colonial authorities neglect and post-independence centralized Somalia government’s lack of interest in this arid land, semi-arid land, where people derived their livelihood and sustenance mainly from a volatile pastoral economy in harsh environment, sustaining a mere survival based style.
CAS PROGRAMMES ACTIVITIES
It is in these regions that CAS together with other agencies is operating to fill in the gap that has been left by the central Somalia government, to address the problems facing the communities. The programmers includes;-
I) EDUCATION PROGRAMME
Somalia has seen a steady decline in the standard and provision of formal education services. In Puntland only 14-17% of all school age children are enrolled in school, mostly in early grades. Therefore, CAS interventions are, to promote school enrollment for both boy and girl-child, support construction of classrooms, and provision of teaching materials.
ii) AGRICULTURE
Crop production in Puntland state is restricted by rainfall. CAS will continue to expand the existing small-scale farming system around oasis, dry river basins and places with good soil quality and low water tables. These farms have been utilized for vegetable and fruit production.
Other activity includes training of farmers on improved method s of farming, and distribution of improved tools and planting seeds.
iii) WATER
CAS activities as far as water is concerned are Provision of safe drinking water to the various communities of Puntland through drilling and other water harvesting techniques. Strengthening the capacity of communities involved in water to fulfill the functional rule while contributing to sustainable and equitable access to water. This is done through training of water users and water management committees on how to manage the project after handing over to them.
iv) HEALTH
The goal of CAS is to increase access to health services through construction and equipping of Dispensaries (MCH), trained Community Health Workers (CHW’s) and Traditional Birth Attendance (TBA’s) on basic health services i.e. preventive health.
v) EMERGENCY PROGRAMMES
CAS has been providing food, shelters, blankets and medicines to the victims of various disasters like refugees, droughts and famine and the recent Tsunami flood victims at the coastal areas of Somalia.