International Rescue CommitteeSomalia

http://www.infoasaid.org

• IRC has been working in Somalia since 2007. The organization provides assistance to around 160,000 people, comprising of a mix of IDPs, host communities and pastoralists.

• IRC in Somalia focuses on three sectors:1. Health: Primary health care in partnership with

the Ministry of Health and local NGOs2. WASH: Water, sanitation and hygiene

promotion3. Livelihoods and Food Security: Temporary

employment, economic empowerment and livestock asset protection

Situation Analysis

infoasaid for the International Rescue Committee– September 2012

Photo Credit: IRC

Displaced family in Hiran IDP camp in Gaalkayo

Watering livestock in Bucqad

Photo Credit: IRC

Hand washing facility in Carafat IDP camp, Gaalkayo

Photo Credit: IRC

• Communication focuses on face to face methods via their hygiene promoters (HPs) and community animal health workers (CAHWs).

• WASH programme also uses radio spots during dry season on Codka Mudug FM (south Gal) and Radio Daljir (north Gal).

However, while IRC is performing well in terms of information provision to communities, the organisation would like to improve: Systematic collection and analysis of feedback Reorientation of programme interventions based on

feedback Systematic communication of responses to feedback

received

Current Communication Methods

infoasaid for International Rescue Committee in Somalia – September 2012

• Challenges to using mass media include:

• FM radio only reaches programme areas near major towns (eg Galkayo)

• The target population is largely illiterate so text based communication is not suitable (eg SMS, notice boards and leaflets)

• The target population in the Livelihoods programme are often isolated and dispersed over a large area; they also use a variety of sim cards. Hormud is popular amongst pastoralist communities in south central Somalia (Galmudug) but not in Puntland (Golis).

Communications Challenges

infoasaid for International Rescue Committee in Somalia – September 2012

• Overall goal• To improve the quality

(relevance/appropriateness, coverage, efficiency and effectiveness) of IRC’s assistance in Somalia.

• Three objectives:1. To improve the delivery of WASH and FSL services

through enhanced two-way communication between IRC and the communities it serves.

2. To improve communication as a form of aid by providing pastoralist communities with access to useful information such as market prices and US$ exchange rates, as well as critical issues affecting livestock.

3. To improve the collection of monitoring data from CAHWs and HPs.

Proposed Project

infoasaid for International Rescue Committee in Somalia – September 2012

Three interventions:1. Establish a staffed hotline for IDP and host

communities in four programme areas in order to provide affected communities with a channel of communication for asking questions, raising concerns, providing feedback on IRC’s programmes, expressing unmet needs and providing incident reports.

2. Create a FrontlineSMS information hub and interactive voice response (IVR) service in IRC’s Galkayo office. Use the hub and IVR service to systematically deliver information about food security and livelihoods to pastoralists.

3. Install FrontlineForms on the mobile phones of community volunteers to quickly and systematically collect data from the field.

Proposed Project

infoasaid for International Rescue Committee in Somalia – September 2012

IRC staff completing an information mapping exercise during the infoasaid scoping mission

Photo: Miranda Eeles/infoasaid

IRC staff learning how to record audio files for the IVR service

Photo: Miranda Eeles/infoasaid

Training on how to use the solar chargers to recharge mobile handsets

infoasaid training IRC staff on how to use solar-powered chargers

Photo: Najib Farah/IRC

• IRC’s beneficiaries are able to engage in dialogue with IRC staff through the hotline and as a result are better informed about services and are able to influence programme delivery.

• Improved food security and livelihoods as a result of access to information.

• Better quality monitoring data collected more efficiently through the use of FrontlineForms.

Expected Outcomes

infoasaid for International Rescue Committee in Somalia – September 2012

Scoping trip

Procurement infoasaid Training Mid-projectReview

June –July 2012

:1) What is working well, what is not working well, and why?

2) How, if at all, is the communication project influencing the overall humanitarian response?

IRC SomaliaTimeframe

August – Sept 2012

November 2012

Implementation

October 2012

infoasaid for International Rescue Committee in Somalia – September 2012

http://www.infoasaid.org

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