Skills trainings to enhance sustainable livelihoods for refugee returnees in Baidoa

BAIDOA, Somalia: The project on ‘Durable Solutions for Somali refugee returnees through repatriation, assistance and promoting sustainable solutions’ created opportunities and provide necessary skills for self-employment to promote increased household income promoting self-reliance through economic reintegration.

The project on ‘Durable Solutions for Somali refugee returnees through repatriation, assistance and promoting sustainable solutions’ created opportunities and provide necessary skills for self-employment to promote increased household income promoting self-reliance through economic reintegration. This project is funded by the Government of Japan, targeting a caseload of 250 beneficiaries in the Small and Medium Enterprises result area, from which 175 are returnees and 75 are from the host community.

All project stakeholders including the district administration of Baidoa, members of the local economic development forum and the project partner Baidoa Women Development Network (BWDN) affirmed to support the implementation of the project and were involved in the selection and screening process of the beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries received entrepreneurship training utilising ILO’s internationally recognized tools. These tools include Know About Business (KAB), which comprises understanding the role of business in the society and its contribution social responsibility and Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) which focuses on starting and improving small businesses as a strategy for creating more and better employment in developing economies and economies in transition as well as tools on financial education primarily targeting the female beneficiaries. Upon completion of trainings, beneficiaries will receive a provision for business start-up where 102 potential entrepreneurs were selected through a competitive process to receive business start-up grants.

The Interim South West Administration (ISWA) Minister for Labour and Social affairs, Hon. Abdirahman Ibrahim said “We are very pleased with the economic reintegration support accorded to our refugee returnees mutually benefitting the host community. Surely this will have numerous of impacts on the social and economic development of the region and the district. Those supported will integrate in to the labour market and equally send a positive message to encourage those still in the neighbouring refugee camps to return and take part in restoring peace and development in their region. ISWA is committed to work with the ILO and the Government of Japan to create a conducive environment stimulating further voluntary refugee returns and IDPs”.

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