Horn of Africa Development Context

The 1990 civil war in Somalia has led to the collapse of the central government of Somalia. The impact of the war on the education system included the dismantling of institutional structures, policies and systems; destruction of schools, destruction of teaching and learning materials, killing dispersal and migration of teachers. Education, health, sanitation and water services are either non existent or inadequate in Somalia and Somaliland. This is evidenced by the following statistics:

• Under-five mortality rate (per 1000 live births) 224
• Infant mortality rate (per 1000 live births) 132
• Gross enrolment rate in primary education 18%
• Population with access to safe drinking water supply 23%
• Case detection TB rate 42%
• Proportion of population with access to improved sanitation 49.8%
• Life expectancy 47 years
• Human development index 0.299

ESDEG believes that linking education, health, poverty reduction and conflict prevention are the best strategies for realising meaningful development in the Horn of Africa. The realisation of the Development Millenium Goals in the Horn of African context calls for unique, creative and innovative complex policy designs that link and support the above sectors. ESDEG believes that if the local communities, the Diaspora community and international community create an effective partnership the fragile situation in Somalia and Somaliland can be addressed. ESDEG aims to make its share of contribution by providing the following proposed projects in the Horn of Africa:

1. Education consultancy work
2. Higher skills transfer through volunteering
3. Poverty reduction through micro financing
4. Primary health advocacy programmes