The Save the Children Somalia Country Office Surge Team invited the Humanitarian Leadership Academy East and Southern Africa (ESA) team to facilitate a three-day Humanitarian Action Training in Mogadishu, Somalia.
The content of the workshop was tailored to meet the specific needs and context of Somalia – including a one-day response simulation to assess the competency of surge team members.
In Somalia, the humanitarian crisis faces the impact of climate change, with heightened risks including floods, droughts, conflicts, disease outbreaks, cyclones, storms, and desert locusts.
The Somalia Save the Children country office has a large geographical coverage with programmes in health and nutrition, education, child protection and child rights governance. The country office also has a well-established localisation strategy, working with many local organisations to deliver programmes.
The workshop facilitation team covered topics from response planning to conflict sensitivity and well being in emergencies for participants from 10 different locations in Somalia.
Abukar Yusuf, Sodma Technical Advisor for Department of Humanitarian in the Somalia Government participated in the training, he said:
“Several aspects of the Humanitarian Operations training worked particularly well. The training material was comprehensive and covered a wide range of relevant topics, from humanitarian principles to community engagement and needs assessment.
The instructors were knowledgeable and passionate, and they did an excellent job of facilitating interactive discussions and group activities.
One of the standout elements was the emphasis on practical, hands-on learning. The simulations and case studies allowed us to apply the concepts we learned in a realistic, low-risk environment. This helped cement the knowledge and skills and gave me a greater sense of confidence in my ability to handle challenging humanitarian scenarios.”
The training was held in early June for 31 participants from government, local partner organisations and SCI led by HLA ESA team Janet Nyaoro, Cynthia Ngesa, Josiah Nyagudi, and Wanjiku Gitagia, a recruitment specialist in the ESA region.
Abdi Osman from WARDI, a local partner organisation also joined the training and expressed that it was “extremely helpful and greatly needed. The trainers conducted simulations that aligned well with our implementation work, in line with the spirit of localisation in Somalia.”
Lucia, Finance coordinator for Save the Children Somalia country office said:
“The content of the training was new and it was valuable to hear from humanitarian colleagues and learn from their reflections. I particularly enjoyed the group discussions as they allowed me to reflect on and internalise the concepts delivered by the facilitators.”
Abukar Yusuf added that:
“The opportunity to network and collaborate with other participants was invaluable. Sharing experiences, best practices, and lessons learned from diverse backgrounds enriched the learning experience. I felt a strong sense of camaraderie and support throughout the training, which I believe will be beneficial as we continue our humanitarian work.”
The HLA ESA team has a calendar of trainings for this quarter and are in Zimbabwe this month for a Humanitarian Action Training.
Overall, I found the Humanitarian Operations training to be highly effective and well-designed. The balance of theory, practical application, and peer learning created a dynamic and impactful learning environment. I am grateful for the opportunity to have participated and feel better equipped to contribute to future humanitarian efforts.”
