Background

The project “Promotion of Somali Low-cost Building and Construction Sector and related Vocational Training” is part of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Component of UN-HABITAT’s Somalia Country Programme and builds on the groundwork carried out under the Somalia Urban Development Programme SUDP (2005 – 2008) and a series of pilot self-help shelter construction projects implemented with funding from the Government of Japan and DFID. This component focuses on larger scale investments into essential public infrastructure such as water supply systems, sanitation, flood protection, key industries such as the construction sector, and major regional economic infrastructure, such as roads, ports, trade zones, etc. This component, by its very nature, will also explore possibilities of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and appropriate technologies that open up additional and new livelihood opportunities for the Somali population. The Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Component of UN-HABITAT’s Somalia Country Programme is intended to specifically complement the ongoing support to governance and service delivery and to increase its peace-building effect through visible and tangible improvements in infrastructure and livelihoods. The impetus is to help build a ‘peace economy’ that can absorb under-employed labor force, especially among the youth, and offer new perspectives for economic recovery and development.

Objectives

• Identify and subject to testing locally available building materials and local construction practices, aiming at selecting the most appropriate materials and related production methods as well as building approaches;
• Establish community-based, small- to medium scale manufacturing sites for production of building materials and assembly of prefabricated construction components, in tandem with technical and entrepreneurial training locations for IDPs and urban poor, especially youth and women;
• Construct locally adapted sample buildings (including both traditional and modern solutions for low-cost housing models, municipal facilities and other public buildings with high visibility) with full documentation and guidelines on materials, material production methods and costs.
• Assist successful training graduates with small business loans, entrepreneurship and marketing skills, and technical support in setting up small- to medium-scale building materials and construction companies;

Target Groups

• Local Authorities, Somali Construction Industry, Individual Builders, Individuals of IDP/non-IDP Communities, Local NGOs,