INTERNATIONAL AID AGENCIES SERVICES AND LIVELIHOOD OF COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH SOMALIA
INTERNATIONAL AID AGENCIES SERVICES AND LIVELIHOOD OF COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH SOMALIA
Anas Ali Dahir - Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Prof. Charles M. Rambo - University of Nairobi, Kenya
ABSTRACT
The international aid agencies services have an important role in an accelerating aid program in Somalia and the most crucial services of these agencies is coordination of aid effort, supporting development plan, building development capacity, investing in infrastructure and streamlining private investment. Aid agencies create new economic inputs and demands that spread beyond the camps, creating livelihood opportunities for both locals and refugees. Aid agencies deliver goods and services to developing countries, such as food, education, health services, infrastructure, knowledge. Strengthen community livelihood capacity, build effective and long-term partnerships, and reduce the need for foreign aid over time. Investing infrastructure is resources from which African governments, their citizens, and donors are not enough to respond to these needs. Private investment can therefore make an important contribution to improve the quality of electricity, transport, and water and telecommunications infrastructure for households and livelihood in Africa communities. Aid for Investment in Africa's Infrastructure project aims to better understand how aid can leverage private investment in Africa’s infrastructure sectors. The study sought to answer the following research questions: How does coordinating aids efforts influence the livelihood of communities in drought south Somalia? How does supporting development influence the livelihood of communities in drought south Somalia? How does building development capacity influence the livelihood of communities in drought south Somalia? The study used a descriptive survey research design and target population of the study constituted 150 people involved in aid programmes, comprising of international aid officers, local NGOSs officers, IDP camps leaders and internal displaced people. Purposive sampling was employed in conducting this study as the researcher targets specific respondents which distinctive characteristics and access to the information that is needed on influence of international aid agencies on livelihood of communities in drought south Somalia. primary data was collected from respondent using five level questionnaires with structured questions. Data was analysed using descriptive and regression analysis. Quantitative data was presented using frequency tables while qualitative data was presented in a narrative statement based on themes from research questions. The study found that international donors came together to pool their development funds than concentrating emergencies only, that creating more permanent structures with longer-term funding is better than saving lives alone, that the major focus of supporting development should be at least one of the following: basic education and training, primary health care. The study concluded that coordinating aids services had the greatest effect on livelihood of communities in South Somalia followed by building development capacity services while supporting development planning services had the least effect on livelihood of communities in South Somalia. The study recommends that Aid agencies need to strengthen organization capability, this vital in the implementation of humanitarian projects and that Aid Agencies need to explore levels of expertise, technology adoption and cooperation within the humanitarian sectors in Somalia and investigate what influences this has on improving humanitarian access of humanitarian aid in Somalia.
