Project name: bulsho publication

Location : Berbera, Somaliland

Donor : SAREDO

Implemented by: SAREDO

Partners: Local Community

Direct beneficiaries: 50000 Sahil  Region inhabitants

Project duration: 6 months

1. INRTODUCTION

As soon as the new Somaliland Republic was established in 1991, it was a time to finalize civil wars; all forms of local conflicts were resolved through reconciliation processes. After this national achievement there were chances of education, re-establishing different forms of governmental or nongovernmental institutions etc.

As life was reshaping with this new atmosphere there has been considerable complex social transformations since then. The prime factors that changed many peoples' live order has been influenced or encouraged by the successive droughts as well as displaced returnees from neighboring refugee camps. These groups of communities together with those internally displaced have been pouring to Somaliland's cities, towns and main residential areas.

Historically Somali people have rural pastoralist form of live and before the decline of the former government more than 60% of the country's total population has lived in remote rural areas where they traditionally rear some domestic animals (sheep, goats, camels etc) followed by the involvement in agriculture for specific parts.

For the last two decades, however, their old indigenous form of life was disturbed by massive civil wars, droughts, and rainfall shortages which compelled a high percentage of them to pour into the cities and hence joined a new urban life which is in many ways different from their previous one.

Infact other families migrating from the war torn South parts of Somalia intending to shade Northern regions' (Somaliland) growing peace and stability are making the situation more complex or hard to forecast it's results. Another unique problem for Somaliland is that since international community has not still recognized Somaliland as a separate government, there are less organized humanitarian programs for these families and the others those have been living there before. Although some have traveled more than 1000km distance and now live a totally different environment, these thousands of families migrated from the Southern parts couldn't be considered here as refugees from other country by the international laws. Local governments/municipalities of the Somaliland's main cities including the major business and port city of Berbera are victims of the above mentioned complex interrelated problems which is/are creating giant pressures for the young week administration system/s that does no right to receive grants even if they organize/plan specific social programs for their number of inhabitants.

The implementation of effective public awareness programs/campaigns could contribute more both for these communities as well as for the specific municipality which they live under its administration. 

Sahil region lacks all forms of local public media such us journals, radios, TVs etc.  Due to this fact it is very difficult for all institutions whether governmental or non governmental to get the complete accessibility of the major target community parts. For emergency situations such as vaccination campaigns or public information flow the only readily available media which can reach quit a lot of people is by using one or two speakers carried either by a car or a man, again this activity has some disadvantages including more time consuming as well as cost factors where still the purpose is not 100% accomplished for the specific activity. For the present time one of the easiest media which can reach as much target audiences as needed is by using periodic publications.  A publication can contribute to the society in a number of ways such as;

1. It could be a source for updated information.

2. Many people can use a single publication where a single message is transmitted

3. If there is only one reader present among many illiterates he/she can transmit the message/s to that group.

4. A single publication can carry a number of different messages for respective campaigns/programs.

5. A publication message is readily waiting each and every reader for his/her right time.

6. Publications are sources of new ideas/techniques for societies.

7. Publications encourage the tendency to read and write, this is especially helping for the countries that have high percentages of illiteracy for their efforts.

SAREDO local NGO has voluntarily started one publication which has the purpose of mutual public awareness on social affairs as well as upgrading their life standard levels.

BULSHO meaning "society" is our monthly publication which mainly focuses on education, health, sports, tourism, and environmental prevention and particularly for business entrepreneur developments for Saaxil Region.

3. TARGET READERS:

3.1 THE YOUTH GENERATION:

Form the highest percentage of the community, mostly read and write the youth people are mobile and can carry messages or ideas to different groups of the society to their respective places, again youth people have great influences to their respective communities.

3.2 BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURS:

Berbera is appropriate business center, Somaliland's largest coastal city as well as port, country's oil terminal, Somaliland's largest international airport is making it to be a business center, but local people are not properly using these available resources where fishing, salt and tourism industries are poorly activated.

With it is strategic port, its calm seawater which makes loading and unloading activities easier also adds a credit. We believe that an organized periodic publication with the aim of awareness could contribute more in proper utilization of the countries available natural or man made resources.

Our publication approach is allowing our reader a chance to get informed in ways that he/she could develop his life standard; Education, health, business, methods that a person could keep him self from exposed danger or disease. How to start, run or develop a small scale business etc. We are using reader oriented bases of awareness that allows our reader to easily understand what makes our publication pages that contains articles from readers, messages for humanitarian campaigns such us education, health, environmental prevention etc. which are totally free from politics or other fields that is away from non nongovernmental nonprofit making organizations like SAREDO.

After studying the Saaxil Region's population density as well as areas where more of our target readers are present SAREDO has selected a number of specific places to be stations for Bulsho Publication, The cited stations will have dual advantages for the publication.

a. They will be a center for readers where they can put their articles, problem statement/s

Plus other messages to the publication group such as letters to the editor/s etc.

b. They can receive the publication itself.

Following are the selected stations for the publication activities;

1. SAREDO's office in Berbera (Main Station)

2. The City's Municipality. 

3. Berbera College of Fisheries and Maritime Studies (Port area)

4. Bursade Secondary School (Down Town)

5. Saaxil Intermediate School (Burco sheikh Village – Berbera's most populated village)

7. Cajab primary School (Sha'ab Area- Old British Village)

8. Sooyal Primary school. (Near Moscow Village-Old Russian Village and the Indian Line )

9. Sheik Veterinary school (Sheikh District)

© All photos/articles remain the copyright of SAREDO.

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