People

The project aims to strengthen the Somali National University (SNU), a historic partner of Italian Cooperation in Somalia and the recipient of several initiatives supporting the reconstruction of the country’s human capital. The initiative includes a scholarship program for outstanding SNU graduates to pursue master’s degrees in Agriculture, Economics, Law, Engineering, and Veterinary Science; PhD programs in Veterinary Science; and specialization programs in Medicine.

The project also provides for the design and delivery, through virtual tools, of a course in Italian language and culture and a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for university faculty. In addition, it foresees the establishment of an Observatory— a dedicated structure intended to support and guide the future development of Italian-Somali cooperation in the academic field.

Direct beneficiaries of this activity include recent graduates who participated in the educational components, faculty members who took part in the training sessions organized under the project, as well as professors and students who enrolled in the Italian language preparatory courses offered at SNU.

Among the results achieved are 30 scholarships for master’s degree programs that were awarded and successfully completed, 2 doctoral scholarships, and 12 medical specialization scholarships.

A survey conducted among students revealed that over 90% of scholarship recipients would recommend participation in this program to their peers.

The main objective of the initiative is to improve prevention and response to gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices in arid and semi-arid counties, with a focus on vulnerable groups such as youth and women. Activities include awareness campaigns in schools, strengthening of local institutions, and advocacy efforts to improve access to essential services and to shift social attitudes toward gender-based violence.

A further goal of the initiative is to strengthen the role of women in land management and climate change adaptation in drought-prone areas, emphasizing sustainable practices through training activities.

The initiative is divided into two components:

• The first component is implemented by We World in Narok County, focuses on preventing gender-based violence and harmful practices, raising students’ awareness of their sexual and reproductive rights, and training local institutions to improve access to essential services. The estimated beneficiaries are about 22,000 individuals, approximately 51% of whom are women.
• The second component is implemented by IPSIA ACLI in Laikipia County, focuses on enhancing women’s decision-making role, improving their access to agricultural markets and land management, while developing climate change adaptation plans in areas affected by drought and other adverse phenomena. The direct beneficiaries are about 2,900 individuals, approximately 60% of whom are women.

The initiative aims to create a network of public and private health facilities recognized by the national health systems of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, linked to the presence and action of Italy in the region. It is designed to improve maternal and child health services through exchange of experiences, training, and sharing of common protocols, and it involves 33 health facilities across the three countries.

Planned activities include infrastructural improvements, the purchase and distribution of basic equipment and medical devices, training activities for medical staff in the involved facilities, and structural interventions aligned with the identified needs of the intervention areas. The Global Health Center of Meyer Hospital in Florence, a partner of the initiative, provides technical-scientific supervision of the program and supports the organizations implementing the initiative, as well as AICS, in monitoring activities.

• In Kenya, the initiative is implemented by Medicus Mundi Italia with the Kilifi County Health Department and Pwani University in the counties of Nairobi, Nyandarua, Meru, and Kilifi. This component includes training of health personnel and Community Health Promoters, the purchase and distribution of equipment and ambulances, the construction of a new maternity ward at Malindi Hospital, and the introduction of mobile ultrasound services for women in communities.
• In Tanzania, the initiative is implemented by Centro Mondialità Sviluppo Reciproco (CMSR) with CUAMM and COPE in the regions of Dodoma and Zanzibar. This component includes training of health personnel and Community Health Promoters, the purchase and distribution of equipment and medical supplies, and the introduction of mobile ultrasound services for women in communities.
• In Uganda, the initiative is implemented by Fondazione AVSI together with the University of Pavia, University of Naples, Fondazione Corti, Fondazione Ambrosoli, and AMREF Health Africa in the regions of Acholi and Lango. This component includes training of health personnel, the purchase and distribution of equipment and medical supplies, the introduction of mobile ultrasound services for women in communities, and the strengthening of data collection and interpretation systems to improve efficiency.