Wamo Educational Development Organization (WEDO) is a non-government, non-profit organization based in Kismayo, Somalia. Founded on September 25, 2023, WEDO’s mission is to contribute to youth education, build a better world, and empower individuals to make positive contributions to society. WEDO’s vision is to create an environment that allows for the realization, respect, and protection of fundamental human rights among youth, developing their leadership skills so they become active contributors to society.

WEDO strives to improve the lives of vulnerable communities in the Jubaland regions of Somalia. The organization focuses on:

  • Community mobilization
  • Capacity building
  • Advocacy
  • Strengthening educational institutions at the grassroots level

WEDO’s Story

In 2022, a group of educated youth working in the development sector joined together to address the urgent needs of the people in the Jubaland regions. They were aware of the numerous problems affecting the province and chose to focus on a range of interventions in various sectors:

  • Education
  • Health and hygiene
  • Youth and women empowerment
  • Teacher training
  • Emergency response and preparedness
  • Human rights

What We Do

WEDO employs a participatory approach in all of its work, valuing the traditional knowledge of rural communities and believing in their ability to self-organize. The organization focuses on decentralization and educational empowerment, believing that full community involvement in all stages of the development cycle is essential for reducing dependency.

WEDO emphasizes human resource development, ensuring that communities have the necessary training, skills, and organization to manage their own development. The organization works to transfer field experiences into knowledge, influencing the development policies and practices of NGOs, donors, and government agencies to eradicate poverty.

WEDO’s approach to social mobilization involves community involvement and volunteer group formation in remote rural areas of Somalia. The organization believes that sustainable rural development requires continuous interventions and frameworks incorporating community needs through public-private partnerships.

Our Values

WEDO is guided by the following values:

  • Honesty
  • Respect for the individual
  • Integrity
  • Participation in communal activities
  • Transparency in all transactions
  • Accountability for all actions
  • Creativity
  • Cost efficiency

WEDO’s guiding principles are:

  • Utilizing indigenous knowledge
  • Achieving the highest quality standards
  • Promoting innovation and creativity
  • Meeting deadlines
  • Enhancing networking and coordination
  • Facing challenges

Our Impact

WEDO has strong links with major NGOs and funding agencies in Somalia. The organization has implemented initiatives in the Jubaland regions, specifically in the lower Juba, middle Juba, and Gedo regions, collaborating with local community-based organizations (CBOs) and activists. WEDO has experience working in Somalia’s diverse socio-cultural environment and extensive networks with district and provincial governments, civil society institutions and media.

Our Programs

WEDO focuses on the following thematic program areas:

  • Health
  • WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene)
  • Youth Empowerment
  • Education
  • Community Physical Infrastructure
  • Emergency Response and Preparedness
  • Agricultural Development
  • Climate change mitigation and adaptation
  • Women Empowerment

WEDO’s objectives are to:

  • Educate underprivileged communities about basic human rights
  • Provide a safe and affordable space for students to relax and enjoy healthy meals
  • Promote gender equality
  • Empower women and children to acquire education, improve health, and increase earnings
  • Ensure local grassroots organizations’ participation in decision-making processes
  • Promote girls’ education
  • Develop vocational training centers
  • Establish a resource center for target communities and local institutions
  • Develop effective partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, and donor agencies for educational development
  • Establish new community schools and upgrade existing ones, with a focus on girls’ education

Specific objectives include:

  • Improving children’s academic performance by making learning meaningful and enjoyable
  • Connecting classroom learning with real-world experiences
  • Increasing education levels in target communities
  • Enabling teachers to refresh their teaching skills, encouraging multi-disciplinary and participatory teaching
  • Providing stimulating reading materials to develop children’s reading skills and promote values of harmony and diversity

WEDO also focuses on:

  • Child Protection: Holistic child development, protection, and rights through education, safe learning spaces, confidence-building programs, leadership development, and awareness-raising among various stakeholders.
  • Women Empowerment: Promoting women’s leadership in democratic norms and culture. Activities include capacity building for women and communities to engage effectively with government and stakeholders to secure their social, and economic ; working with state institutions to create an environment guaranteeing women’s rights; and enhancing women’s income generation through capacity building and microcredit.
  • Community-Based Infrastructure: Construction and rehabilitation of rural infrastructure through community participation, including underground drainage, community latrines, water course lining, tube wells, and brick pavements.
  • Free Legal Aid and Education: Providing free legal aid and education to vulnerable and marginalized victims, particularly women and children, through a network of senior lawyers.

Our Partners

WEDO is partnered with:

  • Save the Children
  • Ministry of Education of Jubaland State of Somalia

Our Memberships

WEDO is a member of the following organizations:

  • District Health Management Committee
  • Ministry of Education
  • Jubaland Civil Society Network
  • Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE)

Our Strategies

WEDO implements programs and projects through:

  • Community/Social Mobilization: Raising awareness in the community on health, hygiene, education, gender, socio-economic development, and environmental protection through meetings, training sessions, and campaigns.
  • Advocacy: Achieving better results in social/rural/community development by advocating for relevant issues, approaching government departments, NGOs, CBOs, civil society organizations, community members, and notables. The organization promotes a rights-based approach and dialogue.
  • Service Delivery: Providing transparent and efficient services in health, education, and environment to meet community needs and achieve objectives.
  • Networking: Collaborating with NGOs, CBOs, CSOs, media groups, and stakeholders to achieve sustainable development goals. Networking facilitates communication between service providers and beneficiaries and provides opportunities to view issues from various perspectives.

Our Target Groups

WEDO works with men, women, and children in rural communities living in poverty and deprived of basic necessities. The organization also focuses on urban populations in slums. WEDO targets health workers, paramedics, teachers, students, environmentalists, and stakeholders in health, education, and the environment.