Wales Somaliland Communities Link

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Wales Somaliland Communities Link
Linking Wales and Somaliland Communities
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Who we are

• Somali Progressive Association is Charity founded
  in 1986.
• Wales Somaliland Communities Link is a project
  managed by the Somali Community through the
  Somali Progressive Association and is funded by
  the Welsh Assembly Government.
• The project is known as the Wales Somaliland
  Community Link

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WSCL Aims

• Promote and arrange the linking of Welsh
  Communities where Somalis live with a communities
  in Somaliland of a similar size to tackle the
  MDGs
• Promote and arrange the linking of schools,
  universities (faculties) and hospitals in Wales
  with those in Somaliland.

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WSCL Aims

• Promote and arrange ways in which the voluntary
  sector in Wales can partner with the voluntary
  sector in Somaliland as part of Global
  partnership for Development
• Create a better understanding of development
  issues within bothcommunities.
• Facilitate community cohesion through working in
  partnership with Agencies.

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Wales Somali Community - Diaspora

• What is a Diaspora Community?
• A Diaspora is a self identified ethnic group,
  with a specific place of origin, which has been
  globally dispersed through voluntary or forced
  migration
• (Dr Steven Vertovec university of Oxford)

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Wales Somali Community - Diaspora

• The Somali Community presence in Wales is well
  over a hundred years.
• Somali men served in World War 1 2 and the
  Falklands
• The Somali Communtiy previously were
  predominantly seaman and factory workers.
• The Somali Community is estimated to be over
  10,000

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Wales Somali Community - Diaspora

• The Somali Diaspora makes a major contribution to
  the Somali Economony and livelihoods through
  remittances and humanitarian assistance.
• The Somali Diaspora is the major investor in the
  country and provides 80 of the start up capital
  for small medium enterprises
• The composition of the community have changed
  from predominately seamen to men and women with
  professional skills e.g.. Doctors, Lawyers and
  Community Champions

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WHERE IS SOMALILAND

• Somaliland is about the size of England and Wales
  with an area of 137,600km² (68,000 sq. miles).
• Somaliland is situated in the Horn of Africa
• It shares borders with Djibouti, Ethiopia and
  Somalia

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The map
SOMALIA
SOMALILAND
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The Map of Somaliland
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General Information

• Languages Somali is the official language.
  English Arabic are also widely spoken.
• The capital is Hargeisa with a population of 1.00
  million.
• The other main towns are Burao, Borama, Berbera
  (main port), Erigabo and Las Anod.

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A Brief History

• Somaliland was under British rule from 1884
  until June 26th 1960 . The country was then known
  as British Somaliland. It was a Protectorate.
• Independence was gained June 26th 1960.
  Somaliland was admitted to the UN and was
  recognized by 35 countries in the first week
  prior to joining the former Italian Somalia on
  1st July 1960 to form the Somali Republic. No act
  of union signed.

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A Brief History (contd.)

• The union between the Somalia Somaliland did
  not work and led to a civil war between 1980 and
  ended 18th May1991.
• After the collapse of the Somali Republic, the
  people of Somaliland decided to withdraw from the
  union with Somalia and reinstate Somalilands
  sovereignty. An internationally monitored
  referendum on the constitution confirmed the
  peoples wish to re-gain their independence was
  held 31st May 2002.

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The Economy

• The backbone of the economy is livestock.
• Remitances from Somalilanders living abroad play
  also a big role in the economy.

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WALES AND SOMALILAND
3912 miles!
England
Wales
France
The same as travelling to London from Cardiff
nearly 30 times!
Italy
Egypt
Sudan
Somaliland
Ethiopia
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Population - time to estimate!
½ Million
Somaliland
Wales
3 Million
3 ½ Million
How do these compare to the cities of...
Cardiff
London
317 Thousand
7 ½ Million!
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HEALTH SITUATION IN SOMALILAND

• The Civil war has virtually destroyed
  Somaliland's infrastructure. Including the Health
  Institutions. Nurses, doctors and primary health
  workers were either killed or displaced
  internally or externally.
• Health indicators in Somaliland
• Somali women have one of the worlds highest
  Maternal Mortality rates 16 women out or every
  1000 die during child birth every year almost
  4000 women die in childbirth
• Somali children have one of the least chances of
  survival 1 in 8 babies die before the age of 1
  and 1 in 5 children die before the age of five.
• Life expectancy is only 48 years

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HEALTH SITUATION IN SOMALILAND

• The Civil war has virtually destroyed
  Somaliland's infrastructure. Including the Health
  Institutions. Nurses, doctors and primary health
  workers were either killed or displaced
  internally or externally.
• Rebuilding the Health Infrastructure
• Support raising money to send to the hospitals
• Equipment
• Volunteers
• Medication
• Raising Awareness

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Barriers to Linking

• Language / culture
• Security e.g. Foreign Office Advice
• Insurance cover and costs
• Visa issues for reciprocal visits
• Communication e.g. No postal Service
• Financial and Technical Issues
• Over stretched key staff in partner organisations

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Benefits to Linking

• Promote understanding of different situation and
  challenges
• Create mutual learning between both countries
• Help communities to learn form each other
• Encourage awareness between different cultures
• Share professional experiences
• Contribute to Global citizenship and
  Interdependent
• Break down stereotypes
• Create activity within the curriculum
• Develop critical thinking skills
• Contribute to the MDGs achievements

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Wales Somaliland is supported by Rt. Hon. G.
Brown, MP , UK Prime Minister and Secretary Of
State for Wales ,Rt. Hon. Peter Haine
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Rt. Hon. Mr. Michael, MP and Rt. Hon. Mr. Morgan,
AM Addressing Wales SL. Conference 2008
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Wales Somaliland Link Director Addressing Joint
Session s of UK/Somaliland MPs in the attendances
is Lord Mallac_ Brown UK Minister for Africa
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Wales Somaliland Director and Chairman with Rt.
Hon. Mr. Michael,MP, Rt. Hon.
Milliband, Rt. Hon. Morgan,AM and Lorrainee
Barrtte,AM
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Wales Somaliland Is Supported by H.E . Dahir
Riyale Kahin and Rt. Hon. Abdillahi Duale,
Somaliland Foreign Minister
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(No Transcript)
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(No Transcript)
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WELCOME TO A GREAT PARTNERSHIP Wales
Somaliland Community Link - WSCL Tel 02920
499916 Mr. Abdikarin Abdi Adan / Diane Lewis
abdi_at_walessomaliland.org diane_at_walessomaliland.or
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