Somali Youth Voluntary Group Association SOYVGA

Organizational Background and Capacity to Implement the Grant Activities.

SOYVGA is a non-profit, non-political and non- religious local NGO based in Somalia, with its head-quarters in Mogadishu and local offices in Federal Regional States. SOYVGA background can never be completed without paying a profound tribute to its founder, and our fallen-hero Ahmed Mohamed Nur. Assassinated on May 9^th, 2012 in Baidoa, Ahmed lost his life for fiercely advocating for human rights, training and educating the most vulnerable (Youth, Children and Women) on 2007, in Baidoa, Somalia. He founded SOYVGA, during the hardest times of Somali people and Somalia’s transition from chaos and civil strife to the probe of establishing Transitional Federal Government (TFG). An era of different warring factions: warlordism, clan in-fights for resources/ power struggle and the youth being caught in between lurking to clan-allegiance, religious groups grooming, child-soldiering, and violations of human rights at its highest. SOYVGA, as its name is driven from is a youth organization, which realized early on that the youth are one of Somalia’s proudest assets, and the imperativeness of supporting them through holistic approaches of developmental initiatives, can defy the odds as they have done previously. SOYVGA’s stance is for the betterment and improvement of the human life conditions through developmental approaches, assistance during humanitarian emergency responses and recovery initiatives in Somalia. SOYVGA is driven by the desire to transform lives of the communities by building their resilience to ultimately contribute to Somali people reaching their full potential as peaceful, prosperous, and equal society and in-turn a stable Somalia. Our dedication and mantra of inclusivity and holistic developmental approach with Leave No One Behind impeded, can be summed up under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs established in 2015), formerly known as the Millennial Development Goals (MDGs established in 2000) of which SOYVGA is a proud advocate and implementer since its adaptation. We believe in inclusive initiatives and Somali led humanitarian and development programs anchored on the real needs and based on the aspirations of the people.

SOYVGA is a fully registered entity with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) relevant  government agency as a local NGO established in 2007. SOYVGA has Board of Directors and a dedicated Executive Director, who provides leadership and oversees the day to day smooth running of the organization. The Executive Director is supported by a Senior Management Team (SMT) that includes Director of programs, Director of Operations and Director of Finance. The organization in its operations is guided by robust internal policies that include financial policy, procurement policy, human resource policy and child protection policy among other guidelines. SOYVGA has field offices in major cities of The Federal Regional States such as: Adale, Afgoye, Adaado, Baidoa, Bal’ad, Bulla-Fuulaay, Diinsoor, DhusaMareeb, Galkaio, Hudur, Jowhar, Kismayo, and Qoryoley.

Cognizant of the growing needs of these highly vulnerable groups in Somalia, SOYVGA has been working with the different entities of local communities: youth, women, elders, local authorities, business communities ,Somali- diaspora communities, volunteers, educators, local chamber of commerce in Baidoa town of Bay region and Mogadishu Banadir region in implementing skills training through partnership with range of different Somali- diaspora groups, technology for development education organizations in United States of America and other International NGOs including but not limited to: CISP, Diakonia Sweden, DRC and TIS-IOM for the past five years in which both “soft” and “hard” skills are developed within a “joined-up”, integrated development and delivery framework that seeks to improve livelihoods, promote inclusion into the world of work and that supports community and target beneficiaries. Examples of past and present ongoing programs include: implementing first Science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education through Artificial Intelligence, coding and ICT skills, combined with the drive of mobile libraries (ML) for children and youth and their families, as rigorous method of increasing literacy rate and debunking the myth surrounding literacy sensitivity. Entrepreneurship and business development trainings with continued mentorship of identification of models of creating market driven start-up small scale businesses, and guidance/coaching from mid-level and highly successful entrepreneurs in different forms as opportunities bring either live sessions, via live-webinars, and also from diasporas as recently influx of many returnees bringing business models. The youth receive exchange innovative ideas, employment promotion and recommendations, and possible talent acquisition through internships. As the trend for employers demand for entry level positions are increasing, training of transferable skills such receptionists, personal assistance have become important in our training project. SOYVGA realized early on that the youth as the leaders of change can never be complete without equipping them with the ability to speak publicly or ability to present in-front of audiences is a critical to self-promotion, and/ or marketing to employer’s trainings are integrated into: public speaking, effective communication, English language, secretarial skills. In an era of technology benefits and risks, it has become essential to train digital literacy and online safety (DLOS) trainings for children/youth/families. Citizenship Education and peace-building, healing and reconciliation of communities (HROC), conflict resolution, mediation and non-violence communication for youth from different community groups including children before reaching adolescent age. Resilience to recovery program training (R2R), which aims to improve access to income generation models, livelihood opportunities and enhancing the resilience of Agro- pastoralists, and sustainable re-integration of returnees. Youth and women are trained in soft skills, business models and know-how’s, financial literacy and hard skills in former field schools to gain skills needed to diversifying crops, managing water, small scale businesses. 

After carefully consideration, internal capacity trainings and in consultation with the community members, valued national and international volunteers, educators, women Groups, media experts, and advocates; while looking at the realities on the ground and the need to catch up with the market driven skills and the need of knowledge in entrepreneurship, innovation and STEAM, SOYVGA launched the Somali Youth Academy of Leadership (SOYAL) as a core part of our development programs. It will also serve as a tribute to the legacy of our founder Ahmed Mohamed Nur, and continuous dedication of SOYVGA’s stance toward attainable and sustainable development in Somalia. For now, it will serve as a mobile academy in different cities and a rigid hub in our head-quarters.