Somaliland Minority: Gaboye Communities' Needs and Living Conditions

BMHDI is a non-profit organization based in Hargeisa, Somaliland, that works in the six regions, or districts: Hargeisa, Borama, Berbera, and Burao, to provide livelihood, protection, nutrition, and WASH to the poor and internally displaced people. It was founded in 2014 by members of the Gabooye minority and marginalized communities and has worked tirelessly to enable these communities, of which they are members, to catch up with other majority communities, where they are far behind.

Since its inception, the BMHDI has worked hard to help these communities improve their lives. They worked hard to ensure that their households could generate income through investment, particularly through the Micro-Dahab of Dahabshil (an ongoing project); advocate for their rights, such as access to public services and equal rights, including political participation; protect their environment and sanitation, and prevent diseases. To achieve these, BMHDI has been implementing small business investment, vocational training, awareness, and educational improvement.

Nonetheless, the BMHDI, like their communities, believes it faces discrimination within INGOs. BMHDI, in comparison to other organizations from the majority community, has limited access to INGOs' projects. BMHDI also sees two other issues: INGOs are busy in other areas of the majority while they appear to have forgotten the minority and the neediest people who deserve to be helped; and, if there is help, LNGOs from the majority communities operate in areas of the displaced minority population while LNGOs from minority communities are present.