SAACID - History

SAACID.ORG

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History

SAACID was established in October 1990 under Somali presidential law as a not-for-profit community-based organisation. At that time, there was no local NGO presence, but that didn’t stop some dedicated Somali women - committed to the development of their people - from establishing the first Somali women’s Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

These women realised the vital role played by NGOs in developing countries - and their ability to directly alleviate suffering and engender hope. They also saw a desperate need for intervention in Somalia and proposed not to sit back and watch. Being indigenous to the country, they had a unique ability to access the grassroots; and have since been able to implement many very successful programmes in concert with local communities - growing to become one of the largest NGOs in Somalia.

SAACID was initially established with a mandate for women's empowerment. When the Somali government fell in January 1991, SAACID expanded its mandate to include emergency relief and conflict transformation. In 1992, SAACID expanded its mandate into health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene. In 1994, SAACID further expanded its mandate to include livelihoods. In 1996, SAACID included education and micro-credit into its portfolio. In 1998, SAACID formally changed the organisation's focus from humanitarian emergency to development (though SAACID has continued to be dragged back into humanitarian emergency because of conflict, drought, flood, fire and tsunami). In 2001, SAACID further expanded to include governance. Finally, in 2003, SAACID again expanded its mandate to include a research section.

In 2001, an Australian sister organisation (SAACID-Australia) was established, so as to better market the organisation; and to better access donor funding. As an indigenous Somali NGO, with no sovereign government to endorse the organisation and its activities, SAACID has struggled to receive donor recognition and funding. The Australian sister organisation has been able to secure the endorsements necessary to receive much better visibility and access to donor funds.

In 2007, SAACID International was established in the US. SAACID hopes that this new sister organisation can further build its donor and partner base, so that more resources can be mobilised for Somali communities.

SAACID currently operates in Mogadishu and central Somalia. SAACID has a strategic vision to become a truly national NGO; but remains hamstrung by a donor community unwilling to fund SAACID outside of its existing theatre of operations.