LocationsHow can I help when a disaster strikes my community?
Empowering Somali youth to help prepare and recover from disasters
August 11, 2026
Participants in DVN training, ready to support disaster preparedness, response and recovery in their communities.
UNDP Somalia
When devastating floods swept through Somalia's Jubaland in 2023, 26 years old Ubah Yussuf Addani, a committed community volunteer, responded immediately, helping however she could. "I saw families struggling, children crying and elderly people left behind", she recalls. "I wanted to do more, but I realized that goodwill alone was not enough. I needed the right knowledge and practical skills to respond better."
Her experience reflects a wider reality across the country, where climate shocks are becoming more frequent and severe. The 2023 Deyr floods affected more than 2.48 million people and displaced over 1.2 million. A worsening drought is now pushing an estimated 6 million people - 31% of the country's total population into critical levels of food security.
For young Somalis like Ubah, the future can feel uncertain. Yet they are looking beyond these challenges and emerging as agents of change. Through the European Union-funded Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance and Recovery Capacities initiative, UNDP, in partnership with the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) has established a Disaster Volunteer Network (DVN).
The network brings together volunteers from youth groups, women's associations and community-based organizations, equipping them to support preparedness, response and recovery. Across 16 flood-affected districts, 226 trained volunteers are helping disseminate early warnings, conduct rapid assessments, mobilize communities and support delivery of essential service.
For young Somalis, volunteering is more than service in times of crises: it is also an opportunity for them to contribute to their country's future while building the skills, confidence and leadership to shape their own.
Kafia Warsame in training l UNDP Somalia
Turning concern into community leadership
In Galkayo, Galmudug State, 24 year-old Kafia Noor Warsame believes that knowledge is one of the strongest tools to improve people's lives. A primary school teacher and community volunteer, it pained her to see how drought and environmental degradation affected families who had little practical information on how to mitigate such hazard events and how to prepare for them.
With a resolve to turn her concern into action, Kafia joined the DVN.
Through disaster risk management capacity-building training and practical emergency preparedness exercises, she improved her understanding of disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, community recovery and volunteer leadership. This strengthened her confidence to discuss risks and practical solutions with community members.
Today, she incorporates preparedness messages into her community awareness activities, encouraging residents to plan ahead and to make preparedness part of everyday life.
"Every volunteer has the ability to protect lives, strengthen resilience and create lasting change"- Kafia Noor Warsame
When early warning ensure safety
For people in the city of Beledweyne in Hirshabelle State, disasters are an everyday reality. Seasonal flooding, fires and other shoks frequently displace families, damage homes and disrupt livelihoods. As a community firefighter supervisor, Kenadid Hussein Sandhool has seen how quickly an emergency can overwhelm households, especially when they have little time or information to respond.
Through DVN, the 35 year-old strengthened his skills in early warning, first aid, emergency coordination and community mobilization. When heavy rainfall caused flooding in parts of Beledweyne, he worked with fellow volunteers, local authorities and community leaders to share early warning messages, identify households most at risk and help families move to safer locations.
One moment remains deeply personal for him: "After the floods, one family thanks us because they had received the warning early enough to move their children and belongings to safety. It reminded me how even a simple message shared at the right time can protect lives".
Enhancing community preparedness
Years of humanitarian work have shown Halima Sheikh Yunis that support is most effective when communities are involved from the outset. As a Project Coordinator with a humanitarian relief and development organization in Banadir - the region that includes Somalia's capital, Mogadishu - she works with women, young people, community leaders and vulnerable households on community awareness, gender-based violence prevention, child protection and community resilience.
Through DVN, training in preparedness, early warning, emergency communication and coordination, Halima has strengthened her ability to integrate disaster preparedness into her existing work.
It has also enabled her to work more closely with local authorities, humanitarian organizations and community institutions to identify risks, reach vulnerable groups and support practical preparedness measures.
During community outreach, she creates space for families, particularly to women, to discuss the risks they face and the steps they can take together. "After one awareness session, several women told us they felt more confident discussing disaster preparedness with their families because they finally understood simple actions they could take to stay safe", the 27 year-old explains.
Disaster Volunteer Network volunteers engage community members during a field visit, sharing practical information to help families prepare for hazards.
UNDP Somalia
A safer future led by the youth
Back in Jubaland, Ubah no longer relies on intent alone. Drawing on the knowledge and confidence she has gained through the DVN, she actively mobilizes fellow volunteers before extreme weather events, helps households prepare and works to ensure that women, older persons and children are not overlooked.
The message is clear: when youth are trusted, supported and equipped to lead, they can create solutions that build a safer future for all.
