30 November 2025 | Kismayo, Jubaland, Somalia

Kismayo’s Halgan IDP Camp has taken a major step toward safer and more resilient living conditions with the installation of 20 solar streetlights, a transformative initiative led by the Somali Women’s Studies Centre (SWSC) with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“We had nothing but firewood for light at night,” said Ambiya Salah Abdi, 45 year old mother of five, in Halgan IDP camp, Somalia. “We are pleased to see the solar lights brightening our streets at night.”

The project was implemented in close coordination with the Jubaland Commission for Refugees and IDPs (JUCRI) and the Ministry of Humanitarian and Disaster Management (MOHADMA), under the broader GPCR Project aimed at delivering integrated development solutions for displacement-affected communities in Jubaland.

For years, residents of Halgan IDP Camp have lived in darkness after sunset, relying on firewood for light. This lack of night-time illumination heightened risks of gender-based violence, theft, harassment, and restricted movement, particularly affecting women, children, older persons, and people with disabilities. Access to essential services such as latrines, water points, and communal spaces was severely constrained, undermining dignity, safety, and resilience within the settlement.

“Before the installation, accessing toilets at night was frightening and dangerous. Now, the lights provide safety and comfort for evening movement,” said Fatima, an IDP residing in the camp. “We also need solar lights in our shelters as we don’t have anything right now.”

According to UNDP’s Abdurazak Hassan, the solar streetlights were installed strategically along the road connecting the camp’s 92-house settlement to its market area, prioritizing high-risk zones identified through community consultations and a transparent selection process. The intervention was guided by repeated concerns raised by camp leaders, women’s groups, and local authorities about night-time insecurity.

According to Halgan Camp Leader, Mr. Abdi Kaafi, this initiative has significantly improved night-time safety, enabling residents to move freely, access water and sanitation facilities, and participate in economic and social activities after dark. “The lighting completely transformed the camp, enabling children to study at night, elders to move safely, and fostering a stronger sense of unity and security,” he said. By directly addressing protection risks, the solar lights have strengthened community resilience and contributed to a safer environment for both IDPs and host families.

The project’s success also reflects broader efforts to enhance equitable access to essential services and strengthen protective environments for vulnerable populations. With Halgan IDP Camp now illuminated, the intervention sets a precedent for future programming aimed at improving living conditions and resilience in displacement-affected communities across Jubaland.

Other components of the project include training local police on IDP security and protection, cash-for-work opportunities for displaced families, and construction of an extension to the police station within the IDP settlements. A dedicated Gender Desk is also being established to replace the temporary tent currently used for case intake, which has been overcrowded and unsuitable for handling sensitive issues. The new facility will significantly enhance gender-responsive policing and law enforcement services for more than 3,000 residents.

                                                                                                . . . 

About the Initiative

This initiative was made possible through contributions from Denmark, the Republic of Korea and Luxembourg via the Funding Windows under the Governance, Peacebuilding, Crisis and Resilience (GPCR) allocation, supporting “integrated development solutions for IDPs and host communities” in Somalia. As UNDP’s main channel for flexible and pooled thematic resources, the Funding Windows allow rapid, comprehensive responses to emerging needs worldwide.

Beyond the installation of solar streetlights, the UNDP Funding Windows supported a wide set of interventions in Kismayo, in 2025. These included gender-sensitive social and environmental assessments, a political economy analysis in target areas, and a gender-responsive economic recovery assessment to identify needs and investment opportunities. The initiative also facilitated communal reconciliation through insider mediation in line with the National Reconciliation Framework, and supported small-scale rehabilitation of key social infrastructure, including a marketplace designed to better serve women. In addition, a police station was rehabilitated, and police officers received training on community policing, conflict prevention and SGBV, with a particular focus on protecting women, children and displaced communities.

Together, these efforts aim to strengthen stabilization, advance gender-responsive early recovery, and reinforce core government and local governance functions — creating a safer, more enabling environment for displaced communities in Kismayo, Somalia.

The support provided under UNDP Funding Windows is a complimentary one in addition to the support being provided to the IDPs and climate-hit host populations through longer-term regular programmes, including the crisis recovery initiatives under UNDP’s Resilience and Climate Change (RCC) portfolio, which include climate-smart solutions; the Joint Police Programme Phase — 2 (JPP-II), which supports professional trainings to local police on handling GBV cases; and Saameynta Programme, which supports the Federal Government of Somalia in their goal to achieve durable solutions for an estimated 2.6 million displaced people within the country (though not in Kismayo), and the Joint Justice and Corrections Programme (JJCP) .