Humanitarian Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA) is an African humanitarian organization focused on the implementation of emergency and resilience programming in the greater Horn of Africa; Somalia, Kenya and Uganda.
Background and administration
Humanitarian Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA) is an international African humanitarian and development organization that aims to positively contribute towards improving the living standards and conditions of those adversely affected by disasters and conflict in the Horn and East Africa. The organization roots are in Somalia, where a devastating humanitarian crisis emerged after the collapse of the Somali state in 1991. This prompted a group of like minded professionals to come together to form the organization in response to the glaring humanitarian needs.
Humanitarian Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA) is an African humanitarian organization focused on the implementation of emergency and resilience programming in the greater Horn of Africa; Somalia, Kenya and Uganda.
HIJRA works to implement water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); health; education; and livelihood projects, addressing immediate needs at the grassroots level. Program components include the construction of water and sanitation facilities, hygiene promotion, cash distribution, primary healthcare including communicable disease control, and preventative as well as maternal and child healthcare.
HIJRA is an immediate responder working to provide impartial assistance. As such, the organization works to ensure the safety of its beneficiaries and staff by adhering to a strict policy of transparency, neutrality and accountability.
HIJRA is one of the largest organisations in South Central Somalia, providing aid to over 371,000 of the region's most vulnerable.
Actions
HIJRA is an emergency response organization. HIJRA endeavors to provide the best care possible, employing the SPHERE standards before entering new program areas. HIJRA supports community development by hiring locally, drawing staff from local regions, encouraging beneficiaries to participate in program development.
Methods
HIJRA is a direct implementer. The majority of its staff comes from its program areas, supported by a smaller number of equally significant international staff. In 2011, HIJRA worked through 126 staff to deliver lifesaving programs in Somalia, Kenya and Uganda. Members and staff of HIJRA make a commitment to the following values:
Professionalism
Equality and justice
Transparency
Independence and neutrality
HIJRA focuses its work on bridging gaps in aid through strategic partnerships participating in consortiums, working groups and clusters, serving as one of six NGOs in the Somalia Humanitarian Country Team.
Water, sanitation and hygiene
HIJRA's programmes in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) focus on increasing access to water, sanitation and hygiene services, while building the capacity to manage WASH interventions at the local level.
HIJRA's programmes in Somalia and Uganda directly benefits over 400,000 community members: refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable host community.
Water and sanitation-related diseases, such as diarrhea and malaria, remain the leading cause of death among children under age five. This is primarily due to a high proportion of non-functioning water supply facilities, poor access to sanitation and low adoption rates of positive hygiene practices.
The overall goal of the organization's programmes achieve reductions in water and sanitation-related illnesses within the communities we serve in Somalia and Uganda by:
- Increasing access to safe water
- Improving sanitation
- Improving hygiene behaviour
- Training and mobilizing community water and sanitation (WASH) committees
Livelihoods
HIJRA's livelihood programming in Somalia and Uganda largely aims to contribute to improved resilience and increased adaptive capacities of communities and households to protect their livelihoods over continuing shocks.
Programme Outcomes:
- Improved access to productive livelihood for enhanced food access; - Protection of livelihood assets through the establishment of social safety nets; - Improved capacities of communities to respond to and cope with recurrent shocks stressors.
Programme Activities:
- Conducting participatory, in-depth,vulnerability assessments and systems analysis at community level; - Promote sustainable production and diversification of income through beneficiary training and enhancing household community assets;