Development & Environment

PDRC has been in the field of research and development activities for over 20 years focusing onresearch development, policy advising and educating or awareness-raising. These decades of experience have led to the beliefthat lasting peace goes hand-in-hand with sustainable economic and social development in Somalia to eradicate the root causes of the conflict, such as poverty, inequality, and lack of opportunity.

PDRC in 2020 joined The Shaqo Consortium (Jobs Consortium) is a groundbreaking three-year initiative collaboratively implemented across the Somali regions. Building upon the successes of the 2020-2022 Nexus Skills and Jobs pilot projects, the Shaqo Consortium has embarked on its second phase with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

At the heart of the Shaqo Consortium's mission is the imperative to create realistic, sustainable livelihood opportunities for the multitude of unemployed Somali youth aged 15 to 25. Recognizing that the empowerment of this demographic is crucial to the social and economic development of the country, the consortium is dedicated to cultivating a future where young people can thrive and contribute to the fabric of their communities.

The Consortium will also manage and develop its ownknowledge resources to source information on unemployment, and homegrown solutions, whileproviding capacity development to its members and partners. The Programme’s main objectiveis to contribute towards creating equal and economic opportunities for unemployed youth.

Specifically, the aim of the PDRC is to generate employment or link youth to decentemployment opportunities in Puntland. Decent employment opportunities are defined as employmentopportunities that youth can retain, and that provide youth with anadequate standard of living. Beneficiaries will receive direct support through incomegenerating activities, business and vocational skills training, psychosocial counselling as well assupport through access to financial services, such as seed funding, to promote adequatelivelihood opportunities.