The 2026–2029 Strategic Plan was developed through a co-creation process of rigorous analysis, consultations, and reflections by peers and key stakeholders. It is aligned with national development priorities — including Somalia’s National Transformation Plan (2025–2029) — and directly contributes to global commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals. The plan defines five strategic pillars and a commitment to organisational excellence.
Overall Objective: To build robust, accountable institutions through evidence-based policy reform and enhanced civic engagement to ensure equitable service delivery.
HAPEN will strengthen constructive, evidence-based collaboration among citizens, civic actors, traditional authorities, and state institutions — addressing persistent gaps in communication, trust, and information flow between the state and society.
In Somalia, citizen engagement is a critical, evolving process aimed at rebuilding governance, increasing accountability, and improving service delivery amid significant security and political challenges. HAPEN will strengthen the capacity of marginalized groups to effectively participate in governance and political processes, support open and accountable public financial management, and facilitate participatory budgeting forums at the community level.
Expected outcomes include: improved capacity of supported citizens and CSOs to engage in governance processes; increased citizen-driven service delivery in focus locations; and at least 5 advocacy actions taken annually by supported actors.
HAPEN will empower CSOs and CBOs to enhance their voice, support the development of sustainable CSO institutional capacities, promote mechanisms for effective CSO administration and compliance, and foster strategic collaborations between CSOs, state, and non-state actors through joint programming and knowledge sharing.
Overall Objective: To build long-term resilience against climate-related risks, promote sustainable development, and foster environmental peacebuilding.
Somalia is widely regarded as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts. Communities face compounding threats of recurrent droughts and floods, land degradation, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss. HAPEN’s climate programming addresses these through four sub themes:
HAPEN focuses on building resilience against cyclical droughts and floods through sustainable water resource management, strengthening early warning systems (including hydrological monitoring equipment), enhancing agricultural and livestock livelihoods, and community- level disaster preparedness. This subtheme supports the Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) and aligns with the NDC 3.0 Investment Plan (2025–2035).
HAPEN implements agroforestry, sustainable land management, and restoration of degraded lands. Alternative livelihoods including eco friendly energy solutions (fuel-efficient stoves, solar solutions), apiculture, and fodder production reduce charcoal dependence and provide diversified income sources.
HAPEN promotes drought-resistant crops, improved rangeland management, water harvesting techniques, cash-based transfers linked to livelihood support, establishment of financial organising groups, and market linkage programs to build climate-smart agro-pastoral communities.
HAPEN integrates natural resource management with conflict resolution, using environmental mediation to bring clans and groups together to manage water, grazing land, and forest resources as a shared challenge — directly reducing conflict drivers linked to resource scarcity. Community Social Action Plans (CSAPs) will be co-developed with communities.
Overall Objective: To foster a stable, peaceful, and resilient Somali society by reducing ideologically motivated violence, transforming conflicts through dialogue, and strengthening local governance.
According to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, Somalia was the seventh most affected country by terrorism. The drivers of violent extremism are complex — including perceptions of marginalization, limited economic opportunities, and governance and security challenges.
HAPEN facilitates mediation through neutral third parties, integrates peacebuilding into development work, promotes good governance to address structural inequities, and supports trauma healing and reconciliation. Women’s equitable participation in peace-building structures is promoted alongside male gender champions. Community based media, arts, and traditional dispute resolution mechanisms (Shir) are leveraged to enhance the legitimacy of peace processes.
Strategic interventions include:
HAPEN’s P/CVE programming combines institutional frameworks, community-based social interventions, and strategic communications. Key activities include:
Overall Objective: To save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity during and in the aftermath of man-made crises and natural disasters, while preventing and strengthening preparedness for such situations.
HAPEN provides safe drinking water and core hygiene kits, constructs and rehabilitates wells, excavates ponds and water pans, establishes sustainable water management committees, and increases women's participation in water and sanitation infrastructure management. All WASH programming is coordinated with Health, Nutrition, FSC, CCCM, Education, Shelter, and Protection clusters.
HAPEN prevents loss of life by reducing hunger and acute malnutrition through climate resilient agricultural infrastructure, climate-smart agriculture, strengthening food systems and local markets, operationalizing early warning and anticipatory action systems, and strengthening safety nets through cash transfers linked to livelihood inputs.
HAPEN delivers Emergency Shelter Kits (ESKs), core NFI packages (plastic sheets, blankets, jerrycans, solar lamps, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, kitchen sets), and transitional or permanent shelter construction. All shelter programming is coordinated across clusters.
HAPEN monitors and reports SGBV and human rights violations, deploys mobile protection teams, establishes community protection committees, integrates MHPSS into programs, enhances GBV service provision, strengthens case management, supports the operationalization of the IDP Bill and the National Action Plan to End Statelessness, and operationalises PSEA mechanisms.
Overall Objective: To enable HAPEN to effectively and sustainably discharge its mandate through strengthened internal capacities, systems, and processes.
HAPEN will invest in HR administration mechanisms, establish a Human Resource Development (HRD) plan for all staff, and invest regularly in leadership development. Target: high staff capacity and retention; productive and motivated teams.
HAPEN will diversify its funding portfolio, negotiate for institutional funding, and revamp communications for enhanced visibility. Target: 20% annual growth; at least 2 new funding streams per year; unrestricted income at 10% of total funding by 2029.
Optimised MERL systems, regular learning and adaptation processes, partnerships with higher education institutions and think tanks, and continuously improved automated systems and internal controls.
Partner with HAPEN to support sustainable development, peace-building and resilience across Somalia.
