Somaliland
Category
Featured, ProjectsThis Project was submitted to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA, under the supervision of the Chief of Energy and Transport Branch (ETB) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the team leader of the project.
Duty Station: Burao, Somaliland, North Somalia.
Objective:
- Providing skill training (practical training) for local masons, covering the following aspects:
- Vault and dome construction.
- Brick production by using Compressed Earth Blocks “CEB”
- Brick production by using manual wooden and metal forms (Sun Dried Bricks)
- Design and construct of:
- Model Unit
- Mini Dome Unit
- Water Tank
- Providing comparative evaluation of cost effectiveness of housing construction by using:
- Dome and vault.
I was very happy to receive a call from UN New York to go immediately to Somalia; Where people in Somaliland needed training in adobe construction. I took the flight to Ethiopia (Addis Ababa) then took a private jet to Somaliland.
Somaliland people were so friendly to me. I was frustrated by the deteriorating situation. We started to communicate with all people to prepare a team of masons and brick production labors. We had many meetings with nearby communities (refugee camp Kossar) to try to let them participate in our activities. After finishing the training phase, we gave each of them a metal brick making form. In my last visit to the camp we gave the elder of the camp, two metal forms in a big ceremony and they started to produce this kind of bricks
Short before my departure, I was standing in front of one of the model units we built. A Beautiful old Somalis lady came with a big smile. She talked to me in Somalis language; so I asked my translator for helping. She gave me a plastic bag with 4 eggs inside; And she said this is a gift for you because you built a beautiful house for us. I was sure that the 4 eggs were the last 4 eggs in her house. I was so proud to receive this big award. This was my Noble Prize!
