PRESS RELEASE: FROM SOMALI PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION

[Jacaylbaro]

hadhwanaag 2007-04-21 (Hadhwanaagnews) On behalf of the Management Committee and the staff of Somali Progressive Association, Mr. Ahmed Hassan Arwo, Chairman and Mr. Abdikarim Abdi Adan, Director, are delighted to announce the successful project partnership with Wales National Assembly Government.

 

This is a landmark enterprise which will help us realisation of our strategic objectives of building a bridge between Somaliland and Wales. Following a series of fruitful visits of Somaliland leaders and personalities from all three political parties of Somaliland, arranged by this association, it come imperative to formalise officially our deep rooted century old relationship between the two nations: Somaliland and Wales.

 

On light of this and as integral part of the recently launched Welsh Assembly Government Programme: Wales For Africa, the Wales Assembly Government agreed to fund a dedicated post based in SPA Centre, the Officer’s job profile is squarely and solely to develop potential partnership link projects between the three communities: Somaliland Community in Wales, Welsh society at large and Somaliland . The project period of funding extends to two years.

 

This project will take lion’s share in accomplishment of well intended Wales for Africa objectives. On the other hand, it’s involvement of local communities will enhance achievements of the UN Millennium Development Goals in Somaliland.

 

The project aims to:

 

• Promote and arrange twinning of at least one Welsh community where Somalis live with a community in Somaliland of a similar size. This scheme could be supported with technical assistance by the WAG funded Gold Star Communities scheme.

• Promote and arrange twinning of Schools within the identified communities in cooperation with the British Council and DfID.

• Promote and establish twinning NHS Wales’s institutions with facilities in Somaliland.

• Work with the widest possible number of Welsh Somali community groups and individuals, local authorities, schools, hospitals, the Welsh Assembly Government, the Civil Society Millennium Development Goals Task Force, WCVA, the British Council and International Development NGOs.

• Investigate viability of volunteering amongst the Welsh Somaliland population and identify partnership opportunities with overseas volunteering organisations.

• To raise awareness within the Somali Community of twinning schemes and the opportunities of volunteering overseas in Somaliland.

 

Background

 

The Somali Progressive Association (SPA) is a community based organisation which was set up in 1988 as a registered charity. With the support of the statutory bodies particularly, the City and County of Cardiff Council. Voluntary agencies and members of the Somaliland community funded and managed SPA on voluntary basis before it secured financial help from governmental and semi-governmental bodies.

 

A small team of paid staff and volunteers, based at the Somali Advice and Information Centre in James Street, Cardiff Bay, are charged with delivering SPA services to members of the community.