Nairobi
Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ...
-based humanitarian
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in ...
.
The organisation was founded by Fatima Jibrell in 1991, who handed leadership over to her daughter Degal Ali in 2006.
The organisation is noted for its' use of cash-based programming to support communities in Somalia and Kenya and for its executive director's advocacy efforts around advancing localisation. Its programs in Somalia, Kenya, and South Sudan also include women's literacy, agricultural support, and community environmental education.
Nomenclature and history
''Adeso'' is a
portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words
Adeso was founded in
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...
, in 1991 by environmental activist Fatima Jibrell. Adeso was initially known as ''Horn of Africa Relief and Development Organization'', with a mandate to provide a response to humanitarian needs in Somalia in the context of the
Somali civil war
The Somali Civil War ( so, Dagaalkii Sokeeye ee Soomaaliya; ar, الحرب الأهلية الصومالية ) is an ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the Military dictatorship, military junta wh ...
and its effects on Jibrell's homeland of Somalia. Initial activities included the protection of
acacia
''Acacia'', commonly known as the wattles or acacias, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the pea family Fabaceae. Initially, it comprised a group of plant species native to Africa and Australasia. The genus nam ...
trees and old growth forest against logging for charcoal.Gilbert, G. (2004). World Poverty: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues). United Kingdom: ABC-CLIO. p111
In 1998, the organization changed its name to Horn Relief.
In 2002, in response to Jibrell's advocacy work, the Puntland Government banned the export of charcoal in the region.Primack, R. B., Wilson, J. W. (2019). Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa. United Kingdom: Open Book Publishers. The same year, Jibrell won the international Goldman Environmental Prize for Africa.
The organisation implemented the first large-scale cash transfer program in Somalia in 2003.
In 2006, Jibrell retired as executive director, and was succeeded by her daughter Degan Ali. The following year, Jibrell won the National Geographic's Buffett Award for Leadership in African Conservation, and the organisation published a cash transfer implementation manual. Also in 2006, the organisation launched a women's literary program in
Sanaag
Sanag ( so, Sanaag, ar, سَنَاج) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in north eastern Somaliland.Regions o ...
, Somaliland. The program was initially met with some resistance from people who objected to women's education on religious grounds, however staff demonstrated that Koranic verses supported the education of women.
The organisation changed its name to Adeso in 2012. Somali-American actor
Barkhad Abdi
Barkhad Abdi ( so, Barkhad Cabdi; born April 10, 1985) is a Somali-American actor. He made his acting debut as Somali pirate Abduwali Muse in the biographical drama film '' Captain Phillips'' (2013), which earned him a British Academy Film Awar ...
joined Adeso as a voluntary Goodwill Ambassador in 2014.
In 2019, Adeso pushed for a shift of power towards locally-community run humanitarian organisations. Adeso was one of the 286 organisations chosen by
MacKenzie Scott
MacKenzie Scott (''née'' Tuttle, formerly Bezos; April 7, 1970) is an American novelist and philanthropist. As of September 2022, she has a net worth of US$33.4 billion, owing to a 4% stake in Amazon, the company founded by her ex-husband Je ...
to receive a share of her US$2.7 billion unrestricted donation in 2021.
Activities
A significant part of Adeso's work is the delivery of cash assistance, which is often provided to pastoralists.''Endogenous Development: Naïve Romanticism Or Practical Route to Sustainable African Development''. (2017). United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. p103-104 Cash is used by people to pay off debt, and meeting their basic education and healthcare needs. Adeso adopts a "Inclusive Community-Based Targeting" approach to its activities, adjusting to local cultural and religious norms, respecting the traditional community hierarchy and role of elders and communities leaders who form ''Village Relief Committees.'' The committees are obliged to consist of at least 40% women. The committee meets in a public space (in what is known locally as a ''kulan'') and discusses the needs of each potential program beneficiary and then does house-to-house verification of unmet humanitarian needs. This process improves local community ownership of the program and means that the needs assessment, while slower than traditional humanitarian aid, is done by people with the best local knowledge.
Other program activities include women's literacy, cash-for-work programs, and agriculture programs that provide seeds and tools to pastoralists Adeso's community education about environment covers the impacts of charcoal use small scale irrigation.
Advocacy efforts cover topics such as illegal overfishing in Somali waters and the importance of allowing cash remittances into Somalia.
Activities are centred around the
Sool
Sool ( so, Sool, ar, صول) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in south eastern Somaliland/north western Somalia. It borders Togdheer to the west, Sanaag to the north, Ethiopia to the south and Nugal, Bari to the east. Its capital city ...
and
Sanaag
Sanag ( so, Sanaag, ar, سَنَاج) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in north eastern Somaliland.Regions o ...
regions of Somali and extend also into Kenya and South Sudan.
Organization
Adeso has its headquarters in
Nairobi
Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ...
, Kenya, and is registered as a charity in the United Kingdom, Kenya, and the United States. There are approximately 45 staff in the Nairobi head office and nearly 250 staff in field offices. The 2012 revenues for Adeso were $25 million.
See also
*
Network for Empowered Aid Response
The Network for Empowered Aid Response, often called the NEAR Network, is a group of humanitarian civil society organisations based in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
The Network increases collaboration between its members and advocates for ...