Location: Isiolo County
Social Ministry Research Network Centre (SOMIRENEC) is a non-governmental organization that mainly focuses on Peace Building and Conflict Management in Kenya. The organization aligns its program to significantly contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) # 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: inclusive societies, strong institutions and equal access to justice.
SOMIRENEC is one of the partners in a consortium implementing Drought Resilience in Isiolo County (DRIC). The European Union-funded project aims at enhancing food and nutrition security of vulnerable households, especially marginalized women and children in order to generate sustainable livelihoods and protect productive assets in Isiolo County. Other consortium partners include VSF-Suisse/Kenya (lead partner) which implements activities on advocacy, livestock and milk value chains as well as fodder/rangelands management. E4Impact Foundation focuses on strengthening the resilience of pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities through entrepreneurship and market linkages. We World Onlus is implementing nutrition-sensitive agriculture, water for domestic and productive use, advocacy, policy-making on nutrition and food security and sustainable livelihoods. Comitato Collaborazione Medica (CCM), is focusing on health-related activities.
In collaboration with the County Commissioner and County Government of Isiolo, SOMIRENEC continues to build the capacity of the local communities in addressing and mitigating conflict in hot spot areas of the County. This is achieved through:
- Training of peace committees
- Inter-community peace dialogues
- Community peace forums
- Peace radio talk shows
SOMIRENEC engages both the Office of the County Commissioner and the communities in promoting coordinated Early Warning and Early Response Mechanisms (EWERS) in order to facilitate rapid response to conflicts. One of SOMIRENEC’s achievements so far is the collaboration with Rapsu community in lobbying and advocating for the establishment of a police station and a Rapid Deployment Unit in Korbesa, Escort and Rapsu. This will facilitate the improvement of the security situation at the borders of Isiolo and Garissa counties.
