Our Work
Three program pillars. One integrated approach.
i4HD operates through three interconnected program areas designed to address the root causes of vulnerability in Somalia. Health, education, and social protection are not separate problems — and our programs reflect that reality.
i4HD pillars
PILLAR 01
HEALTH
Health & Wellbeing
Access to healthcare remains severely limited in many Somali communities, particularly in rural and conflict-affected areas. With a maternal mortality rate among the highest in the world and a critical shortage of skilled health workers, the gap between need and available services is wide.
i4HD works to close that gap by strengthening community health systems and expanding access to essential services, with a focus on reaching the most underserved populations — including women, children, and communities in remote locations.
Mobile health outreach and innovative technology solutions extend reach into areas where fixed health infrastructure is limited or absent. Community health worker training programs build the local human capital needed to sustain health services over time.
Key Programs
EXPECTED IMPACT
PILLAR 02
EDUCATION
Education & Human Capital Development
Education is a critical driver of social and economic development. Yet Somalia has one of the lowest primary enrollment rates in the world. Many children, particularly girls, never enter school. Many who do leave without achieving basic literacy or numeracy. And the majority of youth have limited pathways to skills or employment.
i4HD invests in education and human capital across the lifecycle — from early learning and primary schooling to youth vocational training — to break cycles of poverty and expand opportunity for the next generation of Somalis.
Teacher training and school support programs strengthen the quality of learning environments, while scholarships and community education initiatives extend access to those who would otherwise be excluded.
Key Programs
EXPECTED IMPACT
PILLAR 03
SOCIAL PROTECTION
Social Protection & Community Resilience
Many Somali households face compounding economic shocks from poverty, displacement, drought, and conflict. Without protection systems in place, a single crisis can erase years of progress — pushing families deeper into vulnerability and making recovery harder with each cycle.
i4HD works to strengthen community resilience and support vulnerable populations through targeted social protection programs that provide immediate relief while building long-term adaptive capacity. Special attention is given to women, children, and displacement-affected communities who face the highest levels of risk.
Disaster preparedness and climate resilience initiatives equip communities to anticipate and respond to the shocks that will continue to affect Somalia in the years ahead.
Key Programs
EXPECTED IMPACT