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The Somali Region

The Somali Region is home. CAYO was founded in Jigjiga in 2023, keeps its headquarters there and does its deepest work across the region.

Home regionHeadquarters in Jigjiga

The Somali Regional State covers a large part of eastern Ethiopia, with its capital in Jigjiga. It is where the Fursadaha Dhalinyarada network connects 13,000+ young people and where 400+ CAYO volunteers are active.

Young people here face drought, distance and displacement. They also hold much of the knowledge and energy for change, and too few of the platforms to use it. The programmes we build here are designed to travel to the regions we open next.

Headquarters
Jigjiga, Fafan zone
Network
13,000+ young people in the Fursadaha Dhalinyarada network
Volunteers
400+ active volunteers in Jigjiga
Hubs
Jigjiga today · Degehabur and Kebridehar next · Gode and Dollo Ado later

CAYO, 2026

SOMALIAKENYAETHIOPIADire DawaHararDegehaburKebrideharGodeDollo AdoJigjigaSCHEMATIC
Headquarters, JigjigaNext: planned hub or presenceLater: planned hub

Why it matters.

The conditions that shape daily life here are the conditions our programmes are built for.

  • Pastoral livelihoods

    Mobile pastoralist households and long distances shape how schools, services and markets reach young people.

  • Recurrent drought

    Drought and flood return often, and each one tests livelihoods, water, health and learning.

  • Displacement

    Displaced people and refugee-hosting communities, including around Kebribeyah and Sheder, live alongside host towns.

  • A young population

    Young people are much of the region’s present and its future. CAYO exists so that they lead.

What we do here today.

Projects with partners, and platforms of our own. Each one feeds a programme we are growing across the region.

Participants at a capacity-building training for emerging civil society organizations, in front of CSRC and CAYO banners
With AFD and CSRC · Ongoing to January 2027

Empowering Civil Society Groups for Social Justice and Resilience

Capacity-building for emerging civil society organizations.

Civil Society and Protection
Women in conversation at an outdoor community session
With the International Solidarity Foundation · Completed

Community-Led Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls

Awareness sessions and training on violence against women and girls and on harmful traditional practices.

Safe Communities
With Ethio Telecom and Ugaaso Women Space Org · Completed

Back2School with CAYO

A back-to-school campaign, completed with a national telecom company and a local women’s organization.

Ilays Learning
With U-Report Ethiopia · Completed

Peace Ambassadors Fellowship

Leadership, dialogue, conflict prevention and social cohesion skills for young people.

Nabad Generation
Our network · 13,000+ members

Fursadaha Dhalinyarada

Opportunities, mentorship and connections among young people across the region.

Fursadaha Digital
Our volunteers · 400+ active in Jigjiga

CAYO Volunteers

The campaign “Let’s Normalize Volunteerism”.

Volunteer with us
Every year since 2023

CAYO Award

Recognition for young people in Somali Regional State for leadership, commitment and social impact.

Hiigsi Leaders
Local civil society

Collaboration Over Competition

Partnership and shared resources among local CSOs, especially those led by youth and women.

Civil Society and Protection
Peacebuilding actors

Somali Region Peacebuilding Actors Network (SR-PAN)

Coordination, knowledge exchange and joint advocacy among peacebuilding actors.

Nabad Generation

Hubs across the region.

Each hub will cover a group of zones and carry the programmes its communities need most. Jigjiga is our base today; Degehabur and Kebridehar come next, then Gode and Dollo Ado.

Our three expansion stages

  1. Today

    Jigjiga

    Fafan, Sitti and Erer zones

    All programmes; refugee-hosting areas around Kebribeyah and Sheder; urban youth employment.

  2. Next

    Degehabur

    Jarar zone

    Peacebuilding, youth councils and health.

  3. Next

    Kebridehar

    Korahe, Doolo and Nogob zones

    Pastoralist education, rangelands and drought response.

  4. Later

    Gode

    Shabelle and Afder zones

    Riverine flood response, agro-pastoral livelihoods and skills training.

  5. Later

    Dollo Ado

    Liben and Dawa zones

    Refugee-host community programmes, migration and protection, and peace along regional boundaries.

Stories from the Somali Region.

PeacebuildingWith U-Report Ethiopia

Peace is a skill, and it can be learned

The Peace Ambassadors Fellowship closed with a certificate ceremony.

CAYO Award2025

Leadership deserves to be seen

A new group of young leaders received the CAYO Award in 2025.

VolunteeringJigjiga

Let’s normalize volunteerism

400+ active volunteers make service a normal part of being young.

The path into neighbouring regions.

From 2027 we plan to consolidate across wider Somali Region zones and connect to neighbouring Dire Dawa, Harari, Afar and eastern Oromia, with a liaison presence in Addis Ababa for donors, federal bodies and the Authority for Civil Society Organizations.

We open work in a new region together with a local youth-led partner, never ahead of one.

Back the next hub.

Partner with CAYO in Jigjiga today, in Degehabur and Kebridehar next, or in the neighbouring region we open together.

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