1. INTRODUCTION
ABOUT US: CONFRONTING SOMALIA’S COMPLEX SECURITY CRISIS
The Somali Arts, Advocacy and Reform Organization (SAARO) is a premier, youth-led nonprofit strategically addressing the interconnected crises that threaten Somalia’s stability and development.
Founded in 2014, we confront a landscape where trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, illicit narcotics trafficking, and systematic extortion converge with continued terrorist attacks. These threats collectively undermine security, erode the rule of law, and impede sustainable progress.
SAARO’s decade of impact is built on a unique, evidence-based methodology that integrates rigorous research, strategic advocacy, and innovative community engagement. We operate at the critical nexus between at-risk communities, government institutions, and civil society, ensuring our interventions are both culturally resonant and strategically targeted to dismantle the ecosystems of crime and violence.
By harnessing the transformative power of arts and culture, we counter extremist narratives and foster community dialogue. Through robust institutional partnerships with Parliamentary Bodies, Relevant Ministries, Law Enforcement, and the Judiciary, we translate on-the-ground insights into effective national policy. SAARO’s integrated approach is dedicated to building lasting peace, resilience, and prosperity for all Somalis.
2. VISION
We envision a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Somalia where empowered youth and communities are the primary drivers in defeating organized crime and violent extremism.
3. MISSION
To empower Somalis to overcome the nation’s most pressing security and social challenges by:
· Conducting action-oriented research to diagnose the root causes and networks behind serious crimes and extremism.
· Executing targeted advocacy to influence impactful policy and legislative reform.
· Implementing innovative programs that leverage arts, culture, and dialogue to prevent crime and protect the vulnerable.
· Building sustainable capacity in youth, government institutions, and civil society to lead transformative change.
4. CORE VALUES
· Integrity & Transparency: The highest ethical standards underpin all our operations and partnerships.
· Innovation & Creativity: We pioneer culturally-grounded, arts-based solutions to complex problems.
· Youth Empowerment & Inclusion: We invest in youth as the cornerstone of sustainable leadership and peace.
· Collaboration: We achieve scale and impact through strategic, multi-stakeholder cooperation.
· Human Rights & Justice: Our work is unwaveringly grounded in the principles of justice, rights, and the rule of law.
OUR INTEGRATED APPROACH: A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
Research & Analysis Our work in is guided by the strategic pillar of generating actionable evidence to inform all interventions. Our field expertise involves conducting investigations that map trafficking routes, narcotics networks, extortion rackets, and recruitment patterns.
Policy & Institutional Advocacy, we focus on bridging the gap between community experience and national policy. This is achieved through direct advocacy with parliament and the judiciary to shape laws against trafficking, smuggling, and financial crime.
Community Mobilization our efforts are centered on building trust, cohesion, and community-led safety mechanisms. This includes implementing grassroots initiatives, such as public dialogues and forums, that empower citizens to report crimes and co-design local safety solutions.
Arts, Culture & Communications, we deploy culture as a tool for peacebuilding and counter-narratives. Our work consists of strategic campaigns that use music, art, and digital media to dismantle propaganda and promote social cohesion
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS FOR AMPLIFIED IMPACT
Our effectiveness is multiplied through deep, strategic cooperation with key state institutions, civil society, and the communities we serve:
· With Grassroot Communities, Traditional Elders, and Religious Groups: Direct partnership with local leaders, clans, and faith-based organizations to co-design safety solutions, leverage trusted community channels for conflict mediation, and foster socially-rooted resilience.
· With Parliament: A sustained partnership with the Parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs, providing ground-level data and analysis to shape national debates and policies on security.
· With Security Forces: Collaboration with the Banadir Police Force on community policing and intelligence-sharing, building public trust and cooperation.
· With the Judiciary: Engagement with prosecutors from the Banadir Regional Courts, providing critical community context to support a victim-sensitive approach to justice
