The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the UN migration agency, has completed the Garasbaley housing project in Mogadishu, Somalia, delivering improved shelter and tenure security to 600 vulnerable households displaced by conflict and rapid urbanisation. The project was finalised in partnership with the Iskaashi Union and the Banadir Regional Administration's Durable Solutions Unit (BRA-DSU).

What the Project Delivers

Funded by the European Union (EU), the initiative developed a new settlement in the Garasbaley district, constructing 400 transitional housing units, 100 shared latrines, water access points, solar lighting, and drainage systems. All-weather roads, footpaths, and a community multipurpose centre were also built as part of the infrastructure push.

An additional 200 nearby households received shelter repair kits, tools, and technical support to upgrade their existing living conditions, bringing the total number of families benefiting from the intervention to 600.

Tenure Security at the Core

IOM worked alongside BRA-DSU, legal experts, landowners, and community representatives to secure land tenure agreements, memoranda of understanding, and rental arrangements. These measures are designed to provide participating households with at least five years of tenure security and robust protection against forced evictions — a critical safeguard in a city where displacement-affected communities face persistent risk of being pushed out.

'Access to housing is much more than a roof over someone's head. It is about safety, dignity, stability, and the opportunity for families to rebuild their lives,' said Prestage Murima, deputy chief of mission of IOM Somalia, in a statement issued on Sunday.

The Scale of Somalia's Displacement Crisis

Murima noted that rapid urbanisation and the internal displacement of more than 3.5 million people have severely strained cities such as Mogadishu, making sustainable housing solutions an urgent priority. Somalia has endured decades of conflict, climate shocks, and food insecurity, driving one of the largest internal displacement crises on the African continent.

This project is part of a broader international effort to shift displaced communities from emergency shelter toward durable solutions — a framework that combines physical infrastructure with legal protections and community governance.

Capacity Building for Long-Term Impact

To ensure sustainability beyond the project's immediate lifespan, IOM trained government representatives, community leaders, camp committees, and technical teams. Capacity-building efforts covered housing solutions, tenure security, accountability mechanisms, disaster risk reduction, and community engagement practices.

Voices from the Ground

Batulo, a mother of three originally displaced from the Lower Shabelle region, spent years moving between temporary shelters that offered little protection or stability. Speaking about the project's impact, she said: 'Now, we feel that we are living in permanent, secure homes. I no longer fear eviction. My children feel safe, and we finally have stability.'

Her account reflects a wider pattern among the project's beneficiaries — families who had lived under the constant threat of eviction and lacked any meaningful sense of security. With the Garasbaley settlement now operational, the focus shifts to whether similar models can be scaled across Mogadishu's other displacement-affected districts.