Rainwater Association of Somalia (RAAS)

The Rainwater Association of Somalia (RAAS) is a national member organisation which focuses on rainwater harvesting and management (RHM) initiatives in Somalia. RAAS advocates for the integration of RHM into national policies and strategies; implements community-based RHM projects; and builds community capacity in RHM.

Vision, mission, objectives

RAAS’s vision is that all people in Somalia have sustainable livelihoods and economic developments. RAAS’s mission is to promote RHM systems and complementary technologies for emergency responses, recovery, sustainable livelihoods and economic developments towards achieving the millennium development goals (MDGs) in Somalia. RAAS aims to achieve its vision and mission through the following objectives:

• Strengthening the capacity of the beneficiary community in broadening community participation in project planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation in order to ensure ownership, sustainability, transparency and accountability within the beneficiary community, the Government, as well as other partners and donors.
• Implementating of community-based projects on integrated RHM systems and complementary technologies for improving water supply, sanitation, food security, sustainable livelihoods, and socio economic developments.
• Promoting networking, collaboration, awareness-raising, publicity, advocacy, information sharing, technology dissemination, trainings, research, and contributing to the development of appropriate policies, guidelines and systems of integrated RHM and complementary technologies in Somalia.

Networking and partnerships

Officially endorsed as an association in September 2005, RAAS has managed to establish a number of partnerships, both locally and regionally, which have been instrumental in strengthening its establishment and technology transfer. RAAS is currently a member of: Greater Horn of Africa Rainwater Partnership (GHARP); Water and Sanitation Sectoral Committee (WSSC); Food Security and Economic Development Sectoral Committee (FSEDSC); Education Sectoral Committee (ESC); Southern and Eastern Africa Rainwater Network (SearNet); and the International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (IRHA). RAAS also has a close working relationship with FAO’s Somalia Water and Land Information Management (SWALIM) which has raised the profile of RHM in Somalia. The Chief Executive Officer of RAAS currently holds the position of WASH Cluster Co-chair for Somalia which allows RAAS increased influencing power on RHM issues in Somalia.