This report covers the activities performed under the Strengthening the capacity of

Somaliland Women in Journalism project started on 15^th January and expected to end on

15^th August 2008.

The purpose of the report is to provide overall progress of the project during the month,

environment in which the project has been working; and political or security context of the area.

Women in Journalism Association (WIJA) has successfully been implemented the most of the

planned activities of the project. On 20^th January, the project started with preliminary activities

including sub-agreement (hereinafter referred to as) sub grantee agreement entered between

CARE and WIJA under “Somali civil society and media in transition” program which ahs started on 15^th January 2008 and ending on 15^th August 2008.

This was followed by the recruitment of the project staff, purchase of the photocopier machine, hiring a vehicle for project transportation needs, procurement of the consumable materials required for publishing the ALMIS news paper.

The most important activities concluded during the last month were that The ALMIS newspaper was published with a total of two issues being brought out. The first issue (which was referred as issue five) was published on 11^th February, while the next issue or issue 6 was published on 18^th

February. Various article and items about civil society organizations and their engagement were

written including features about women affairs in all spheres of life such as political, social and economical aspects. There were features and comments presented by some of the Women journalists in which they urged Women journalists and intellectuals to contribute their knowledge, skills, and effort to the development and sustainability of this newspaper.  

The other activity undertaken during the month was the English teacher post which has been advertised on the local news papers. More over, monitoring and evaluation of the project progress and performances was carried out randomly. And a submittal of a legible hard signed copy of programmatic progress report, as well as financial report to CARE was the last activity concluded in this month activity.

It is worth mentioned that the environment in which the project has been working was conductive, encouraging and enabling. Peace and stability prevailed in the country permitted us to work smoothly and with out hindrance. More over, there are no threats in relations to our day to day works and journalism profession, as happened else where in Somalia, where the journalist faces with real threat to their life and works.