
Women and Child Care Organization (WOCCA) is a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit making women’s organization, established in 1996 by Somali professionals. Its main objective is to improve the economic status of women farmers who are widowed, divorced and struggling with life as the breadwinners for their households and protect the Rights of Children in the Middle Shabelle Region. It has established itself as a reliable development organization in Jowhar, Bal’ad, Mahaday, Warshiekh and Adale Districts, Middle Shabelle Region, Banadir and Afgoi in Lower Shabelle of Somalia. WOCCA has good relations with the local authorities and project communities and a good reputation with project beneficiaries. WOCCA is an active member of various networks of non-governmental organizations in Somalia that include South Central Somali Food Security Network (CESOFSN), Peace and Human Rights Network (PHRN) Resource Based Conflict (RBC) and Natural Resources Management Somali Network (RMSN).
WOCCA has main office in Mogadishu but mainly works in Middle Shabelle region as well as Lower Shabelle. These regions are a war-ravaged regions where there has been internal displacement and destruction of available infrastructure. For most communities this has made women headed households difficult to engage in agriculture even in areas where this is possible like Middle Shabelle. Land for tilling is available but facilities for land cultivation are inadequate. Rain fed crop production under this situation is compounded with the erratic and short rainfall patterns in the region. Therefore the food shortages, IDPs from Banadir region, epidemic diseases and malnutrition are common in the region.
WOCCA desires to be sustainable and committed organization that wants to see sustainable peace and improved livelihoods system of the community in Somalia
"WOCCA strives towards peace and gender promotion, improved agriculture production and reduced poverty on women household level through integrated and gender responsive initiatives and stakeholders’ collaboration".
Please contact jowhar@woccaorg.com