A community call center in Somalia improves aid reporting measures
By Ahmed Issak Hussein
Tracking and monitoring the delivery of humanitarian assistance is a challenge when resources are constrained or conflict is present. In Somalia, access to roads is limited and controlled by non-state actors; in some regions, it is too dangerous for aid workers to be physically present to verify that the aid is reaching the people who need it most. These barriers create risks for inefficiency and diminished trust in humanitarian organizations among affected communities. For Action Against Hunger, addressing these challenges is vital to fostering transparency, accountability, and strong community relationships.
Our solution to aid tracking challenges in Somalia was a community call center. The center puts aid reporting capabilities in the hands of the community, making aid delivery more traceable and tailored to people’s needs. Since October 2023, the call center team has handled 30,027 calls including aid delivery verifications, feedback on the aid received, and requests for emergency assistance. Calls are prepaid, meaning individuals in even the most remote and impoverished regions can have a voice.
Call center assistants contact communities served by Action Against Hunger to verify whether services were received.
Staff at the center are trained volunteers who are bound by confidentiality and a commitment to building trust with community members. They create a safe space for community members to share their needs and opinions. Sahra Ibrahim, one of the call center assistants, is passionate about her role. “We hear all kinds of feedback,” she shares. “Mothers thank us after receiving treatment for their ill and malnourished children at our treatment centers. Others report pressing issues, such as acute watery diarrhea outbreaks or concerns from minority groups who feel underserved.”
The call center’s tracking and reporting activities have been digitized with a management dashboard, significantly improving aid management. Call volumes, types of complaints, and verification processes are all tracked and shared with the Action Against Hunger’s team and the Community Engagement and Accountability Taskforce via monthly and quarterly reports. The data provides critical insights for improving programs to best fit the needs of the community. For instance, the majority of feedback received since 2023 was related to food security and livelihoods, while only three cases were about gender-based violence. Recognizing the low reporting of gender-based violence despite having evidence for its existence, Action Against Hunger plans to increase programs that ensure survivors feel safe and supported enough to come forward.
Sahra Ibrahim, a call center assistant, responds to community inquiries.
One key achievement of the call center is its role in real-time crisis management. Reports from the community about disease outbreaks and new displacements from climatic shocks or conflicts enable Action Against Hunger’s team to respond quickly. For example, in 2023, community members alerted Action Against Hunger to a cholera outbreak, and we immediately intervened with medical supplies and hygiene awareness campaigns to minimize its spread. Another instance that stood out to Sahra was an influx of calls from families arriving at a resource-depleted displacement camp. “They called us, desperate for assistance, as they had joined a camp already hosting drought-displaced families,” she recalls. “Our team quickly activated a crisis response, providing cash assistance, hygiene kits, and water trucking. Knowing I was part of that process motivates me every day.”
People who have felt the impact of the call center’s work tell others in their community about the resource. Naleye Mohamed Omar, a mother whose one-year-old son Hassan is receiving malnutrition treatment, expressed her gratitude, saying “My son’s health has improved so much. His cheeks are glowing, and he’s able to stand and walk now. I am committed to spreading awareness in our camp about the services Action Against Hunger offers and connecting others in need.” Community members are also informed about the call center through radios, posters, and mobile messaging platforms. These efforts have increased awareness and accessibility, enabling more people to utilize the system effectively.
Naleye Mohamed, a mother who received support from the call center, is now committed to informing her community about its services.
In 2023 and 2024, Action Against Hunger’s community call center in Somalia achieved 100% verification for both food security and livelihoods interventions and water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions. Serious complaints, such as fraud and gender-based violence, were escalated to senior management within 24 hours for swift resolution.
Despite these successes, challenges remain. Many requests require more resources than are available, and a lack of adequate funds makes it difficult to fulfill all aid requests. However, Action Against Hunger is committed to improving the lives of Somalia’s most vulnerable communities with transparent, agile aid delivery practices. Aid reporting continues to improve with the hard work and passion of volunteers like Sahra, who says, “Every call is an opportunity to make a difference.”
