Borama, the capital of Awdal Region in western Somaliland, suffers from an aging transportation infrastructure. In 2012, the main road running from the Borama livestock market past the municipality to Amoud University had fallen into disrepair, hampering social, educational, and economic development in the city. The Borama community decided that repairing the road was a major priority, and worked with USAID’s Transition Initiatives for Stabilization (TIS) project to rehabilitate three kilometers of the main road. The local municipality committed to rehabilitating 1.7 kilometers of the main road provided the local municipality and the community agreed to rehabilitate the remaining 1.3 kilometers.

 

Today, the rehabilitated road positively impacts the lives of the 50,000 citizens who travel, work, shop, and study in downtown Borama. Abdirisaq Hassan Yusuf, the owner of a jewelry store along the road, explained how the investments by local government and community improved sanitation, scenery, and safety in the area. “Before, this area was congested and there were no places to park cars,” he said. There weren’t “even designated driving lanes.” But the local government cleared “the site of rubbish, rocks and dirt prior to construction. Now cars pass with no problem. There is a clear division (of lanes) and generally the whole area is a lot neater and cleaner.”

 

Abdirisaq went on to explain how the road has significantly stimulated the economy as well. “This area has become the market center for Borama… because of the road. There are just more people and traffic, and my shop is more visible to customers… Business has gone up 30% since the completion of the road.” The business community along the planned road viewed the project with such importance that it raised additional funds to increase the width of the road from 7 to 10 meters.

 

The road construction also strengthened trust between the government and community. Citizens recognize that the local administration is listening to their needs and prioritizing investments to address those needs. For the citizens of Borama, the rehabilitated road represents the government’s commitment to the 50,000 community members who regularly use the road.