Who we are
A local organisation, founded by the community it serves
Wa-PYDO was formed in Dollo Ado in February 2013 by a general assembly of respected community members and village representatives, in response to what pastoralist families were living through. We are women-led, board-governed, and still based where we started.
Founded in Dollo Ado, Liban Zone
ACSO registration number
Staff and volunteers — 137 women, 110 men
Offices: Dollo Ado, Melkadida, Jigjiga, Addis Ababa
Mohamed Ali Abdi-Moalab
Founder & Executive Director
Facebook, LinkedIn and X links can be added to this row.
Message from the founder
“Start small”
I’m devoted to serving humanity across the world by addressing the root causes of poverty and empowering communities — meeting short-term needs while looking for long-term solutions, for a better and sunnier future.
As a humanitarian, I’m zealous about what I believe in and I help educate others about the subject at hand. My work involves crusading for help, assistance and hope for millions of people around the world who battle hunger, disease and violence against marginalized and minority groups — women, youth, the elderly, the physically challenged — in some of the most inhospitable situations, locations and climates, and despite the risks of kidnapping, death threats, murder and other abusive behaviour from within the communities I work in.
I’m therefore prepared to continue sacrificing and contributing towards the cause. My inspirational word to others is: start small. Many people lapse into apathy because they feel there is nothing they, as an individual, can do to help others effectively. Yet every little action helps — signing a petition, sponsoring a young person or a girl for schooling, or helping spread the word.
I’m humbled to welcome and record my sincere gratitude to all of the organisation’s stakeholders — partners, donors, communities, local and national authorities and institutions. It’s my pleasure to recognise the contributions of our Executive Board, community elders, management team and staff for their hard work and dedication in ensuring that our mission, goals and objectives are realised.
I encourage everyone never to be discouraged from being an activist because people tell you that you will not succeed. You have already succeeded, as long as you are out there representing truth, or justice, or compassion, or fairness, or love.
On that note, I welcome stakeholders from all over the world to offer their much-needed contributions and support of any kind — constructive comment, financial, in-kind and spiritual — to enable the organisation to realise and sustain its stated goals for the affected, deserving, vulnerable and marginalized women and youth of our communities.
Thank you in advance, as we continue reaching and serving the groups who need us most.
What drives us
Vision, mission and goal
Our vision
A world of hope, social justice and gender equality, where the root causes of poverty, social discrimination and harmful practices are eliminated, and where the rights and dignity of women and youth are fully respected and protected.
Our mission
To bring about lasting positive change for women and youth in the poorest and most marginalized pastoralist communities in Ethiopia, through inclusive, community-driven development and humanitarian action.
Our goal
To improve the social and economic wellbeing of distressed, needy, neglected and vulnerable people — particularly women, youth and children — in the Somali Region, by providing the support that makes sustainable and dignified livelihoods possible.
How we started
Formed by a general assembly, not by a proposal
Wa-PYDO is a local, non-political, non-profit and non-sectarian organisation, established on 10 February 2013 in Dollo Ado Town, Liban Zone.
The organisation was founded following a general assembly attended by respected community members and representatives from villages across Dollo Ado District, in response to the socio-economic pressures pastoralist communities were facing. It was formed on strong community demand, to address poverty, social exclusion and vulnerability through participation, dialogue, shared problem-solving and inclusive decision-making.
We were registered by the Somali Regional Justice and Prosecution Bureau in December 2013, and by the Ethiopian Authority for Civil Society Organizations under registration number 3250 in May 2014, re-registering as a local NGO in 2019. Operations began in 2014.
Twelve years on, Wa-PYDO is still a platform that brings communities together to name their own problems and build their own solutions.
What we work on
Six thematic areas, defined by what pastoralist and refugee communities in the Somali Region actually need.
- Livelihoods, food security and resilience — climate-smart agriculture, livestock development, community infrastructure, small and medium enterprise, vocational skills, natural resource management and renewable energy
- Protection and human dignity — GBV prevention and response, PSEA, child protection, and support for orphans, vulnerable children and people with disabilities
- Women and youth empowerment — economic inclusion, social protection, vocational and technical training, and women’s leadership
- Education, health and WASH — education for children, youth and out-of-school pastoralist populations, health and nutrition services, and water, sanitation and hygiene in pastoralist, IDP and refugee settings
- Peacebuilding and social cohesion — youth–elder dialogue, conflict resolution, community mediation, and peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities
- Emergency response and recovery — drought response, shelter and non-food items, and protecting lives, livelihoods and productive assets during humanitarian crises
How we are governed
Women-led and board-governed
Wa-PYDO is governed by a Board of Directors of five members, drawn from key stakeholders and respected community leaders, with deliberate attention to gender representation and professional diversity. The board brings qualifications in veterinary medicine, medicine, project management, agriculture and animal science, public health, law, rural development and agricultural extension, sociology and management, and educational development.
The board meets twice a year, plus extraordinary meetings as needed. It sets strategic direction, approves policies and plans, reviews performance and ensures compliance. Day-to-day management sits with an Executive Committee chaired by the Executive Director, whose responsibilities are defined in the organisation’s constitution.
Our head office is in Dollo Ado Town, with a field office in Melkadida (Bokolmayo District), a liaison office in Jigjiga and a coordination office in Addis Ababa. We work in Dollo Ado and Bokolmayo in Liban Zone, Dollo Bay in Afder Zone, Kelafo and Mustahil in Shabelle Zone, and Fik in Erer Zone.
Our team
247 people across full-time, part-time and volunteer roles — 137 women and 110 men.
Project officers
Field workers and development agents
Volunteer and incentive staff
Coordinators, managers and directors
Work with a partner that is actually from here
Wa-PYDO is registered, audited and permanently based in the communities we serve. We would be glad to talk about what we could do together.