Recent Activities

Candlelight Sheikh Office conducted six days of training for 10 Community Animal Health Workers selected from 5 villages ( Ximan, Dawdama, Iskudar, Cagaarey and Hudiso ) in Sahil region. The project is supported by KNH and aimed at contributing to the national target of increasing the average weight of animal heads by December 2021, through supporting pastoral communities with the required skills and necessary tools to prevent and diagnose animal diseases. At the end of the training, the participants are provided with CAHWs tool kits.

Livistona carinensis is a palm species occurring in Somaliland, Puntland state of Somalia, Djibouti, and Yemen. The species is noted in the IUCN Red List as endangered and possibly extinct from Somalia.

Livistona stands in Somaliland are concentrated in Gudmo-biyo-cas seasonal watercourse in Sanaag Region.

Major threats include unsustainable harvesting of trunks for construction, petioles, and leaves for thatching, basketry, and mat-making. The expanding farming activities along the watercourse will not allow Livistona to thrive, as farmers clear it to make way for farming. Moreover, it is apparent that replacement of old trees is not possible due to a lack of immediate successors.

Candlelight for Environment, Education, and Health (CEEH) has started a conservation work aimed at saving the species from extinction. Candlelight is building a fence around the Livistona trees stand in Gudmo-biyo-cas village as a protective measure from goats browsing young saplings and human trampling. By limiting access, it is hoped that successor trees will start to thrive on the site. The activities will also include propagation of Livistona seeds and community awareness on the importance of the species.

Candlelight would like to thank the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund for their support, which made this project possible.