Since 2010 · Garowe, Puntland

Peace is built by the people who stay.

CPSS is a women-led Somali organization strengthening peace, social cohesion and the leadership of youth and women across Puntland and the SSC regions. We train the community structures that outlast every project.

Volunteer with us See our work
2010Serving communities since
3Offices across Puntland
7Sectors of expertise
5International donors

Who we are

Founded by peace practitioners, women and youth activists.

The Center for Peace and Social Solutions is a local, non-governmental, non-profit and women-led rights organization, founded in January 2010 and registered in Puntland and the SSC regions.

We work where conflict has done the most damage — bringing together youth, women, elders, religious leaders and local authorities to resolve disputes, rebuild trust and create the conditions for lasting peace. Our method is grassroots: we build the capacity of the people and structures already inside the community, rather than delivering services from outside it.

Our staff and volunteers are recruited locally. That is a large part of why the communities we serve trust us — and why our work continues after the funding ends.

To promote sustainable peace, social cohesion, justice and reconciliation in Somalia by strengthening community capacity, empowering women and youth, and advancing governance and human rights.

Our mission
Participants and facilitators at a CPSS training of trainers for CMDRR committee members on peaceful mediation, held under the VSF Germany and German Cooperation partnership.
Training of 15 CMDRR committee trainers on peaceful mediation — delivered with Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany and German Cooperation.

Areas of expertise

Seven sectors, one method.

We are an active member of the Protection, WASH, Health and Food Security clusters at state level, the Cash Working Group, and the NGO Consortium.

Core mandate

Peacebuilding and reconciliation

Grassroots peacebuilding across Puntland and the SSC regions: youth for peace and security programmes, and capacity strengthening for communities and CSOs in conflict resolution, conflict transformation, reconciliation and social cohesion. We work through every layer — youth, women, elders, religious leaders and local authorities — because a settlement that leaves any one of them out does not hold. Since 2012 we have also used Sports for Peace to reach young men in conflict-affected neighbourhoods that conventional dialogue does not.

Protection

Child protection, gender & cash

Community awareness on child rights, child protection, GBV and FGM, alongside general protection work, cash assistance and women's empowerment. Our staff have completed global training on working with children in conflict situations with Generations for Peace.

Rights

Human rights & gender equality

Advocacy for marginalized and minority groups, gender mainstreaming across every programme, and work with government and community structures to secure inclusion and justice.

Livelihoods

Economic empowerment

Micro-financing schemes, small business development training and vocational skills programmes for youth and women, designed for conflict-affected communities.

Education

Formal & non-formal education

Advocacy for integrating peace and civic education into the Puntland curriculum, and marketable life skills delivered through vocational training centres for youth and women.

WASH

Water, sanitation & hygiene

Hygiene, sanitation and health awareness campaigns in schools, with community mobilization behind them. CPSS sits on the WASH and Health clusters at state level in Puntland.

Communications

Media campaigns & engagement

Radio, print and social media campaigns on peace, youth leadership, GBV prevention and civic education — used as tools for behavioural change and public awareness.

A CPSS facilitator leading a peaceful mediation training session with elders, women and youth participants seated around the table.
Peaceful mediation training, Garowe — elders, women and youth in the same room is not a detail of the method. It is the method.

Projects & impact

A record you can check.

Recent work, with the donors and government partners who made it possible.

2025Ongoing

Social and Economic Inclusion Project in Puntland (SEIPP)

CPSS was contracted to deliver the project impact assessment for Output 4 and Outcome Indicators 4 and 5 in Garowe district, alongside work strengthening community structures and developing local action plans.

Social cohesionSports for peaceYouth empowermentEconomic growth
GIZGarowe district
May – Dec 2025
2024Completed

Peacebuilding and CMDRR capacity strengthening

Built the capacity of district peace committees and Community-Managed Disaster Risk Reduction committees in conflict resolution, conflict management and prevention, early warning systems, conflict mapping and reconciliation skills.

PeacebuildingConflict resolutionDisaster risk reduction
VSF GermanyGarowe & Burtinle
May 2024
2023Research

Understanding the Sool, Sanaag and Ayn conflicts — Las Anod

An independent field assessment conducted 5–18 September 2023, producing findings and recommendations on social reconciliation approaches, recovery initiatives, the state's role in settling the political dispute, prisoner exchange, emergency humanitarian assistance and the clearance of unexploded ordnance.

AssessmentReconciliationPolicy
CPSS-ledSool region
Presented at PDRC, Sept 2023
2021–22Completed

Empowering the role of youth in peacebuilding and security

Dialogue forums and capacity-building for young people in conflict zones across districts controlled by both Puntland and Galmudug — covering conflict management and prevention, early warning, reconciliation, and the role of youth in the security sector.

Youth & securityDialogue forumsConflict transformation
UNFPAGalkacyo North & South, Mudug
2021 – 2022
2022Completed

Human rights and social cohesion for youth ambassadors

Capacity-building for community representatives from Garowe villages and IDP communities in human rights and social cohesion, supporting them to develop locally led community action plans. A parallel programme delivered safe drinking water and dry food rations to drought-affected communities in Dacare villages, Nugaal region.

Human rightsIDP communitiesDrought response
PMWDO / GIZGarowe & Nugaal
2022
2012Foundational

Sports for Peace

Peacebuilding through sport for youth in conflict situations across Garowe villages — the programme that established our approach to reaching young men who do not come to a meeting hall.

Sports for peaceYouth
Generations for PeaceGarowe villages
From 2012

Field research

We go and ask, then we publish what we find.

After the conflict in Sool region between SSC forces and the Somaliland government, CPSS spent two weeks in the field documenting the current and historical conflicts of Sool, Sanaag and Ayn.

The resulting paper set out practical recommendations on reconciliation approaches, recovery, prisoner exchange, humanitarian assistance for victims and the clearance of unexploded ordnance. Findings were presented at the PDRC annual peace learning gathering in Garowe on 21 September 2023.

Community elders and facilitators working together on a conflict mapping exercise during a CPSS group session.

Volunteer with us

We recruit locally, and we train everyone.

Volunteering with CPSS means being trained in real skills — facilitation, conflict resolution, safeguarding, community mobilization — and applying them where you live. We particularly encourage young women to apply.

  • Community facilitatorsRun dialogue sessions, training workshops and awareness campaigns in your district.
  • Youth peace ambassadorsLead peer-to-peer activities on peacebuilding, civic education and GBV prevention.
  • Media & communicationsSupport our radio, print and social media campaigns.
  • Data collection supportAssist with assessments, monitoring and community consultations.

All volunteers complete our safeguarding, child protection and PSEA training, and sign the CPSS Code of Conduct.

Apply to volunteer

We will contact you within seven working days.

Or message us directly on WhatsApp

Funded and supported by

GIZUNFPAVSF GermanyPMWDOGenerations for Peace

Contact

Three offices, one team.

Head office

Garowe

Halgan village, Garowe
Puntland State, Somalia

Field office

Galkacyo

Israc village, Galkacyo
Mudug region

Field office

Bosaso

Lanta Hawada area
Maqaska Airport Road, Bosaso

Anab HusseinExecutive Director cpss.somalia@gmail.com
Sharmake HassanOperations Manager +252 907 746722

Report a concern

CPSS holds a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. If you have experienced or witnessed misconduct by any CPSS staff member, volunteer or partner, you can report it confidentially, in Somali or English. You do not have to give your name.

Safeguarding focal point: [ADD A DEDICATED SAFEGUARDING EMAIL OR PHONE HERE] — this should not be the general office address. All reports are handled through our established complaint-handling procedures. We do not tolerate retaliation against anyone who reports in good faith.