The Baxnaano Program, Somalia’s national safety net initiative, has provided financial assistance to more than four million Somalis since its inception.
Program participants receive $20 monthly, with emergency payments reaching up to $60 during national crises, addressing immediate needs while fostering long-term resilience.
The initiative is enhancing Somalia’s social protection framework by connecting support with achievements in health, education, and employment sectors, while developing governmental capabilities for sustained impact.

In the arid surroundings of Galdogob, Puntland State, North Central Somalia, Wardi Mohamed Hussein tends to her goats in a simple enclosure near her self-constructed home. Made of tin sheets, the dwelling provides protection against desert winds and extreme temperatures. Within her dwelling, her children sit on woven mats, a stark contrast to the instability they previously experienced. “I could never have imagined having my own home,” she shares with evident pride. “We formerly resided in a temporary shelter that would leak during rains. Now, I experience a sense of security.”

This newfound security stems from the Shock Responsive Safety Net for Human Capital Project (SNHCP), known locally as Baxnaano, which translates to “uplifting” in Somali. As Somalia’s inaugural national safety net program, it delivers cash transfers to impoverished and vulnerable households. The initiative represents a governmental effort focused on job creation, human capital development, safety net establishment, and providing immediate assistance to those affected by shocks nationwide. Somalia’s government established this program with backing from the World Bank and the Somalia Multi-Partner Fund, while implementation falls under the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

Since beginning operations, Baxnaano has emerged as a fundamental component of Somalia’s poverty alleviation strategy, distributing monthly cash transfers to more than four million Somalis. Through its standard provisions, the program delivers $20 monthly per household, with the capacity to increase payments to $60 during nationwide emergencies including droughts, floods, or locust swarms.
For Wardi, the initial payment provided instant relief. “Initially, I found it hard to believe,” she reminisces. “We had never received assistance of this nature previously.” Using these funds, she purchased food, clean water, and necessary household goods. As the strain of everyday subsistence diminished, she managed to save small amounts. Over time, she acquired construction materials and two goats. Presently, owing to the Baxnaano Program in Somalia, Wardi’s livestock has expanded to eighteen goats, and her children rest beneath a shelter safeguarding them from severe weather conditions. The goats supply daily milk and function as financial reserves during difficult periods.
Wardi represents one among hundreds of thousands across Somalia progressing toward greater stability and self-determination. “My aspiration is to construct an additional room for the house,” she states. “Possibly next year, I might sell one goat and purchase a sewing machine.”

The SNHCP encompasses more than mere financial aid. It employs a system-strengthening methodology for social protection within an unstable environment. By associating regular cash transfers with advancements in health, education, nutrition, and employment sectors, the initiative simultaneously confronts urgent requirements and persistent vulnerabilities. It additionally fortifies national capabilities by creating beneficiary registries, secure distribution mechanisms, and oversight structures, which constitute fundamental elements of an effective and responsive welfare infrastructure in Somalia.
As articulated by Fardosa Abdullahi, Baxnaano’s Project Manager, the initiative delivers benefits beyond economic support. “This constitutes more than charitable giving,” she clarifies. “It involves providing individuals with resources and confidence to direct their own development progress. When women such as Wardi save, invest, and make decisions, that is where resilience becomes established.”
While Somalia persists in facing difficulties related to instability, conflict, and climatic disruptions, the Safety Net for Human Capital Project (SNHCP) has established through Baxnaano a groundwork for a more resilient and inclusive future by concentrating on human capital and national frameworks, thereby enabling vulnerable households to strategize, adjust, and flourish.