Somali Students Unveil Low-Cost Home Models for IDPs

Mogadishu, 12 November 2025 - A group of students from various local universities have unveiled new low-cost housing models aimed at providing safe and sustainable shelter for displaced families across Somalia.

The prototypes, produced in collaboration with foreign students abroad, were showcased at an exhibition in Mogadishu on Tuesday, organised by the Ministry of Public Works and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as part of a government-backed initiative launched earlier this year to develop home-grown, climate-resilient shelter solutions.

The initiative aims to construct 20,000 durable homes for displaced families nationwide, as part of broader efforts to provide sustainable housing and reduce vulnerability to climate change.

“This initiative is part of the government’s broader efforts to address the housing needs of displaced people,” said Ali Yuusuf Ali (Ali Hosh), Minister of Interior, Federal Affairs, and Reconciliation.

Students from Somali National University, SIMAD, Benadir and City Universities worked with peers from YACademy in Bologna, Italy, to design modular shelters adapted to Somali climates and materials.

A panel of experts selected three winning projects for their innovation and practicality, including Hoos-Yard / The Shade That Connects Us All, Flexible Shelter Module, and Shelters of Tomorrow.