PUBLIC MARKET: A SOCIO-ECONOMIC AMENITY FOR SHALANMBOOD COMMUNITY By Daryeel Project with Shalambood Community, Marka District. Through a participatory community consultation process, the Shalambood community identified the urgent need for a public market, as the town currently lacks a designated space for community members to run and own small-scale businesses. The construction of this market will enhance livelihood opportunities for business owners and benefit both the community and surrounding areas. Additionally, the market will improve interaction among the various clans residing in Shalambood town, Marka District. Shalambood is located about 20 km on the outskirts of Marka town. The local population primarily consists of farmers and herders who cultivate various crops such as pawpaw, pumpkins, yams, beans, “qajaar” (local name for cucumber), watermelon, and tomatoes. These products are currently sold along the main streets of Shalambood or sometimes in the Marka vegetable market due to the absence of a well-established, standardized market. The community has shown strong interest and actively participated in the Marka District community-based planning and matching grant sessions through the Daryeel Project, which supplements community-raised funds at a set ratio. This funding scheme encourages cooperation between community sub-groups, boosting collective action and fostering social cohesion. As this is the first time the Shalambood community is piloting such a co-financing project, they have prioritized building the public market. The market construction aims to promote socio-economic development and social cohesion, particularly fostering a women-led economy, as women in Lower Shabelle are recognized as key breadwinners. The matching grant ratio is 1:3, with the community contributing $20,000 and the project matching $60,000, totaling $80,000 for the entire initiative. The implementation process is government-led and community-driven. Increased intercommunal interaction and collaboration with the local government promote both horizontal and vertical trust, helping to reduce potential conflicts that have affected the fragile target areas in the past or present. Thank you for contributing toward improving access to socio-economic amenities and public spaces in Shalambood town. Your support helps establish an environment for equitable resource mobilization, sound business activity, and recreational opportunities that promote peace and social cohesion for the Shalambood community and neighboring villages.

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