PeaceWare-Somaliland was established in 2009 by Ahmed Awad and Anders Michelsen in collaboration with Jama Yusuf Elmi, Yakoub Aden Abdi and Fatuma Ali. Today it is a Somali-Danish NGO organised as association under Danish law. It is recognised to work as NGO in Somaliland by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication in Hargeisa by memorandum of agreement. It is authorised by Somaliland Ministry of Health.
The organization is currently operating an interesting project which called the Somaliland Telemedical System for Psychiatry. The project relies upon commercial internet, laptop computers with webcameras, video conference software and from 2012, flatscreens, HD cameras and audiosystems to allow volunteers to register their biographical data and upload credientials in the form of diplomas, track records and CVs online. When these interested volunteers are approved by the psychiatrists of PeaceWare - Somaliland, they are provided with a login and can work at times convenient for them (typically one hour slots) to help treat patients in need of psychiatric care. At the time of treatment, the patient is ready in front of the interface in Somaliland in the presence of a local nurse. With the support of an intranet communication forum and support from PeaceWare Somaliland volunteers conduct examinations and give advice to patients in need of these services and finalize their activity by adding to patient reports.
In Somaliland telemedicine will allow for the establishment of a national mental health care based on connection between existing diasporic Somali expertise outside the country, resettling professionals, and local medical professionals in two modes: global-local connection and local-local (in the country) connections. The Somaliland Telemedical System for Psychiatry will develop information and communication technology for mental health and treatment of mental illness, education, and knowledge sharing/establishment customized to and supportive of basic medical practices for Somaliland, comprehending psychiatric knowledge, organization of treatment, professional dialogue, support and relationship to patients.
To learn more about this project, please click here.