Empowering Unity: Bulahar Cooperative Fishing Community Journey from Challenges to Success

Chairman Nasir Hashi Handule, led the community to transform from the challenges they were facing to success. This victory marked a big milestone for the community in cooperative fisheries management.

“Our community faced numerous challenges before the establishment of this committee.” Chairman Nasir Hashi Handule recounted. “As part of the Bulahar fishing community, we did not have an active committee dedicated to addressing our concerns. This created a vacuum which later became an opportunity after the secure fisheries program stepped in to empower the community throughout this journey.”

The Deputy chairman Khadar Jama Nur echoed, “The support from the secure fisheries program enabled our community by receiving training opportunity in cooperative fisheries management, with a focus on co-management.”

The Chairman Nasir Handule explained that these initiatives laid the foundation for a thriving, successful and a strong standing fishing community committee.

The Deputy chairman also stated that the journey was not without challenges. He affirmed, “We are very grateful to the Secure Fisheries Program for their continuous support. Their support was not only financial, but the program guided us in becoming more interested in ensuring the excellence in the fishing community committee. After signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the collaboration took a more evident form.”

“We are jointly working to efficiently manage and sustain our fishery resources.” Highlighted the Deputy Chairman Khadar Jama. He stated that the partnership with governmental bodies and the community members became a cornerstone of their success.

“The total eight workshops significantly deepened our understanding. They provided us with crucial knowledge and tools that are essential for effectively implementing management measures throughout the fishing season.”

He added that the workshops were a crucial moment that equipped the community for responsible management of the resources.

Their journey showcases the potential of unity, determination, and support to bring about tangible change. This narrative of collective resilience underscores the community’s dedication to not only safeguarding their environment but also ensuring the sustainable growth of their community.