What Development Action Network (DAN) does

Development Action Network (DAN) is a Somalia-based non-governmental, non-political, non-partisan, and non-profit organization founded in 2006. The organization implements humanitarian and development programs across eight functional areas: Education, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Health and Nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, Governance and Rights, Protection/Gender/Inclusion, Youth and Women Development, and Emergency Response. Programs are delivered directly through field implementation teams in partnership with government institutions, community committees, and international NGOs, with a stated operating model of combining grassroots community engagement with national/state-level institutional coordination to ensure community needs are addressed within appropriate policy and structural environments.

DAN's geographic footprint is concentrated in southern Somalia, specifically the Galmudug, Hirshabelle, South West State, Jubaland, and Benadir regional administration, with explicit current exclusion of Northern Somalia, Puntland, and Somaliland. The organization reports 20 completed projects, 350,000+ beneficiaries reached, and 8 donor organizations supporting its work. Key partners include the Government of Somalia, ADRA, WFP, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, ActionAid, the Government of Canada, Cfli, SIF, and Somali diaspora organizations. The organization has a headcount of 9 employees and is governed by a Board of Directors with a separate management team for day-to-day operations.

DAN funds its operations through donor partnerships and grants, with no revenue disclosed publicly. The website (dan.ngo) serves as the primary digital presence, featuring program descriptions, impact metrics, a media gallery, and a donation portal. The organization has stated a growth strategy to expand geographic coverage to additional states of Somalia beyond its current southern footprint.

Name

Development Action Network (DAN)

Legal name

Development Action Network (DAN)

Website

https://dan.ngo

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Development Action Network (DAN) is a Somalia-based non-profit NGO founded in 2006 that delivers humanitarian and development programs across education, WASH, health, food security, and emergency response to vulnerable populations in southern Somalia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid and Development Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Community Food Services (624210), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Humanitarian Health Coordination & Emergency Response Partnerships (HLAJAOAI), International & Global Public Health Aid Administration (Government Donors) (HLAJALAO), Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Humanitarian services
• Education programs
• WASH services
• Health nutrition
• Livelihoods programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Mogadishu

HQ country

Somalia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Development Action Network (DAN) is a Somalia-based non-profit NGO that delivers community-level humanitarian and development programs across eight sectors: Education, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Health and Nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, Governance and Rights, Protection/Gender/Inclusion, Youth and Women Development, and Emergency Response. Services are implemented directly through DAN's own field teams in partnership with the Government of Somalia, community committees, and international humanitarian organizations, reaching vulnerable populations in southern Somalia at no cost to beneficiaries.

Product overview

Development Action Network (DAN) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization focused on humanitarian and development programs in Somalia, not a technology product company. The organization offers social impact programs in eight areas: Education, WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene), Health and Nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, Governance and Rights, Protection Gender and Inclusion, Youth and Women Development, and Emergency Response. These are social service programs implemented directly with communities rather than technology products or software offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Education Program Provides access to quality and equitable education for all age groups in southern Somalia, delivered through formal, non-formal education (NFE), accelerated basic education (ABE), and distance learning pathways for vulnerable populations.
• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Program Delivers access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene through construction and rehabilitation of WASH infrastructure for communities in southern Somalia lacking basic services.
• Health and Nutrition Program Delivers essential health and nutrition services to address high morbidity and mortality associated with poor health and nutrition status, implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health at community and health-facility levels.
• Food Security and Livelihoods Program Promotes sustainable food security and income generation through training in good agricultural practices and livelihood support for communities facing food insecurity in southern Somalia.
• Governance and Rights Program Advances good governance and human rights, recognizing peace and stability as paramount ingredients for sustainable development in Somali communities.
• Protection, Gender and Inclusion Program Provides protection services for vulnerable groups in humanitarian crises, situations of conflict and violence, with a focus on gender and social inclusion.
• Youth and Women Development Program Empowers youth and women through skills training and economic opportunities, addressing the fact that youth constitute the single largest segment of the Somali population and that women face economic marginalization.
• Emergency Response Program Provides humanitarian emergency response interventions, leveraging DAN's strong humanitarian mandate to address crisis-driven needs in Somalia.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150,000 people transformed through sustainable development programs since 2006
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supportive.

• Government of SomaliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner working with DAN on development programs and policy alignment. DAN engages with national/state level institutions to ensure community needs are addressed within appropriate policy and structural environment.
• ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational humanitarian organization partnering with DAN for development programs in Somalia.
• WFP (World Food Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN food agency partner supporting DAN's food security and emergency response programs in Somalia.
• Save the ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor international child-focused NGO partnering on programs benefiting children and youth in Somalia.
• Mercy CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational humanitarian and economic development organization partnering with DAN on development interventions in Somalia.
• ActionAidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational anti-poverty organization partnering with DAN on programs serving vulnerable communities in Somalia.
• Cfli (Convergence for Haiti and Fragile States Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting humanitarian and development work in fragile states, partnering with DAN on Somalia programs.
• Diaspora OrganizationssupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerSomali diaspora organizations engaged in supporting DAN's work through funding, expertise, and community connections.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Corps (Somalia operations): International humanitarian and economic development organization working in Somalia on food security, livelihoods, governance and youth — a direct DAN partner with overlapping program verticals.
• ActionAid (Somalia operations): International anti-poverty organization partnering with DAN in Somalia, working on women's rights, food sovereignty, governance, and emergency response — direct thematic overlap.
• ADRA Somalia: Adventist Development and Relief Agency's Somalia country operations — a strategic partner of DAN delivering food security, livelihoods, WASH, and emergency response in overlapping regions.
• International Rescue Committee (Somalia): IRC operates humanitarian programs in Somalia across health, education, WASH, economic recovery and protection — directly comparable multi-sector footprint in a fragile-state context.
• Save the Children (Somalia operations): A Tier-1 international NGO operating in Somalia across education, health, child protection and emergency response — a direct core partner of DAN, comparable in thematic areas though vastly larger in scale and donor access.
• CARE International (Somalia): Major INGO present in Somalia with programs in food security, WASH, women empowerment and emergency response — directly comparable multi-sector humanitarian model.
• Norwegian Refugee Council (Somalia): Major INGO operating across Somalia on protection, education, WASH, and displacement — overlapping service portfolio and target populations in fragile-state Somalia.
• Relief International (Somalia): INGO with explicit focus on fragile states, including Somalia, delivering integrated health, food security, WASH and protection programming — comparable service mix and operating geography.
• Plan International (Somalia): INGO active in Somalia focusing on children, education, protection and youth economic empowerment — overlapping with DAN's youth/women and education verticals.

Others

• World Food Programme (Somalia country office): UN agency and a named strategic partner of DAN, sourcing and channeling much of Somalia's humanitarian food assistance — ecosystem counterpart that funds and contracts local implementers like DAN rather than competing head-to-head.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/development-action-network-dan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Development Action Network (DAN)