FCA improved access to education for 1146 overage and out-of-school children in hard-to-reach areas in Somalia
FCA has improved access to quality education for 1146 overage and out-of-school children in areas that are hard to reach in Hudur, Somalia under the Accelerated Basic Education (ABE) programme.
The main primary drivers of humanitarian needs in Somalia are conflict and natural disasters such as drought and flooding. According to Protection Return Monitoring Network (PRMN), around 893,000 people have been displaced in Somalia between January and August 2020, of whom 633,000 were displaced due to food insecurity, 177,000 affected by conflict and 71,000 by drought.
Of all the people displaced in 2020, around 357,200 (40 %) are school-aged children. Often they drop of education because of the disruption in their lives.
The COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 exacerbated the situation as the government was forced to close schools in early March 2020. This led meant that fewer students could access quality education and more than one million children in Somalia were completely outside of schooling.
The situation is worse for marginalised groups, such as girls, children with disabilities, those who live in hard-to-reach areas and those who are overage or outside formal education.
It is against this backdrop that FCA Somalia has implemented an Integrated and Inclusive Education in Emergencies (EiE) Response for Crisis Affected Children in hard-to-reach ares in Hudur district in Bakool region of the Southwest state from June 2020 to June 2021. The project is funded by ECHO.
The response has focused on quality primary education for internally displaced school-age children, catch-up and ABE programmes for out-of-school and overage children within the population that was affected by the conflicts and natural disasters such as drought and floods. In the process, a total of 1146 ABE students, including 600 girls (52 %), were reached and supported at three school centres in Hudur district in level one and level two learning stages of the ABE programme for one academic year from August 2020 to June 2021.
Objectives of the ABE programme
The primary purpose of Accelerated Basic Education (ABE) is to provide learners who missed a primary school education for whatever reason with the opportunity to obtain primary education competencies and sit for the Primary Centralized Examination. It is also meant to reduce and remove the barriers of access to education that lead to children dropping out of or never enrolling in primary school education.
The ABE programme further allows for flexibility in the teaching and learning processes with negotiable timetable that allows students and their families to meet other demands for their time and attention, including employment and childcare. The ABE programme also emphasises the development of practical skills and transition pathways to both formal education and vocational training after the completion of all the four levels of the programme.
Somalia’s Ministry of Education National ABE policy framework was recently launched with the support of USAID.
ABE students assessment and transition to ordinary classrooms
After one year of schooling in June 2021, the ABE students were allowed to sit the examinations prepared by their teachers. The exams varied according to their levels of education, age and abilities. 1,121 students (51 % of whom were girls) sat for the final examination.
637 students (50 % both girls and boys) took the level one examination and 457 (50 % both girls and boys) of them successfully transited to grade 3 in the formal school. Unfortunately 180 students (84 girls) were not able to transit. They will be allowed to continue to level two under the new ECHO project that is starting in July 2021.
On level two, 484 students (257 girls, 53 %) sat for the examination and 87 % of them (422/51 % girls) successfully passed and transited to grade five in an ordinary classroom. In comparison, 61 students (39 girls) failed the exam. They will be supported for another six months under the new ECHO project within the Catch programme before their performance is assessed again.
The students who could not sit for examination because of various reasons, such as Covid-19 and other illnesses and their families’ displacement will be offered another chance once the schools reopen in August.
Overall under the FCA ABE programme 2020, 77 % of the students (51 % of them girls) successfully transited to ordinary classrooms. In the beginning of the academic year in August they will start their new classes in formal schools.
FCA launches an ECHO-funded project to enhance access to Education for displaced children in hard-to-reach areas of Southwest State of Somalia
We are happy to announce the launch a 12-month Education in Emergencies project in the Southwest State (SWS) of Somalia to fulfil the right to education of displaced children in areas that especially hard to reach. The READ Project is aimed at restoring and maintaining safe access to quality education for 7,000 crises-affected children so that they can enter or return to protective learning opportunities.
FCA will be implementing the project with its local partner Gargaar Relief Development Organization (GREDO) and it will operate in hard-to-reach areas of El-Berde Baidoa and Hudur. The project is funded by EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) in its quest to support the improvement of access to quality education in Somalia.
The READ project is striving to improve children’s access to a safe, inclusive and protective learning environment; to enhance the capacity of teachers and other education personnel to provide quality education and learning outcomes; and to strengthen safety and child protection mechanisms in target schools for psychosocial well-being, protection and safeguarding of affected children.
In El-Berde, only 8 % of school-aged children (1,574 in total, incl. 884 males and 690 females) are enrolled in one public primary school and eight meant for IDPs, with 12,198 children estimated to be out of school. Although the district only hosts 3,500 IDPs, FCA assessed that the needs for education are incredibly high, as 698 children (402M; 296F) are learning in the only available six classrooms, where there are on average 116 students per classroom.
Similarly, Hudur has the population of around 100,437 with around 42,504 IDPs (24,322 males and 36,482 females) residing in 26 IDP settlements across the district.
The Director General of Ministry of Education (MoE) of Southwest State of Somalia Fadal Abdullahi Mursal attended the launch meeting. He told that a delegation from the MoE visited Hudur town late last month to investigate the impact of FCA’s earlier ECHO-funded education project. They found great impact on the ground in terms of improved access to education.
“During our stay in Hudur, we had a meeting with the CECs and parents and they informed us that they are fully satisfied with FCA’s education program, especially the Accelerated Basic Education (ABE) system which supported many out-of-school children,” says Fadal Abdullahi Mursal, the DG of Ministry of Education of Southwest State.
The deputy minister for Education of Southwest hailed the ongoing FCA efforts in Bakool Region and requested FCA to expand their education projects and reach to the other Southwest State regions.
“Giving children a brighter future through education comes with commitment. I therefore request FCA to expand their education programmes to Lower Shebelle which is also part of Southwest State Regions,” says Abdifatah Isak Mohamed.
Finally, FCA’s Acting Somalia Country Director and the Programme Manager Mr. Bashir Fidow has appreciated the MoE-SWS partnership and pledged that FCA will continue working to enhance education for displaced people in hard-to-reach areas.
“On behalf of FCA Somalia, we are happy to be working closely with the Mistry of Education of Southwest State as a partner. FCA has been providing and implementing Education in Emergencies programmes in SWS since 2018, including Hudur town in Bakool region, which is a hard-to-reach zone,” Bashir Fidow says. “Our new ECHO project 2021-2022 is expanded to Elberde, which is also a hard-to-reach area. FCA will continue working with the MoE of the Federal Government of Somalia and Federal Member State of Southwest to make sure that children in hard-to-reach areas receive quality education and that teachers are qualified.”
FCA has started its EiE response in Baidoa and other hard to reach areas of SWS in 2018, with support from ECHO HIP 2018 and 2020, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA) and FCA’s own Disaster Fund. To date, the interventions have enabled 15,500 crisis-affected children (45 % girls and 400 CWD) have access inclusive education through safe learning environments, improved quality of education and school-based protection mechanisms. Among these children, 1299 (45 % girls) are Accelerated Basic Education (ABE) learners.
Knowledge Management Central in Advancing Inclusive Local Governance in Somalia
For years, FCA has worked with its partners systematically and successfully to involve women, youth and marginalised groups in decision-making. Sharing knowledge and learning from others is central to this work.
Successful district council formation is a key milestone in building inclusive local governance structures and systems. Since 2017, four district councils have been successfully formed with active and inclusive participation of the community including women, youth and marginalized groups, with the efforts and support by FCA and its partners. The four areas include Berdale and Hudur of South West, Afmadow of Jubaland and South Galkacyo of Galmudug.
In June, FCA engaged partners, federal and local government officials and key actors to reflect on the overall progress, achievements, challenges, lessons learned and remaining priorities in inclusive local governance in Somalia.
Active dialogue and knowledge management in a recent workshop
The workshop, held in Mogadishu on 21-22 June 2021, brought together more than 45 key figures in local governance. The aim was to promote collective reflection and knowledge management and to address remaining priorities in the work towards inclusive governance particularly in the district council formation processes and the promotion of women’s political participation in Somalia.
Mr. Mustafa Adaf, the Director-General of the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Local Governance of South West State of Somalia, briefly highlighted the success stories, challenges and lessons learnt from the established district councils in South West State.
“So far four district councils have been formed in South West State with strong representation of women in the elected councils including ten women out of 21 elected council members in Diinsor, five women out of 21 in Waajid, and two out of 21 in Berdale, while Hudur has zero women representation in the district council,” Mustafa said.
FCA has been implementing various programmes promoting inclusive local governance through district council formation (DCF) and increasing women’s political participation since 2016, with the support of the EU delegation to Somalia, USAID/TIS+ and the Somalia Stability Fund.
Learning from experience
Officials from the Ministries of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation (MOIFAR) at the federal and state levels across Somalia, district administrations and councils, elders, women’s groups and networks and key stabilisation actors were actively participating in the lively discussions. The participants identified and discussed the results and successes of FCA and its partners’ interventions and contribution to promoting inclusive local governance and gender equality and the social inclusion of women, youth and marginalised groups.
The participants of the workshop also explored lessons on what has and not worked in past and ongoing interventions to foster learnings for the benefit of the other districts that are currently undertaking the district council formation in accordance with the Wadajir National Framework for Local Governance. In addition, the workshop also charted the way forward in addressing remaining priorities for effective, future programming.
The workshop’s outcomes will be collated and a publication will be compiled for internal and external knowledge management. The document will be distributed among the numerous actors working to support state-building processes in Somalia.
Advancing women’s participation
Not only is successful district council formation a historic milestone in promoting democratic process and inclusive local governance, but also in terms of women’s political participation. This is the first time in the history of South West State for women to achieve such a representation among elected council members.
“One of the lessons we learned in the previous council formations such as in Berdale and Hudur in 2017 was the need to emphasise the importance of the role of women. From such experiences, we started discussing a quota system for women’s participation in the DCF process in other districts. Once we secured that women can have meaningful participation, we proceeded with the process. So, in a nutshell, women participation can only be achieved, if the government and actors collaboratively engage the community to campaign for women in the process,” Mr. Adaf draws together lessons learned.
Covid-19 increases poverty and aggravates the education crisis in developing countries, but solutions exist
For more than a year, Covid-19 has dominated the news globally. In March 2020, when the first restrictions were imposed, nobody could have imagined that we would still be combating a crisis a year later. The global impact of this pandemic has been and will continue to be enormous.
The coronavirus pandemic has increased global poverty for the first time in twenty years. The World Bank estimates that up to 93 million people were plunged into extreme poverty in 2020.
“For poor countries, the outlook is grim,” says Saara Lehmuskoski, a Senior Adviser at Finn Church Aid (FCA). When the pandemic hit, she was working as FCA’s country director in Cambodia.
“Many are reaching a level where just getting food on the table is difficult. For them, moving out of poverty will take a long time. In recent years, we have heard positive news about how people are being lifted out of poverty. Sadly, we’re now taking a big step backwards.”
With less economic activity, tax revenue will fall, which then leads to cutbacks. The World Bank estimates that two out of three developing countries have cut their education spending due to Covid-19. Combined with a rise in poverty, families and children who are already poor will be the ones most severely affected.
“In Cambodia, distance learning is only available for the richest children. The poorest rural students, who have limited access to education anyway, don’t own a television or a smartphone,” says Lehmuskoski.
In Cambodia, video lessons have been used to provide career counselling and guidance supported by Finn Church Aid. Photo: Long Ratana
Children no longer have access to education because schools are closed. And due to rising poverty, some families need children to work to make sure that everybody gets fed.
“In the long term, this is a terrible risk for the children who are now at school age. We will be dealing with the aftermath of this pandemic for another 10 to 15 years. Right now, we need to make sure that children stay at school and continue their learning so that, once the pandemic is over, young people completing their studies will be equipped to earn a living and engage actively with their communities,” says Lehmuskoski.
Digital learning provides access to education
In poorer countries, the education budget is often small in comparison to other expenditure. When a crisis such as Covid-19 strikes, funds are needed for healthcare and other similar items. Deputy executive director Tomi Järvinen at Finn Church Aid points out that decisions about short-term savings should not be taken at the expense of education.
“Research findings show that education is a key to higher gross domestic product and, of course, improved levels of personal income. Each year at school will boost the student’s future earnings. For girls, this rise is even more marked.”
School closures in response to the pandemic raised concerns about whether children, especially girls, would return to school in the poorest countries.
“What we hear from the field is that the scenarios presented at the beginning of the pandemic have, at least in part, materialised. We have seen more teenage pregnancies and child marriages, and the concerns about young people not returning to school are real,” says Järvinen.
Even during restrictions, it is important that schools maintain contact with their students. Dropping out of school is a risk, especially for girls. Photo: Hugh Rutherford
To prevent children from dropping out of school, it is important to develop ways of communicating with learners and preparing them for the eventual return to school. In Kenya, FCA has supported efforts to ensure that schools maintain contact with students and young people return to school as soon as possible.
Digital learning is part of the solution for developing countries. It contributes to enabling access to education and to providing high-quality education for all. Going forward, digital solutions will continue to make remote education possible, for example when children are ill or unable to attend contact teaching for some other reason.
“We shouldn’t think that developing countries will take up digital learning at some later date. They have already gone digital in fields such as communication and commerce, and now we need to extend these solutions to education,” says Tomi Järvinen.
In fragile countries where FCA operates, the first stage of digitalisation means low-tech solutions, such as radio lessons and WhatsApp messaging. For example, radio receivers have been distributed and radio lessons broadcast to families in refugee camps and rural areas in Kenya.
“The situation is never hopeless; there’s always something we can do. Now we need to invest in digital learning and its development, and analyse the lessons learned from the Covid-19 crisis.”
The elderly are in a particularly vulnerable position in Uganda’s refugee settlements. With access to education and livelihoods, the community can also create a better future for the family’s seniors.
Seven years ago, Elizabeth Kapinga and her family hid in the bush on their way to the Ugandan border. The family was fleeing the unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and had to travel on foot for three weeks without getting a lift by car.
“The shots were coming from all directions, and we hurried the children along. Looking back on it, I think about how life has been so hard for us, but I know others are still suffering and losing their lives,” says 80-year-old Kapinga.
Kapinga and her four children, son-in-law, and ten grandchildren have stayed in Rwamwanja refugee settlement since 2013. In the DRC, Kapinga lost her spouse, four children, and three grandchildren, and thinking about them makes her sad.
“I had a good life. I got married, and I was happy. Then the Lord separated me from my husband, and I was all alone,” says Kapinga.
Elizabeth Kapinga lives in Uganda as a refugee. She says that returning to her home in the DRC is unlikely.
Uganda hosts 1,4 million refugees. Most of them come from neighbouring countries, such as the DRC, where several armed groups fight each other. The conflict is dangerous to civilians. The unrest has cost people their homes and possessions, and particularly women face the threat of violence and rape.
Kapinga’s family is safe, but their daily life is challenging. The refugee settlement faces a shortage of many necessities, and for many families, the food assistance available is not enough for surviving. The availability of health care services and medicine is low, and the prices are high.
Kapinga’s family’s situation has improved since her son-in-law Lucien Kagoro graduated from the Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) centre established by Finn Church Aid (FCA) in Rwamwanja. Kagoro joined his extended family in Rwamwanja in 2017 after working as a teacher in the DRC. He could not find work in Ugandan schools because of language barriers, but the vocational training opened up a new career path for him and many other youths.
Kagoro trained to become a hairdresser, and he now runs a successful salon. His work secures a livelihood for the whole extended family and enables the children to go to school. Kagoro lost his parents in the conflict, and his wife’s family, including his mother-in-law, is the only family he has.
“I love my mother-in-law. She has given me so much. My family is doing well now,” says Kagoro.
Lucien Kagoro supports his extended family. The wellbeing of his mother-in-law is essential to him.
After the hardships in his home country, Kagoro says that he now lives in peace in Uganda.
“I’m happy with the life we have now,” says Kagoro.
Grandmother Kapinga likes to spend her days with her grandchildren. Watching the children play takes her mind off unpleasant memories. A secure livelihood gives her the chance to enjoy her daily life.
“I’m happy for my son-in-law’s work. He enjoys it, and it enables him to take care of us. I don’t know how we would manage if Lucien didn’t have his salon,” says Kapinga.
The refugee settlement faces a shortage of many necessities.
In the vocational education centre, 70 per cent of the students are refugees from the DRC. Out of the young people who have completed their training, more than 70 per cent have found employment or started their own business.
“Educating children and youth is a way of building the future and investing in the sustainable development of entire communities. After the urgent emergency relief, we start building the future of families through education and livelihoods,” says Eija Alajarva, Head of Humanitarian Assistance at FCA.
Advanced age and life experiences bring with them injuries and illnesses that complicate mobility and access to information. It is essential to do outreach work and provide help in the home when working with the elderly and persons with disabilities.
“When people are forced to flee, families may fall apart. Members of a family may not end up in the same refugee settlement, and while families normally take care of the elderly, that can change in a crisis,” says Alajarva.
The constant threat of violence also drove Maria Nyrambagazohe, 67, to flee her home village in the DRC with her two grandchildren. They fled on foot, which forced them to leave all their belongings behind. Since 2018, the family lives in Kyaka II refugee settlement in Uganda.
Maria Nyrambagazohe is often sick, which makes working and household chores hard for her.
Nyrambagazohe’s husband and two sons lost their lives in the unrest. Her daughter, the mother of her grandchildren, remained in the DRC. The family does not know whether she is still alive. Nyrambagazohe is now the guardian of Anarite, 8, and Sylvester, 10.
“I think about my family every day. The children keep asking when they get to see their mother again,” says Nyrambagazohe.
While the refugee settlement is peaceful, the family’s day-to-day life is tough. Nyrambagazohe and the children are often sick, and work exhausts her quickly, causing her all kinds of ache and pain. The children support her with household chores, such as cleaning and fetching water.
The elderly are respected and have an important role in communities, and people want to take care of their wellbeing. In times of crisis, they might still end up as caretakers. If the parents have died or are otherwise absent, the grandparents – often the grandmothers – have to take care of their grandchildren.
The biggest challenge of Nyrambagazohe’s family is hunger. Because of her age and condition, she cannot work, and the family lives in poverty. Like many other families in the refugee settlement, they all receive 21,000 Ugandan shillings per month as a World Food Programme (WFP) assistance for food. The money can get them 8 kilograms of cornmeal, an equal amount of beans or 1.5 kilograms of meat.
“It is not easy for the children to be hungry all day long,” says Nyrambagazohe.
For most elderly refugees, returning to their home country might not be possible. Nyrambagazohe misses her friends and other villagers back home. In Uganda, she often feels lonely, but she says she enjoys the peacefulness.
” I never used to be able to sleep before, but now I sleep well, she says.
The joy of the children delights their grandmother. Her biggest wish is that they will have a good future.
Anarite and Sylvester are used to their life in the refugee settlement. They play football and skip rope with the neighbourhood’s children. Watching them play makes Nyrambagazohe happy. When her grandchildren can go to school, she knows they can have a future.
“We are grateful for the support for school materials, fees, and clothing. Education will enable the children to find employment and care for their families when they grow up,” says Nyrambagazohe.
Photos and interviews in Uganda: Sumy Sadurni
Text: Noora Pohjanheimo
Translation: Leena Vuolteenaho
Music is a source of relief to youth coping with the stress of living as refugees in Jordan. FCA’s learning centre teaches them how to play instruments and compose.
Mohammad Al-Ahmad and Moutaz Al-Zoubi have spent most of their lives in Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. The lives of the two 17-year-olds have been full of changes due to the war in Syria.
Like many other of their age, they had to abandon their homes and schools in Syria when they were children and adjust to life in a refugee camp while losing contact with their friends at home. Refugee children have grown up in a setting of uncertainty and frustration in neighbouring Jordan.
Mohammad and Moutaz describe music as a vital outlet for their emotions and a source of joy.
“I don’t own an instrument, but I have a great passion for music. I want to become a famous, respected and beloved keyboard player when I grow up”, Mohammad says.
Mohammad Al-Ahmad says he gains energy from his music lessons.
Psychosocial support puts minds at ease
When Za’atari refugee camp opened in 2012, Syrians found shelter and emergency assistance, but life was limited. There were no recreational activities or any other ways for children and youth to pass the time. Finn Church Aid (FCA) along with other organisations responded with psychosocial support activities, such as football, netball, circus and music lessons at FCA’s compound in Za’atari.
Meaningful ways of passing time have an immense effect on the well-being of children and youth burdened by the experiences of war and losing their homes. Mohammad’s mind is at ease at FCA’s learning centre. Here, he learnt how to play the keyboard, and he feels energetic when playing.
“I hope I become a professional, like our teacher. I want to teach the children of the camp, especially those that never had a chance to play instruments”, Mohammed says.
Moutaz says he enjoys all kinds of instruments and mentions particularly the keyboard, the oud – a kind of lute – and the darbuka drum. He is also comfortable with singing with a microphone.
Moutaz Al- Zoubi hopes to teach others someday how to play instruments.
Music sessions on Whatsapp during the pandemic
The recreational activities were brought to a halt in March when preventive measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus restricted gatherings in the camp. The music lessons resumed in June with assignments and exercises delivered via Whatsapp. The learners sent recordings to their teacher who replied with feedback. The teachers are also Syrian refugees who live in the camp.
Now the youth have returned to class, and everyone wears a face mask. It is a relief that activities continue, also because of the added distress caused by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The parents of the participants report that they notice a change in the attitudes and self-confidence of the youth, and say that they are more determined than before. Moutaz agrees.
“Music helps me relax when I am angry or feel down, and singing makes me full of joy”, he says.
Text: Aisha Shtiwi / Oxfam in Jordan Photos: Wisam Al-Riyabi
Individual supporters donated different types of musical instruments to FCA’s learning centres in Za’atari and Azraq refugee camps in Jordan.
Teacher training in collaboration with UNICEF Kenya is an immense support to teachers of children in Kakuma refugee camp. Quality education with psychosocial support ensures that no one is left behind.
Teacher Hellen Okang supports small groups of learners with home learning during school closures. Photo: FCA
Young children can only thrive when learning in a conducive environment that prepares them to unleash their potential at an early age. Thus, their teachers require specialised training.
In collaboration with UNICEF Kenya, Finn Church Aid (FCA) put together a practical Early Childhood training that serves both young children and their families in Kalobeyei settlement in Kakuma refugee camp. The training was developed with Finnish teachers through the volunteer network Teachers without Borders.
The training focused on Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) pedagogy and didactics for pre-school teachers, targeting 25 teachers across five ECDE centres in the settlement and improving the quality of education for 3,555 learners enrolled in the ECDE centres.
Teacher Hellen Okang, 29, from South Sudan taught 125 learners at Joy Primary school in Kalobeyei before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted learning in schools. Hellen participated in the training conducted in August and September 2020 and says it benefitted her immensely by improving her teaching skills.
Teachers developing teaching materials for the ECDE centres in Kakuma. Photo: FCA
The training provided teachers with practical skills suited for crisis contexts and covered positive ways of disciplining children, curriculum and lesson planning, children’s rights, supporting numeracy and literacy skills, communication between teachers and caregivers and embracing a multicultural classroom.
“I began teaching in 2018 as a volunteer teacher. This training has gone a long way in helping me understand my learners and what it means to teach children in pre-school”, Hellen says.
The teacher training opened eyes for psychosocial support
The children that Hellen teaches have continued learning from home during school closures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. 8-year-old James has tuned into radio lessons together with Hellen, who also is his neighbour. Teachers in the settlement complement the radio lessons by visualising the content on blackboards, helping learners to understand the lessons with recaps and following up on their homework.
“I would like to be a doctor to treat the sick when I grow up,” James says when asked about his dreams.
8-year-old James learns by playing and says he thinks his teacher Hellen is very welcoming and approachable. Photo: FCA
James’ mother Rose Aiira, describes her son as a soft-spoken boy who is quick and eager to learn new skills. When he enrolled in school in 2018, James only spoke his native South Sudanese language. Now thanks to teachers who speak his language as well as Arabic and English, he has drastically improved his language skills, particularly in Arabic. He also has friends of different nationalities, which supports his learning.
Teachers also use visual aids to help the children understand what they teach. The ECDE training emphasised the use of play as a method of practical content delivery and creating innovative ideas on developing attractive teaching and learning materials to capture the attention of learners.
“My learners love counting with songs. I cannot teach math without it”, Hellen emphasised.
Hellen says that the training opened her eyes to the importance of nurturing and caring for the children. According to her, she can now identify the psychosocial needs of learners and respond to them.
“I now understand each child uniquely, as individuals, and when they need stronger support I can refer them to the appropriate counselling service”, Hellen says.
Text: Elizabeth Oriedi, Catherine Angwenyi
In Kakuma Refugee camp in Kenya, Finn Church Aid together with UNICEF Kenya, supports 3,555 learners in six Early Childhood Development and Education centres and 7,992 learners in five Primary schools with access to education, teacher training and distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
FCA will be supporting 4,000 crisis-affected children and youth in Hama area in Syria with access to quality education in a safe and protected environment.
Finn Church Aid (FCA) has been granted over 680,000 USD from the Syria Humanitarian Fundto support 4,000 children and youth to access quality education in Hama area, Syria.
After ten years since the war broke out, the Syrian refugee crisis remains the largest displacement crisis of our time. About 6.2 million people are displaced within Syria, and nearly 12 million people in the country needhumanitarian assistance. At least half of theaffected people are children.
The war has also left the education system in ruins. More than one in three schools are damaged or destroyed, and many are used for other purposes than education. Some schools operate in double or triple shifts to accommodate the massive influx of displaced children.
Meeting the needs requires collective efforts from national, regional and international educational actors, says Karam Sharouf, FCA’s Education Programme Manager in Syria.
“Education is the key to comprehensive human, economic and socially sustainable development. Therefore, continuous support should be provided to the education sector in Syria, and educational capabilities that could contribute to rebuilding Syria should be developed“, Sharoufsays.
The war has destroyed or damaged many school buildings in Syria. Photo: Karam Sharouf.
Quality education through rehabilitating schools and training teachers
In thecommunities that FCA will support in rural Hama,approximately one thousand children are out of school,setting the enrolment rate at 77per cent.Poverty and a lack of safety and security remain critical barriers to accessing education. Protracted displacement and limited economic opportunities have forced people in Syria to adopt negative coping strategies, including child marriage and child labour. This is usually more common in villages without schools, says Sharouf.
“There are many cases of early marriage, and many families rely on their children workingdue to the absence of the father, who might have died or travelled away“, Sharouf says.
Schools constitute a protected environment for children and enhance their well-being, but currently, schools are overcrowded. Theyalso lack doors, windows,heating systems and learning materials. Sanitation facilities are largely unusable.FCA will rehabilitate school buildings to make them safe and accessible and constructinclusive and gender-sensitivesanitation facilities.
The need for teacher training is enormous as the number of teachers in Syria’s formal educationsystem has declined by more than half in the past five years. The remaining teachers have not received systematic in-service training during the war, and newly recruited teachers often lack the required qualifications. FCA arrangesteacher training that includes child safeguarding and psychosocial support, and equips schools with teaching materials and recreational kits, for example, craft materials and sports equipment.
The programme will also focus on ensuring access to quality education for children and youth through non-formal education, such as remedial classes and accelerated learning that helps learners to catch up with their age-grade after years out of school.
“These groups will be able to continue education and keep up with the academic achievement of their peers, thus reducing their chances of dropping out of school to a minimum“, Sharouf says.
FCA has substantial experience in providing quality education services, especially in emergencies, and is a solid partner of local actors already implementing education activities in Syria.
Finn Church Aid has supported six schools for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Baidoa. With support by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Finland, the project has benefited 4,412 learners, including 228 children with disabilities.
There is an enormous demand for quality education in the IDP camps. The number of areas inhabited by IDPs rose from 70 in 2017 to 517 by August 2020.
The children in this article are in Mustaqbal Integrated School, built with the support of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Finland in 2018. It is currently the only school in Baidoa where children with disabilities can learn in the same school with other children, and be assisted by teachers trained in special needs education.
Farmers and pastoralists in Somalia witness the effects of climate change first hand. Extreme weather phenomena vary from severe drought to destructive floods, and less cattle and crops persist.
The situation is direst in areas where the influence of the extremist group al-Shabaab is strongest and education opportunities have traditionally been weak. The lack of options leads to a battle for survival where joining the group may feel like the only choice.
Somalia is balancing on the brink of famine, and parents often try to save their families by moving to cities. Baidoa is the second-largest hub for internally displaced people (IDPs) after the capital Mogadishu – the 392,274 IDPs almost outnumber the local population.
The number of IDPs has increased dramatically since the drought of 2017, and the conditions in the camp are difficult. Without a livelihood, starting a new life is a challenge.
Like many other countries, Somalia closed its schools in the spring to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but the children returned to school in August. Fathers who have lost their crops and cattle tell us what they want for their children’s future.
Abdibakir Abdinur Aden, 38, with his daughter Falhado, 11.
“My daughter teaches me things”
Abdibakir Abdinur Aden, 38. Single father of five.
“The drought made us choose between flight and death. We did not have anything to eat or drink, which made us flee from our village to Baidoa two and a half years ago.
In Somalia, our greatest challenge is the harsh weather. First, the drought took our livelihoods. Our cattle died, and our crops perished. Today, we heard in the news that our village is under floodwater. I am glad we left.
Arriving in Baidoa opened my eyes. It is much easier for educated people to sustain themselves even though we all suffer from the changes in the weather. They can adapt to new situations. They will always find a job because they can read and write, and they can start businesses.
I could not go to school. Education was not valued in my village, and my generation only knows about farming and cattle. I cannot take care of my family on my own after losing my crops because I was never allowed to go to school and learn other things.
The life in the IDP camp is challenging. We have no electricity. There is a shortage of water and medical care. But we do have a school, and I think that is a great relief. Earlier, the children played on the street, and the street is not a safe place for growing up. Extremist groups recruit young people with nothing to do.
My children have been to school for a couple of months, and I see a significant difference. Their life has a purpose. They feel secure, they have friends at school, and they have also learned discipline.
People yearn for a better future for their children. I think it is particularly important for girls to go to school because women change communities and break stereotypes. I learned everything from my mother. Women create the atmosphere at home, and that is why it is obvious that education is for girls and boys equally.
My daughter Faldaho is 11 years old and in the second grade. I learn things myself, and I am very proud of her.
When my children graduate, I am sure that they can take care of themselves and their families. They can support their communities and the development of Somalia.
My paradise is where I see my daughter making it on her own in the world.”
Abdullahi Hassan Yusuf, 53, with his daughter Luuley.
“Everyone benefits from the girls going to school”
Abdullahi Hassan Yusuf, 53. Father of seven.
“The school has changed our lives in Baidoa. After a few months in school, our children can already read and write. They can focus better, and life is more balanced.
I believe that education will open many opportunities for them, especially for the girls. I grew crops and had cattle before we lost everything because of the drought and the war. We had nothing when we arrived in Baidoa.
My daughter Luuley has a hearing disability but now she can go to school because the teachers have been trained to teach children with special needs (in Mustaqbal Integrated School). I am happy for her. Luuley likes especially English and mathematics. She has found friends in the class for children with hearing disabilities, and they play together often, for example skipping.
The new friends only make it more important to go to school. The school also eases the burden on parents because our lives here are full of challenges.
The head teacher of the school says Luuley is quick to learn. She has been to school for four months and she can already manage even the most difficult tasks. She has a good vocabulary in English.
What makes it difficult for our children to attend school is that there is not enough room for everyone. We need more schools.
Any community will benefit from the children’s schooling and especially the fact that also girls go to school. They will grow up as intelligent adults who know how to develop the community better than we did.”
Subane Bulle Aden, 37, and his daughter Nasteho, 12.
“I want my children to take their own paths in life”
Subane Bulle Aden, 37. Father of three.
“A little over a year ago, I lost sheep every day. The animals died of thirst and hunger, and eventually, the drought took me everything I had. I had seeded my fields hoping for a big harvest, but there was no rain. The lack of food and water could have cost us our lives.
In rural areas, neither my generation nor my children could go to school. There were no schools, and people knew little about anything except growing crops and cattle. We did not understand that our livelihood was going to disappear.
If the weather becomes steadier in the future, I will consider going back, but I do not know if I can trust that anything will change. I rather believe that education will guarantee my children a better future.
Education allows people to be more independent. It helps them to pull through hardships, such as these weather conditions, and impacts their livelihood opportunities. I already lost my chance to educate myself, but as a father, I can ensure that the same will not happen to my children.
It is important to me that also my daughters go to school. The second one was born around the same time as my eldest Nasteho started school this year. Nasteho is twelve years old, and she has said that she wants to become a teacher. She enjoys every day at school, which makes me happy.
When my children graduate, I want them to choose their own paths in life. I am sure that such a future is good for them and our community.”
Written by: Erik Nyström Photos: Patrick Meinhardt
Six schools were built during FCA’s Education in Emergencies response in drought-affected Baidoa, with funding by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Finland.
Galmudug State of Somalia launched a new district council formation process that promotes inclusive participation of women, youth and other marginalised groups. The event took place in Galkayo last week.
The process targets the state’s districts of Adado and South Galkayo, homes to a population of hundreds of thousands. The initiative is part of the EU’s stabilisation effort in peacebuilding and state-building in Somalia, implemented by FCA and two other consortium members, CRD and EISA. The aim is to decentralise power and improve stability at a grassroots level.
“The power is on your shoulders now. We look forward to efficient, inclusive and competent councils to run district business,” said Ms Fadumo Abdi Ali, Galmudug Second Deputy Speaker at the launch. She also highlighted the need for supporting women’s meaningful participation and representation in decision-making process.
The EU reiterated its continuous support for state-building in Somalia, not only in the district council formation process but also through local peace dividend programs after the councils are formed.
Galmudug State Minister of Interior and local government H.E Abdi Mohamed Wayel speaking at the launch event.
Galmudug State President Ahmed Abdi Kaariye also urged everyone to ensure the genuine role of women and youth in the process.
“Galmudug women are the backbone of our development, stability and rebuilding the state. I would like to campaign for a woman to become Mayor in one of our cities,” he said.
Long-term support for reconciliation and women’s political participation
Since 2013, FCA has supported local community reconciliation, civic engagement, local council formation women and youth engagement, capacity building, strategic communication and peace dividends in South Central Somalia.
FCA and the EU delegation to Somalia has supported the formation of district councils and women’s political participation across four Federal Member States of Somalia, namely South West State, Hirshabelle, Jubbaland and Galmudug since 2016. As a result, two district councils of Berdale and Hudur in South West State were successfully formed in 2017 and 2018 respectively. With FCA’s active lobbying and advocacy, two women were elected amongst the 21 district councilors in Berdale.
Currently, the district formation process is undergoing in Jowhar and Buloberde of Hirshabelle, Adado and South Galkacyo of Galmudug.
