Education

THE GOVERNMENT OF PUNTLAND STATE OF SOMALIA, EDUCATION CANNOT WAIT AND SAVE THE CHILDREN LAUNCH MAJOR NEW EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR CHILDREN AFFECTED BY CONFLICT AND DROUGHT

$5.6 million catalytic grant kickstarts resource mobilization efforts to fully fund the $60 million education response to reach approximately 400,000 children and youth

Laila is a 35 year old mother of twelve children who lives in Laanta-Hawada Village in Bossaso, Somalia. Every morning, she waves goodbye to her children as they leave for school, but one thing that is always on her mind is paying the school fees for her children.

"I was only six years old when I experienced the worst nightmare of my life. Something that left me filled with grief and fear,’’ says Laki Muse* as she recalls how she left her home in Ethiopia to seek refuge in neighboring Somalia.

Hawa Abdullahi is a principal of Dr. Abdalla Derow Primary School for Girls in Baidoa, Bay Region of South West State, Somalia. Photograph: Abdirahman Abdulle / Save the Children.

When I asked Asad about his dreams, his eyes lit up immediately.  He smiled and gave that look of enthusiasm, excitement and hope.  “I want to be a doctor,” he says.  “Yes. Now I know if I work hard, I can make it.”  This is a change in Asad. Some months ago, he wasn’t sure if he will continue with school, let alone dream of becoming a doctor. Asad, a third born in a family of eight is a fifth grade student at Al-Hikma Primary School.