Supporting distributed leadership in Somalia’s education sector

January 24, 2023

By Nadya Karim-Shaw

3 min read

Conflict, environmental disasters and displacement make it difficult to provide quality education to Somalia’s children and youth. Instability derails access to school, training educators and getting materials to students. It also destroys a community’s sense of trust and wellbeing, which are critical to building resilience and learning.

Officials across Somalia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education are working to improve basic education services for the country’s three million out-of-school children. One of the Ministry’s flexible, age-appropriate education solutions is Bar Ama Baro (“Teach or Learn”) — an accelerated education program funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

The program teaches children ages 9 to 16 the skills needed to reintegrate into different stages of the formal school system or achieve Grade 8 equivalency certification. In partnership with USAID, the Ministry formulated new policies, created a streamlined curriculum, and developed a set of teacher guides and student textbooks. Over-age Somali students can now complete an eight-year primary education cycle in four years.

“This collaboration allowed for diverse perspectives and expertise to be brought together to create a well-rounded and effective curriculum [that was] led, developed and owned by Somalis,” says Mohamed Hassan Mukhtar, the Ministry’s Director of Curriculum.

Supporting the national education vision — States and Districts

Scaling the Ministry’s vision for rigorous, inclusive, student-centered accelerated education required extending the spirit of teamwork beyond the federal level to include member states and districts.

“From inception to implementation, state-level Ministries of Education officials played a critical role in the operationalization of the accelerated education program, including the validation of the Accelerated Basic Education Policy and curriculum, as well as mapping resources such as identifying available learning spaces, teachers, and students,” says Fadal Abdullahi Mursal, the Director General for the Southwest State Ministry of Education.

One effective solution was repurposing existing infrastructure and human resources. Today, across all states, accelerated classes are hosted at formal schools, supervised by the same school management committees, and taught by the same schoolteachers as a second shift. Districts have been able to rapidly provide educational access to over 100,000 out-of-school students.

“Incorporating the accelerated basic education program into the overall education system will have a great impact on improving access and outcomes,” says Abdiaziz Nur, the Ministry’s Director of Non-Formal Education.

Another impactful solution proposed by the states was expanding the roles and responsibilities of education officers. The officers previously only monitored formal schools, but now supervise accelerated basic education classes as well.

Since taking on greater ownership, the officers work in tandem with school leadership to conduct door-to-door awareness-raising campaigns and have reduced school dropouts and the number of out-of-school children in their districts.

Communities’ vital role in education

“Engaging with the community members — including elders, women, and youth groups — helped build trust and collaboration, which increased enrollment and retention of students,” says Nur Abukar Nur, a District Education Officer in Barawe.

Communities play a vibrant role in sustaining education. They have raised awareness about the accelerated basic education program and the benefits it offers, encouraging more parents to enroll their children.

From setting the course at the federal level to operationalizing the program through state ministries and bringing communities together, USAID celebrates the Somali Government’s commitment to strengthening systems that are helping ensure education for all Somali children.

With reporting by Alinor Osman and Ashley Williams

U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit: How can the U.S. contribute to Africa’s development?

December 5, 2022

By Semere Solomon

4 min read

President Biden is hosting the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in mid-December to demonstrate the United States’ enduring commitment to Africa, underscoring the importance of U.S.-Africa relations and increased cooperation on shared global priorities.

“Africa will shape the future — not just the future of the African people, but of the world. Africa will make the difference in tackling the most urgent challenges and seizing the opportunities we all face,” said the State Department in its event announcement.

Africa has gone through major social, economic and political transformations in the last 25 years. These changes are accentuated by rapid demographic shifts, globalization, the emergence of new technologies and networks and the rising expectations of a predominantly young population.

As leaders from across Africa join President Biden in Washington, it worth considering how development factors into the shared goals the summit will explore.

The role of the U.S. in Africa’s sustained growth and development

This summit is an opportunity to embrace partnership. Partnership is not about being domineering or dictating terms because you are in control of resources. It is about working together in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and reciprocity. I hope the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit will use this as its main tenet.

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s recent policy on localization is a step in the right direction. Locally led development allows local actors to frame their developmental agendas, develop solutions, and bring the capacity, leadership, and resources to make those solutions a sustainable reality.

Ideally, the U.S. Administration could take this to the next level of partnership by fostering new economic engagement and advancing good governance to hold governments accountable of their own development aspirations.

Africa’s development hinges upon the strength and robustness of the private sector. Africa can graduate from aid recipient to global player through mutually beneficial commercial partnerships. Powerful economies like the U.S. can promote attractive investment ventures in Africa and host governments can create a favorable environment for investment partnership.

Women working in a clothing shop / tailor. Market. Tamale, Ghana.

Africa’s assets for rapid growth

Africa is at an exciting point in its development, and it is full of assets that provide fertile ground for rapid growth.

The continent is rich in natural resources and has a young, vibrant population. The continent has seen expanded internet access, affordable mobile connections and the growing use of social media. Mobility across the globe and increased inclusion in international finance have provided opportunities for exposure and learning exchanges.

African people are increasingly participating in the growth agenda through an emerging vibrant civic society and other non-state organizations. African governments are no longer the sole actors in framing the development agenda.

NGOs, the business community, civic societies, religious institutions, individual champions of peace, philanthropic organizations, renowned leaders in the art and music communities, and academic and research institutions, among others, have made themselves heard and have seen their ideas put into action.

Challenges for Africa’s growth

While Africa is well-poised for growth, there are still barriers to the region achieving its full potential.

The continent faces rising and extreme economic disparity. Authoritarian regimes stand in the way of progress. Fragile states, those experiencing ongoing conflict and those in post-conflict situations continue to demand attention across the region and challenge the development agenda.

The threat of religious extremism worsens by the day. Residents of Nigeria, Somalia, Chad, Central African Republic and Mozambique face daily disruptions to their lives. In some cases, these situations are developing into humanitarian crises characterized by loss of life and livelihood and a breakdown of social fabric and community support systems.

Despite these challenges, the resilience and ingenuity of African people gives me hope that the continent will see more growth and prosperity.

Hassan Ali, 13 years old, attend class at a school in in Baidoa, Somalia.
Credit: Ismail Taxta

U.S.-Africa partnership in action

The U.S. Agency for International Development is supporting Africa’s development through economic programs. The Creative-implemented West Africa Trade and Investment Hub (WATIH) project, for example, seeks to improve private sector competition in West Africa.

By working in partnership with the private sector and fostering co-investments through our Co-Investment Fund, the Trade Hub generates new private-sector capital investment in key sectors to create jobs and increase trade between the United States and West Africa.

Africa will indeed shape the future, and the partnerships we build now will help it be a prosperous future for all.

Semere Solomon is the Senior Director of the Growth Strategy Department at Creative Associates International.

Somalia Teachers Day

November 16, 2022

4 min read

Celebrating the unsung heroes shaping the paths of Somalia’s best and brightest

Being a teacher is more than being the person who stands at the front of a classroom. Somali teachers bring learning to life, advocate for education, keep their students safe, and much more. From academics to journalists and activists, these five Somalis discuss how teachers impacted their lives in celebration of Somalia Teachers Day on November 21.

Hussein Sabrie — Inspired by Strong Character

Freelance Storyteller at BBC Somalia and Communications Director at Somali Research and Education Network

“My favorite Professor of all time was my computer networking course professor, Engineer Mohamud Jimale, the former President of Jamhuriya University. He was different from any other lecturer who taught me. Although I forget most of the specific lessons, I still remember his humanity, honesty, and integrity. He was humble, punctual, ever smiling, and respectful to the students. He was a role model of kindness and compassion. He always encouraged us to give charity and be kind to needy people. I will never forget his kind words and the interesting moral stories he used to tell us when he felt we were bored. I remember how he used to mentor us and his willingness to win our hearts and change our attitudes all the time. He had a lot of teaching experience and would often give us real-life examples to train us “on-the-job”. Some debts are difficult to repay. I will always be indebted to my beloved Professor, Mohamud Ahmed Jimale for all he taught me.”

Bahja Ali Shuriye — Inspired to Believe in Herself

Lecturer and Head of Women Enterprises Development at SIMAD Innovation iLab

“My favorite teacher was Mr. Abdikadir, who taught me math in Grade 6. Mr. Abdikadir used to encourage us to compete in solving difficult mathematical calculations in our grade for a cash prize. It motivated me to take on the challenge of quickly solving my math exercises. To receive the award, we had to answer all exercise questions correctly. Every Wednesday, I would answer the questions correctly and win 1,000 shillings ($1.75) from Mr. Abdikadir, which I would spend on sambusa and ice-cream. I was the only one who received that award on a weekly basis, which made me feel happy. I quickly mastered multiplication tables, and Mr. Abdikadir asked me to help others as his assistant. I have always enjoyed mathematics and even aspired to be a mathematician. Mr. Abdikadir encouraged me to stay focused on my schoolwork. Above all, he inspired me to believe in my younger self!”

Abdifatah Hassan Ali — Inspired to Learn English

Blogger, Human Rights Activist, Co-Founder of Digital Shelter

“My favorite schoolteacher was Ustad Shaafici Abdiaziz, our English teacher and football coach. He’s the reason why I learned the language and we liked him because of the extracurricular activities he used to organize for us on Wednesdays.”

Farhia Dini — Inspired to be Considerate and Disciplined

Studying MSc in Economic Development at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan

“I respect and admire all my teachers, but my favorite teacher is Mr. Abdibasid, who taught me in Grade 4. I remember I was a naughty little child. We used to play and speak inside the class during the session, which of course, irritated my teacher. One day, Mr. Abdibasid gave us a test on which I performed well but received only two marks out of 10! I was upset and went to ask about my mistakes. Mr. Abdibasid replied that although I had gotten a good grade, he decided to deduct points from me because despite my brilliance and efforts, I had bad manners. He told me how “knowledge is nothing without good manners”. That message struck home. From that day, I always sat at the front of the class and behaved well. I not only appreciate the lessons he taught me but the discipline he instilled as well.”

Leyla Mohamed — Inspired to Become a journalist

Journalist and Editor at Radio Ergo, Member of Global Shapers – Mogadishu Hub

“My favorite teacher was Mr. Farah. He taught me Somali in sixth grade. I was good at writing and vocabulary, and Mr. Farah used to encourage me to continue to improve my writing and read Somali texts. After finishing high school, I studied journalism at college. Our assignments required us to present weekly news by reading and synthesizing different papers and articles. My classmates found it difficult, but not me. I was not afraid because I had practice with analyzing and writing, thanks to Mr. Farah. Later, I wanted to join a radio station. They wanted to hire someone with excellent Somali reading and writing skills. Nearly 10 people, including me, were tested. Some people tried to discourage me because I was one of the youngest applicants. To everyone’s surprise, another lady and I got the job! I would not have come this far if it wasn’t for my teacher. He encouraged me to always do better and as a result, I have been able to achieve so much. Now, I work to improve Somali writing and help colleagues and others script high quality reports.”

Teachers Going Above and Beyond

In addition to working as public school teachers, some educators in Somalia take on extra work to help out-of-school children and youth catch up through the Bar ama Baro accelerated education program.

Bar ama Baro recruited and trained more than 25,000 accelerated basic education teachers and headteachers to provide quality education to over 100,000 students in 32 districts in Banadir, Hirshabelle, Southwest and Jubaland. The program provides ongoing support in the classroom and believes that supporting teachers with training, textbooks teacher guides and teaching and learning materials will have a positive impact on students learning outcomes.

Bar ama Baro is funded by the United States Agency for International Development in partnership with Somalia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education.

Educate a girl, educate a community

October 10, 2022

By Alinor Osman

3 min read

Nadifa Mohamed, 35, is a midwife in Balcad District. She plays an intimate role in her community, and her work with children does not end at infancy. Nadifa has always been an advocate for girls’ education, a commitment she learned from her mother.

“Girls’ education was not encouraged when I was growing up,” says Nadifa. “My parents were even convinced to take me out of school once due to immense pressure from our community.” Nadifa’s mother, however, insisted that she get back in the classroom.

“My mother stood up for me when everyone, including my father, told me to stop going to school and stay at home to help with the household instead,” Nadifa recalls.

Insecurity, drought and economic barriers contribute to roughly 3 million students being out of school in Somalia. Accessing education is particularly difficult for girls. According to the U.S. Agency for International Development, “only 25 percent of primary school-aged girls are attending formal schools, [and] 65 percent of young women aged 20 to 24 have not attended school at all or only have some primary education.”

Nadifa eventually became the first woman in her family to complete university. Now, as a mother of five daughters, she works to pass her conviction in education to the next generation.

“My daughters were enrolled in school at a young age because I wanted them to understand the value of education early on. I want them to excel at their studies and aspire for whatever profession suits them,” she says.

In addition to working as a midwife, Nadifa also supports relief efforts organized by Red Crescent and Hano Academyand serves as a Community Education Committee (CEC) member with Bar ama Baro.

Bar ama Baro is a USAID-funded accelerated education program implemented in partnership with Somalia’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education. The program provides an opportunity for out-of-school children and youth ages 9 to 17 to complete eight years of schooling in four years to gain a basic education and a government certificate.

Bar Ama Baro is implemented in 32 districts across Banadir, Hirshabelle, Southwest and Jubaland states. It reaches more than 107,000 students in 3,000 communities and schools.

The Community Education Committees bring together parents, teachers and community members to enroll students, promote education, mobilize the community, and manage school matters like the safety of buildings, the provision of books, and access to water.

A female student skipping with a jump-rope infront of her classmates at Moalin Jama School in Mogadishu

Nadifa has served as a Community Education Committee member for three years and has worked to increase equitable access to quality education. Before the school term begins, she goes door-to-door around the community to encourage parents to send their children to school.

“I tell parents, especially the mothers, not to confine their daughters to domestic chores because girls belong in classrooms,” she explains.

Despite ongoing financial and security constraints, Nadifa has seen a change in community attitudes about girls’ education and parents are providing more equal support to their sons and daughters.

“This inspires and encourages me to continue raising awareness about the importance of girls’ education. Educating a girl is like educating the whole community.”

A teacher’s work is never done: A day in the life of a Somali teacher

October 3, 2022

By Ashley Williams

4 min read

The role of an educator goes far beyond teaching standard school subjects. In addition to being experts on topics like literacy and numeracy, they also teach children social and emotional skills, create a safe place for them to learn and grow, support extracurricular activities, and much more.

Somali teachers take on even more roles to support their students since decades of conflict, drought and displacement have left their country with a fragile education system.

Khali Mohamed is one of many teachers trained by BAB, now she is in the class and teaches class one student about Somali language at a Kulmis Zone school in Sanca district, Mogadishu.

Bar ama Baro — a USAID-funded project in collaboration with Somalia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education — provides free, accelerated basic education so that out-of-school children have a chance to catch up. A typical Bar ama Baro teacher’s day looks something like this.

5 a.m.

Before Aisha’s workday begins, she starts her day with the morning prayers. Aisha prepares breakfast for her family and gets her children ready for school. As she goes through her morning routine, she is already thinking about the lessons she will teach and how she can make them engaging for her students.

6:30 a.m.

Aisha has a full day ahead of her. Like most Bar ama Baro educators, she teaches in public school for the first half of the day. After her public school students go home, the Bar ama Baro students arrive for their lessons.

The first shift of classes begins at 8 a.m., but since student assembly starts at 7:30 a.m., she makes her way to work bright and early.

On her way to school, she comes across Ahmed, a member of the local community education committee (CEC). The CEC brings together parents, teachers, and community members to promote education and support the students and school. She and Ahmed discuss an unsafe classroom that needs to be repaired and a few out-of-school children whom they hope to enroll within the coming month.

“Teachers and community members work together on a regular basis to ensure the safety of students inside and outside of school. Community members also help us a lot when it comes to retention and preventing students from dropping out. We resolve conflicts and any other issues affecting the school together.” –Abukar Abdikadir, Bar ama Baro teacher in Barawe.

Noon

After the morning classes, Aisha goes home to make lunch for her children and some extended family members who live nearby. She walks part of the way with her fellow teachers, and Aisha mentions that she tried out a new reading activity that she learned in her Bar ama Baro training. The kids loved it! Her colleagues say they will have to try it in their own classes soon.

The Bar ama Baro program supports teacher learning circles in which teachers discuss their techniques and collaborate on issues they have been experiencing in the classroom. Even outside of the formal program, teachers share with each other to support their ongoing professional development.

“We share and exchange experiences during the teacher learning circles. In our last session, we discussed a lot about lesson planning, classroom management, and positive discipline, which really improved my teaching methods over the last year.” –Abdi Abdullahi, Bar ama Baro teacher in Mogadishu.

1:30 p.m.

After lunch, Aisha goes back to school to teach the Bar ama Baro Accelerated Basic Education (ABE) students. The ABE program condenses eight years of schooling into four so that students have the opportunity to reintegrate into the formal school system or earn a government-recognized certificate.

In Somalia, where nearly 3 million people are internally displaced, many children have dropped out of school or were never able to begin. Aisha’s students have many different ability levels, and some are also dealing with the trauma of conflict and displacement.

The social and emotional learning skills – known locally as Learning and Life Competencies – she was trained on by Bar ama Baro have helped her provide a safe, stable environment for her students and teach them how to process their feelings.

“Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an important approach that helps me a lot when it comes to the welfare of my students. It allows me to understand my students better. I notice when they are facing personal challenges, and I can intervene to make sure they are well and ready to learn.” –Hodan Osman, Bar ama Baro teacher in Walaweyn.

4:30 p.m.

Another busy school day has flown by. Aisha stays on after school to facilitate the girls’ club, where they discuss a range of topics such as the importance of education for girls, challenges girls encounter both inside and outside of the schools, and how girls can support each other to report any abuses including bullying.

5:30 p.m.

As Aisha makes her way home from school, she is thinking about how Omar, one of her students, did not come to class today and has been missing school more regularly. She worries about him and decides she will go see his family tomorrow to ask what is keeping him out of class and encourage his attendance.

7 p.m.

After her children go to bed, Aisha starts her lesson planning for tomorrow. She only gets her students in class for a few hours each day and wants to be sure they get the best education possible.

With reporting by Alinor Osman

Choosing education: A Somali girl from an IDP camp finds her way to the classroom

September 7, 2022

By Sabra Ayres and Alinor Osman

5 min read

From a very young age, Amran Abukar Ali longed to go to school. But as the oldest child, Amran was depended on to help support the family.

When droughts decimated the area where her family was living on a small farm in Buraley village, Amran’s family searched for better opportunities and moved to Walaweyn, 15 kilometers to the south.

She and her mother and siblings settled in an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp. They survived on the daily earnings her mother made through temporary jobs. As the only parent and family breadwinner, Amran’s mother, Sharifo, had to put her daughter to work. Amran started doing domestic chores for other families to contribute to the family’s meager income.

Education is highly valued in Somali culture, but parents like Sharifo grapple with poor economic circumstances, forcing them to make difficult tradeoffs.

While searching for work in the neighborhood, Sharifo heard a group of people telling the community about a new education program called Bar ama Baro (Teach or Learn), a five-year accelerated basic education program funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. She learned that Bar ama Baro (BAB) offered classes and supplies at no cost to students, and that the program aimed to empower out-of-school children like her daughter with a chance to catch up and enroll in the formal school system.

Despite the challenges facing many Somali parents, Sharifo decided to forgo asking her daughter to work. The free classes were an opportunity neither would pass up.

Finally at age 13, Amran was able to begin her studies.

“I did not have a chance to get an education in my childhood,” Sharifo says. “I am so happy that one of my children is lucky enough to get this free education and, hopefully, I will be able to enroll the rest soon.”

Amran is one of more than 100,000 students who have been enrolled in BAB’s accelerated basic education program since the project’s start two years ago.

Roughly two-thirds of school-age children and youth in Somalia are not enrolled in school, making programs like BAB critical to expanding literacy in the country. The program condenses a typical eight-year primary cycle into four years. This allows children between the ages of nine and 17 to catch up and either join the formal school system or obtain a primary school certificate through a nationally recognized examination process.

Working with the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education, and Federal Member States’ Ministries of Education, BAB has trained 130 teacher trainers, who in turn trained 2,700 accelerated basic education teachers and headteachers at 460 schools in 31 districts on how to work with students and other tips for classroom success.

BAB program has also printed and distributed 772,000 copies of teaching and learning materials for students and teachers.

“Increasing access to education is a top strategic priority for the Government of Somalia, and International Literacy Day is a time to emphasize the importance of learning the foundational skill of reading,” said Minister Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir. “We value our partnership with USAID, which enables more Somali children to access quality education services.”

As it starts its second year, BAB has expanded to 20 new districts, making the total target districts 32 including urban and rural areas. The project is committed to enrolling out-of-school kids and youth in hard-to-reach areas.

“Bar ama Baro is supporting the Government of Somalia to address the need of the large out of school population in the country”, said Faiza Hassan, Chief of Party. “Together we will continue to expand Somalia’s public education system so that every child has the opportunity to learn.”

Bar ama Baro takes its name from a beloved, nation-wide, civic service-oriented literacy campaign launched in the 1970s. Drawing on that rich legacy, this program’s combination of service delivery, policy support, and systems strengthening is supporting improved curriculum, increased capacity, extended outreach, and strengthened learning supports to overage and out-of-school children in Somalia.

“The United States is proud to partner with Somalia to create opportunities for young people,” said Larry E. André, Jr, U.S. Ambassador to Somalia. “Reading unlocks opportunities for lifelong learning and earning. Investments in education ultimately will help ensure a prosperous, peaceful future for Somalia.”

The project’s success can be measured not just through its impressive enrollment numbers and the number of trained teachers, but also through the voices of its accelerated basic education students, like Amran, whom it is helping to create a pathway to getting a primary school certificate and enter the formal school system or seek to continue their education through vocational and post-secondary studies.

Amran is thrilled to be in school and her lessons are her top priority. She is an inspiration for her younger siblings, who now want to go to school, too.

“They always come to me when I am reading my books and they try to read too. At first, they could not understand anything, but now they understand a lot and they can’t wait to go to school and get their own books,” says Amran about her siblings.

Sharifo is proud of her daughter’s diligence and how Amran’s example has ignited a love of education within the household.

“My other children are now asking me to send them to school, because like Amran, they too want to be able to read and do math calculations. I promised them I would enroll them next year,” says Sharifo.

Amran completed her first year with Bar ama Baro in May, and says she expects to pass her exams with flying colors.

“My dream is to attend university and become an English teacher to help eradicate illiteracy among my people, particularly those who are from poor families,” she says.

Communities and parents play a crucial role in supporting a child’s education. BAB has helped set up and support community education committees to help connect out-of-school children and youth with the opportunities provided through the project and the MOECHE’s accelerated basic education program. The committees will be a critical part of keeping kids enrolled as the school year goes on.

“Amran’s education and her future are much more important than anything else now,” Sharifo says. “I don’t want to distract her from attending her classes or studying.

Now, when Amran is at home, her mother says she has all the freedom she needs to read her books and do her assignments, Sharifo says.

Youth Power: A Look at How Creative Projects Champion Young People Worldwide

August 10, 2022

By Adrienne Todela

7 min read

USAID’s updated Youth in Development Policy envisions a world in which young people have the agency, rights, influence and opportunities to pursue their life goals and contribute to the development of their communities.

With a focus on three objectives – access, participation and systems – USAID is seeking to increase youth’s meaningful participation and decision making within their systems and the ability to access services and opportunities that allow them to lead healthy, productive and engaged lives.

Creative projects have championed and successfully integrated positive youth development approaches in their programming, and so we asked a few to share what that looks like.

ACS – Business Plans Help Honduran Youth Realize Entrepreneurial Opportunities

By Daniela Farinas, Project Manager, Economic Growth Division

An interactive story map produced by ACS to visualize drought-prone areas and the project’s interventions.

Alianza para Coredor Seco (ACS) aimed to improve the food security and nutrition of 6,000 families living in vulnerable conditions in the Dry Corridor of Honduras. Through ACS’s nonagricultural business plans, youth were provided access to technical and resource support to start entrepreneurial ventures.

Under the guidance of technical experts, youth were engaged in co-analyzing relevant market data and trends, selecting viable business opportunities that satisfied their interests and aligned with the market, co-developing business plans and ultimately starting their own business. In addition to building youth skills, critical investments were made for key productive assets and equipment required to start the business. Through this learning-by-doing process, youth were supported to build assets and acquire the necessary resources to create their own economic pathways.

Angel Andres, a participant of the non-agricultural business plans, was passionate about mechanics. He enrolled in the project to receive capacity building in financial management, governance, and business management- critical skills required to transform his passion for motorcycles into a viable economic opportunity.

Angel took advantage of the learning opportunity and put his new skills into action by starting his first motorcycle repair shop. Today, Angel and his four partners are providing repairs, oil change, electric, and tire patching services to clients from Santa Ana, Concepcion de Maria, and other nearby municipalities.

PSR – Addressing Violent Extremism and Community Challenges through Youth Empowerment

By Jacqueline Glin, Senior Project Director, Communities in Transition Division

Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation (PSR) supports Malian youth in addressing violent extremism and challenges in their communities through two pillars: Employment and civic engagement; and strengthening their voices within their families and communities.

Under the first pillar, PSR envisions Mali’s youth to be agents of their own development and actively engaged on civic and community matters. Under the project’s facilitation, Malian youth map business assets in their communities and identify livelihood opportunities for social impact. They also go through leadership development training and mentoring. For aspiring youth entrepreneurs, PSR supports business plan development and provides seed funding so they can launch their micro-businesses.

Under the second pillar, PSR guides youth to effectively and more meaningfully engage with their community elders including teachers, religious leaders, and parents to discuss ways to reduce, prevent and counter violent extremist tendencies among youth. As a result, youth have taken on the crucial role of sensitizing members of families and their peers about the consequences of radicalization and violent narratives on families and communities.

Youth are working together with religious leaders to develop and build alternative and counternarratives that collectively address violent extremism. They also collaborate with teachers in public and koranic schools to reinforce messages in support of social cohesion and against hate and violent extremism.

TVET SAY – Young People Take Charge in Nicaragua

By Eliza Chard, Senior Project Director, Economic Growth Division

Technical Vocational Education and Training Strengthening for At-Risk Youth (TVET SAY) supported at-risk Nicaraguan youth to increase their socio-economic gains while fostering safer environments. The TVET SAY team knew that youth themselves were key partners and stakeholders within the project and critical to its success, so youth participation was built into activities and implementation approaches at all levels.

A Youth Advisory Council was a principal instrument for formalizing youths’ roles and influence throughout the program cycle. The council was comprised of more than 20 scholarship recipients from Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast representing all the technical career programs, along with youth leaders representing disadvantaged groups, such as LGBTQIA+ and youth with disabilities.

These youth served as campaign ambassadors who promoted the benefits of technical education in their communities and neighborhoods, advocated for TVET in national level platforms, provided ideas on how to promote youth employment opportunities and foster youth participation in decision-making platforms, promoted TVET SAY activities, and brought youths’ needs to the project’s attention. They also provided feedback on TVET institutions, their curricula, and course delivery, and monitored the program’s scholarship awardees, making TVET more attractive to youth and responsive to their needs and aspirations.

Promoting youth leadership to adults in the community is also a key component of incorporating youth into community decision making which can lead to safer, more resilient communities. The project established the Youth and Adult Working Group (YAWG), which was intended to build understanding and collaboration between adults and youth, allowing youth to identify community challenges and propose ideas for resolving them in a safe space with support from adults.

BAB – Meaningful Inputs to Somalia’s Accelerated Non-Formal Education Helps Out-of-School Youth

By Nadya Karim-Shaw, Senior Technical Advisor, Education for Development Division 

Bar ama Baro (Teach or Learn) has focused on systematic, scalable and measurable inputs in Somalia’s efforts on providing accelerated non-formal education. Aimed at reaching more than 1.2 million out-of-school children and youth, the majority of whom are ages 12-18, the curriculum condenses eight years of formal schooling into four years and covers Arabic, English, science, social studies, Somali, Tarbiyah and technology, along with critical learning and life competencies.

Bar ama Baro (Teach or Learn) conducts teacher trainings to help educators reach out of school youth

It ensures that youth can rejoin the formal secondary education system through Grade 8 level certification or apply to join a vocational program. BAB’s systems approach simultaneously builds capacity in Somalia’s curriculum department within the Ministry of Culture, Education and Higher Education as well as with Somalia’s primary publishing company BEDER. This is achieved through extensive collaborative guidance on global accelerated learning best practices, technical inputs on textbook and materials development, and comprehensive field testing and reviews. 

Nearly 1 million copies of textbooks, Teacher Guides, and supplementary materials have been distributed. In parallel, BAB works with the Quality Assurance, Examinations, and EMIS ministry departments to integrate its school and district level education data to facilitate better planning and donor coordination.

“Ensuring that all Somali children have access to equitable, inclusive and quality education is a top priority for the Somali Government. Through the partnership with USAID’s Bar ama Bar program, we are reaching more Somali children with quality education, which will contribute positively to the security, social and economic development of this country.” – Mohamed Abbi Hassan, MoCEHE Director General

CFYR – Effecting Change in Systems to Champion and Serve Caribbean Youth

By Debra Wahlberg, Senior Technical Advisor, Economic Growth Division, and formerly CFYR’s Chief of Party

Community, Family and Youth Resilience (CFYR) Program worked to reduce youth involvement in crime and violence and empower them to become productive citizens of the Caribbean states. CFYR supported vulnerable youth ages 10 to 29 from Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis and Guyana by strengthening youth, family and community support systems; improving the skills of youth to resist involvement in violence; expanding access to education and employment opportunities; and providing specialized services to youth at the highest risk of engaging in violence. The program also worked in Guyana on juvenile justice reforms to ensure that youth already in contact with the law can be successfully rehabilitated and reintegrated into the community.

CFYR’s approach ensured that youth were engaged as leaders and agents of change. Working at the community level with 10 Community Enhancement Committees, CFYR supported both the participation of youth leaders on the CEC boards, as well as outreach to youth in the community, to identify youth priorities and develop activities to address these.

The Community Enhancement Committees developed plans that included input and priorities from youth members, such as technical and life skills training, employment opportunities and civic engagement, and engaged the private sector to participate and fund some of the activities that were implemented. Some of the youth-designed and youth-led activities included community clean-ups and neighborhood safety enhancements, such as solar street lighting; preparing and delivering food hampers to elderly and differently abled community members during the pandemic; neighborhood job skills fairs; writing and producing videos that highlight risks that youth face, including intimate partner and gender-based violence; and community sports days, among others. To support the sustainability of the committees’ work, CFYR supported their official registration in Guyana and Saint Lucia to enable the Community Enhancement Committees to receive external funding.

Adrienne Todela is a Senior Technical Manager on Creative’s Knowledge Management team. Colleagues from the Youth Working Group contributed to this blog.

Training for new, accelerated basic education curriculum sparks thought-provoking discussions and new skills in Somalia

June 27, 2022

By Alinor Osman and Fowzia Warsame

4 min read

The USAID Bar ama Baro wraps up an intensive, nine-day training for a cadre of teacher trainers working in Somalia’s accelerated basic education program

More than 130 teacher trainers, learning-material writers and officials from Somalia’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education (MoECHE) participated in an extensive nine-day training event that marks a major milestone in the unprecedented scale-up of the country’s accelerated basic education (ABE) program.

The workshop prepares participants to share their newfound knowledge to improve the skills of an additional 3,000 teachers across the country tasked with advancing Somalia’s ABE program, which aims to provide basic education to generations of youth whose formal education has been interrupted by conflict, famine and instability.

“Ensuring that all Somali children have access to equitable, inclusive and quality education is a top priority for the Somali Government,” says MoECHE Director General Mohamed Abbi Hassan. “Through the partnership with USAID’s Bar ama Bar program, we are reaching more Somali children with quality education, which will contribute positively to the security, social and economic development of this country.”

Ayaan Mohamed,5 sitting on her class at Kulmis zone school in Sanca district, Kulmis school is one of many schools supported by BAB.

Led by a team of experts, including two lecturers from the Somali National University, and the Jubaland Teacher Training Institute, the training is a component of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bar ama Baro (BAB) project, a five-year primary education program supporting the Government of Somalia in the design and delivery of comprehensive, inclusive education services.

Bar ama Baro, which means “teach or learn” in English, is implementing an ABE program to improve access and quality of education for out-of-school children ages 9 to 18 through direct implementation in the Federal Member States of South West, Jubaland, Hirshabelle and Banadir. Somalia’s ABE condenses eight years of the formal curriculum into four, covering Arabic, English, science, social studies, Somali, Tarbiyah and technology – ensuring that students can either rejoin the formal school system at Grades 2 or 4 or obtain Grade 8 level certification.

More than 100,000 students are expected to benefit from the new curriculum, teaching methods, materials and non-formal learning centers developed by BAB in cooperation with the MoECHE. This expansion follows the ABE Policy and Curriculum Framework inaugurated on April 24, 2021, and a pilot conducted with more than 40,000 students during 2022. By 2023, nearly 1 million ABE textbooks, teacher guides and supplementary reading materials will be distributed.

The nine-day workshop in Mogadishu included sessions on the condensed curriculum and how to start and manage non-formal learning centers, retain student enrolment, monitor quality and the importance of engaging parents and other community members.

Other sessions addressed research on brain-based instructional activities, technical teaching methods for working with beginning readers, participatory techniques to promote numeracy and problem-solving, identifying the needs of ABE students and working with ABE placement testing.

Bar ama Baro’s Chief of Party, Faiza Hassan, Ph.D., applauds the collaboration among the trainees, and adds: “We are very happy to be partners with the MoECHE and the Federal Member States Ministries of Education on the design, development and roll out of this national basic accelerated education program aimed to address the need of the large out-of-school population in the country. Together we will continue to rebuild Somalia’s public education system so that every child has the opportunity to learn.”

More Engaging Work Sessions

Participants said the training’s design and the incorporation of interactive work among the diverse attendees made the sessions more engaging and conducive to learning. In addition, many of the teacher trainers said the clear guidance provided during the sessions created an easy-replicate-model when they began to provide instruction to teachers around the country.

Workshop participants at extensive nine-day training.

Abdirazak Sheikh Mohamed, a MoECHE teacher trainer since 2000, says the management lesson was particularly useful for him “because it offered step-by-step instruction on how to teach and manage classes.” The nine-day seminar was different from previous trainings he has participated in because they were “more interactive and practical, involving both individual and group work,” he says.

“It is easy to follow or teach,” Abdirazak says. “This well-developed and focused syllabus will help improve the quality of education in Somalia. Teachers will also benefit a lot from the techniques and the training offered.”

Ahmed Ali-Shire, a facilitator at the training, said he was impressed by the importance the new curriculum places on ABE educators. “This is important because the teacher is the biggest changemaker,” he says. “They are responsible for student retention and improving learning outcomes.”

Such an approach to the role of teachers is “more effective compared to the traditional one,” Ahmed says. The trainings improve the quality of the teacher, which can lead to improved learning outcomes and create a safe learning environment for the ABE students, he says.

“It shouldn’t be one-time program, it should be sustainable,” he adds.

Jaime Oberlander, USAID/Somalia Social Services Office Director, says of the nine-day training session and the accelerated basic education program: “The United States is proud to partner with Somalia to provide over 100,000 with opportunities to gain fundamental literacy, numeracy and life skills. Through Bar ama Baro, USAID is contributing to building teachers’ skills to meet diverse learners’ needs to help them ‘catch up’ to re-enter the formal school system or transition to vocational or livelihoods training.”

With editing and writing by Sabra Ayres in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

SID-US selects a Creative video as a Lightning Talk winner, two others receive honorable mention

May 27, 2022

2 min read

A video about engaging early grade readers in Pakistan through a comic-book style supplemental reading guide was selected as one of three winners in a contest run by the Society of International Development—US during its annual conference May 26.

The video, written and narrated by Creative’s Nadya Karim-Shaw, highlights how the USAID-funded Pakistan Reading Project tried a new way to reach readers ages 9 and 10, particularly girls. They produced a series of comic books focuses on fictional characters, Sheeba, and three private detectives (two girls and a boy with a backpack).

By investigating community issues, the team (along with a donkey and a dog) take readers through history, geography and other topics. Released in 2018, the series had more than 2 million readers, said Karim-Shaw, a Senior Technical Advisor at Creative. Sheeba and the Private Detectives was produced through the Pakistan Reading Program in cooperation with AzCorp.

SID-US sought submissions of “Lightning Talk” videos about a topic or issue related to global development, with each video running no longer than five minutes. Karim-Shaw’s video was one of three selected by SID-US judges as finalists, which were shown during the organization’s Washington, D.C., conference on May 26. In addition to Creative, a video by FHI360’s Habtamu Buli and a piece by Abt Associates’ Sarah Romorini and Yuliya Rakhimova were selected as finalists.

Two additional Lightning Talk videos by Creative were selected as honorable mentions and featured on the SID-US Lightning Talk page. Mariellen Jewers, Associate Director of Creative’s Center for Migration, presented a video called “Virtuous Migration,” and Yasmina Sarhrouny, Chief of Party in Burkina Faso, entered a film called “Dance of the Telegrams.”

SID-US (formerly SID-Washington) is the largest and most active chapter of the Society for International Development (SID), an international network founded in 1957 to serve as a global forum dedicated to sustainable economic, social and political development. Creative is a member of SID-US.

See videos below:

“Sheeba and the Private Detectives” by Nadya Karim-Shaw

“Virtuous Migration” by Mariellen Jewers

“Dance of the Telegrams” by Yasmina Sarhrouny

Somalia – Bar ama Baro

Program

1 min read

The five-year, USAID-funded Bar ama Baro (“Teach or Learn” in English) was a comprehensive primary education program supporting the government of Somalia’s efforts to create safe learning spaces where students could improve literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional skills.

Bar ama Baro’s efforts built on Somalia’s new national curriculum, Education Sector Strategic Plan and National Development Plan-9, tackling the challenging issues facing out-of-school children and youth.

With 70 percent of Somali school-age children out of school, Somalia faces a significant challenge in providing access to quality education for its youth. Despite efforts to plan for a brighter future with new national curriculum and education sector strategies, the country struggles to address the complex issues surrounding out-of-school children and youth, including systemic barriers, conflict, and limited resources.

By designing and delivering programming and supporting systemic policy changes, Bar ama Baro and its diverse pool of partners – Save the Children International, ORB International, SIL LEAD, Formal Education Network for Private Schools, Hano Academy, Himilo Relief and Development Association (HIRDA) and Somalia’s Ministry of Education (MoECHE) – expanded curriculum, extended service reach and strengthened learning support to ensure that all children, and especially marginalized children, could access equitable, safe and conflict-sensitive education.

Program Achievements

Expanded access to quality accelerated basic education

Bar ama Baro expanded access to quality accelerated basic education for Somali children, evidenced by increased enrollment rates and improved attendance records among target populations.

Aligned programming with formal primary education system

The program aligned programming with the formal primary education system in Somalia, evidenced by the adoption and integration of Bar ama Baro’s curriculum into national education frameworks and policies.

Strengthened learning support for marginalized children

Bar ama Baro strengthened learning support for marginalized children, leading to improved learning outcomes and socio-emotional skills among target populations, as measured by standardized assessments and qualitative evaluations.

Created equitable, safe, and conflict-sensitive learning environments

The program created equitable, safe, and conflict-sensitive learning environments for all children in Somalia, as evidenced by positive community feedback and perceptions regarding the safety and inclusivity of educational spaces.

Enhanced systemic policy changes to support education

Bar ama Baro supported systemic policy changes to improve education in Somalia, demonstrated by the adoption and implementation of policies that promote equity, safety, and accessibility in education at national and local levels.

Creative’s Ardo Aden discusses the controversial Sexual Offenses Bill in Somalia

November 30, 2020

7 min read

Somaliland women — Voters wait in line at a polling station in Hargeisa, Somaliland, on election day. November 13, 2017

Ardo Aden is a program specialist supporting several activities in Creative’s Democracy, Governance and Electoral Integrity practice area. As a Somali woman, her focus on Bringing Unity, Integrity and Legitimacy to Democracy (BUILD) is as personal as it is professional.

Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, BUILD works with Somali civil society, media, and political contestants, providing critical assistance to strengthen electoral systems and political participation in Somalia. BUILD’s work places a strong emphasis on elevating women’s participation in political processes and governance. In 2018, BUILD also supported the passing of the law that criminalized rape and sexual offences in Somaliland.

Ardo’s most recent work has been to support BUILD as it raises awareness around the controversial Sexual Offenses Bill. Yet to be passed, this bill is currently in danger of being undermined by another, less substantial bill that takes the teeth out of legal consequences for sexual violence. In this Q&A, Ardo gives some context for the bill and its status in Somalia, BUILD’s work on the issue, as well as how it fits into the urgent, global fight for the rights of women and girls.

What are some of the key points the public needs to be aware of with this bill?

Ardo Aden, Program Specialist for Creative Associates International

The Sexual Offenses Bill was carefully crafted over a period of five years in close consultation with key stakeholders including women, CSOs, lawyers and religious leaders, to name a few. It clearly defines and criminalizes violence against women and girls including rape, forced marriage and sex slavery, and increases sentencing for perpetrators if there are accompanying aggravating factors. On the other hand, the Sexual Intercourse Bill reduces rape to a misdemeanor and lessens punishment for other serious sexual offences. For a country already plagued by gender-based violence, the passage of this bill will have devastating effects and essentially normalize violence against women and girls in Somalia.

The SIB has been introduced to legislators in August and since then there has been intense outcry from Somalis and non-Somalis alike from all corners of the globe. A social media campaign called #KillTheBill is urging the federal government to reject the amended bill and pass the original Sexual Offenses Bill. There has also been a corresponding petition circulating which collected over 60,000 signatures. Since there isn’t a lot of visible advocacy around the Sexual Offenses Bill, I would urge the public to continue to take a stand against the Somali federal government and demand its passage.

You’ve been following the controversy around the Sexual Offenses Bill for some time. Why is there a need for it? What have been the main challenges to getting it passed and what’s its current status?

There is an urgent need for this bill because there are currently no laws protecting Somali citizens from any kind of gender-based violence (GBV). News reports show that violence against women and girls has spiked in recent years and is becoming increasingly gruesome and murderous. According to the U.N. Assistance Mission in Somalia, the number of rape cases reported in 2019 in Somalia was 744. 241 of these were confirmed as cases of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence that targeted women and girls. Sexual abuse is widespread in Somalia, but due to the associated stigma, most cases go unreported.

The SOB offers protections against these abuses and sets out clear guidelines for police, investigators and prosecutors to hold perpetrators accountable.

The main challenge to passing the Sexual Offenses Bill has been the misconception that certain articles of the law are anti-Islamic. As a result, the Sexual Offenses Bill has been pending in the lower house of parliament for two years before a heavily amended version of the Sexual Offenses Bill called the Sexual Intercourse Bill was introduced this summer. This new bill, which allows child marriage, doesn’t provide the same kind of protections as the Sexual Offenses Bill and has been condemned by the international community.

Advocating for protections and equal rights for women is seen as a universal cause. In this case, some opponents claim that the bill is anti-Islamic and that is imposes on Somali culture from a Western position. As a representative of a Western organization, respecting a country’s autonomy while fighting for universal protections can be a difficult balance to strike. Can you comment on that tension and how you approach it?

I’m no religious scholar, but I can say with the utmost confidence that Islam is a religion of peace. Islam does not condone abuses against anyone, especially women and girls. The misconception that protecting the rights of women and girls is anti-Islamic is extremely harmful and damaging to the core principles of Islam. Using this falsity to delay passage of a bill is a textbook example of exploiting inaccurate religious ideologies to advance political interests. Here’s a direct quote by BUILD’s partner SHE Associates Inc., a group with experience supporting similar legislation in other Islamic countries. SHE conducted research on the Sexual Offenses Bill in Somalia:

“Upon a technical Islamic review, the Bill in fact does not contradict Islamic teachings, rulings and guidance especially if recommendations with regard to harshening punishments have been taken into consideration. It is in harmony with Islamic teachings.”

I think it’s always important to condemn human rights abuses wherever they are happening, and I commend the international community for doing so in this context. I think there’s a fine line between interfering with a country’s autonomy and actively calling out harmful laws and practices that infringe on human rights.

How is BUILD addressing the sexual offenses bill and what is your role in helping shape the project’s response?

Last year, BUILD worked with several different civil society organizations to first educate them about the content of the bill. BUILD later helped expand these CSOs’ capacity so they could actively advocate for the bill’s passage. This year, I thought it was important for the BUILD project to go further and contribute to the #KillTheBill campaign. By facilitating a discussion to educate the public about the Sexual Offenses Bill and its status, we gave experts a platform to discuss and debunk some of the common misconceptions surrounding the bill.

The event was facilitated by a local Somali woman journalist with panelists that included a lawyer, a medical practitioner and a representative from the Somali government and a CSO. As panelists were very engaged with the Bill and in agreement on most points raised, as a follow up, we’re planning to host a debate and invite folks from both sides of the spectrum, to discuss their opposing viewpoints.

What impact do you hope to see from these political dialogues and awareness events?

I hope these events help raise awareness around the importance of passing the Sexual Offenses Bill in Somalia. As I mentioned earlier, there is not much advocacy or even discussions surrounding these bills on many platforms. A solid first step in this important initiative would be to educate the Somali public about what’s happening before anything else.

In this project, your passion for women’s rights and your job come together. Why is this issue personal to you and what motivates you?

I’ve always been a firm champion and fighter for women rights across the world. This issue hits home for me, as a young Somali woman myself. I have family back in Somalia who are directly affected by these issues. This is and always has been my motivation to continue to speak out and fight against GBV issues, which continue to occur with impunity in Somalia. I have also worked directly with victims of such violence in Ethiopia in the formative stages of my career, and these stories have been as painful as they have been inspiring for me to get engaged.

In this way, supporting BUILD is both personal and professional. I was very happy to hear about success the project has had with similar legislation being passed in Somaliland, even if there have been set backs and was honored to propose and help facilitate the political dialogue event surrounding the Sexual Offenses and Sexual Intercourse Bills at the federal level in Somalia.

How does this bill in Somalia fit into the global narrative around women’s rights and why is that important?

The Sexual Offenses Bill simply protects Somali women and girls from GBV and sets clear guidelines for criminalizing sex crimes. Passing this law would be a win in the collective fight for protecting women and girls from abuse globally. I truly believe that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. You can’t support the idea of human rights and equal protections for all without actively defending those very rights. This is not just a Somali issue. This is a global issue that needs to be addressed on a global scale.