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Grade 3 students from Dhulacley Primary in Dhuyacley IDP camp. Photo: Amina Abdi/Trócaire

Somalia

Empowering displaced children in Somalia

How an early learning centre in Somalia grew to support hundreds of children displaced by conflict.

Children of school going age are deeply affected by conflict and emergencies, but their needs are often overlooked because of more urgent demands such as food, shelter and water. Displaced children, particularly girls, face additional burdens, as many are kept at home to handle domestic work while boys continue their education.

In internal displacement camps, the likelihood of harmful practices like early marriage remains high. Providing educational opportunities in areas of Somalia affected by conflict is crucial to reducing these risks.

In Dhuyacley IDP camp in Somalia, Trócaire, with funding support from a number of donors- Misereor, Kindermissionswerk, Secours Catholique, and the Crisis and Support Centre of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs- ensures that children who have been displaced have access to a safe environment in schools; and that teachers are supported to continue their own learning and their mission to provide education to children at a critical age.

 

From a Child Friendly Space to a full primary school

Dhuyacley primary school is one of the 22 schools supported by Trocaire’s Education in Emergency programme in southern Somalia. Initially established as a Child Friendly Space by Trocaire’s Humanitarian programme, it served children in two displacement camps- Dhuyacley and Kulmiye offering a supportive environment to reduce stress from conflict and forced displacement while promoting development through play and socialisation.

Children play at breaktime at Dhuyacley primary school. Photo: Amina Abdi/Trócaire Children play at breaktime at Dhuyacley primary school. Photo: Amina Abdi/Trócaire

With funding from Misereor, Trócaire transformed the space into a fully-fledged Early Child Development centre and primary school. This transition included the construction of two additional classrooms, the provision of desks, teachers support equipment, and learning materials, as well as the hiring of five teachers in coordination with the District Education Officer.

A community education committee was established to manage the school, and parents were mobilised to enrol their children. Within three months, the school was overflowing with children from grades 1 – 3; the current enrolment is 410 students (238 girls, 172 boys), a huge jump from the 54 children that attended the original Child Friendly Space.

Warsame Issaq, the headteacher of Dhuyacley primary school recalls how the school has transformed:

‘When I reflect on the status of this school, vibrant and transformative education institution, I wonder whether any of us would imagine it transformed from a simple child friendly space back in 2021’

 

Empowering Girls

Girls chat and learn at another school supported by Trócaire and Kindermissionswerk in the region (Jazira Primary School). Photo: Trócaire Girls chat and learn at another school supported by Trócaire and Kindermissionswerk in the region (Jazira Primary School). Photo: Trócaire

Trócaire also focused on promoting girls education by forming a girls’ club and creating a girl-friendly space for older children at the centre. This space allowed girls to meet, discuss their challenges, share experiences, and receive dignity kits. The introduction of a Menstrual Hygiene support programme further improved girls’ attendance, participation, and performance at the school.

A 16-year-old grade 6, Ayan, shares the challenges she faced before the distribution of dignity kits:

‘’ When a teacher asks you to clean the board, but you cannot stand up. You are required to stand up and answer a question like everyone else, but you cannot because you are on your period, and you fear you have stained your dress. During breaks, you stay seated, hoping for a moment alone to stand up, but two boys linger, telling stories. You’re forced to remain seated, unable to go to the toilet. They’re right behind you and standing up would expose you. Stressed, embarrassed, and fearful, you stay put.

“With all these challenges, nobody should be surprised when I don’t perform well in school, or if I lack confidence and inability to express myself,” she adds.

Then came the lifesaving dignity kits from Trócaire, providing free sanitary pads and underwear. It felt like winning a jackpot. Now, I can run, play, and compete with boys without the embarrassment of my period.”

 

Conflict disproportionately affects girls

A girl studies at Dollow Primary School in the Gedo region of southern Somalia. Photo: Amina Abdi/Trócaire A girl studies at Dollow Primary School in the Gedo region of southern Somalia. Photo: Amina Abdi/Trócaire

Girls are disproportionately affected by conflict and displacement, often due to deep-rooted socio-cultural norms. In times of crisis, parents prioritize survival over their daughters’ education, relying on them for household chores. Girls are tasked with caring for their siblings, cooking, fetching firewood and water, which undermines their schooling.

“I had to miss three out of five school days in the first three months after arriving at Kulmiye IDP camp,” says Sacdiya Sheikh Xussein, a 12-year-old grade 5 student. “I had to help my mother with chores, while my brothers continued their education.”

The Dhuyacley Primary School initiative couldn’t have come at a better time. When the El Niño season brought devastating floods, the school became a shelter for displaced families. “My family was the first to settle in one of the permanent classrooms constructed by Trocaire,” says Warsame Issaq, highlighting one of the unexpected benefits of the school.

 

A Life-saving School Feeding Programme

The November-December 2023 El Niño floods were particularly destructive to the surrounding community. It destroyed makeshift homes, cut off access to markets, and left families without grazing grounds for their remaining livestock. Life became a struggle, with many unable to provide meals for their children.

In response, Trócaire secured a 3-month emergency fund from Kindermissionswerk in January 2024 to support the school by providing highly nutritious porridge during breaks for all children in the area, including those under three years old, whether enrolled in school or not. This initiative was a lifesaver, and the school almost turned into a feeding centre.

Thanks to advocacy efforts within the national education cluster, Trocaire’s education team successfully lobbied for the inclusion of the school in the World Food Programme’s (WFP) countrywide school feeding program. Dhuyacley Primary School is now part of this program, providing students with a hot cup of nutritious porridge during breaks and a balanced meal at lunch every school day.

Onkod Digale, 4-year-old preschooler in Dhuyacley Primary School drinking her share of porridge. Photo: Amina Abdi/ Trócaire Onkod Digale, 4-year-old preschooler in Dhuyacley Primary School drinking her share of porridge. Photo: Amina Abdi/ Trócaire

Through these life-changing efforts in just the last four years, the school’s enrolment and attendance rates have risen dramatically, ensuring that hundreds more children can access the keys to their future in a safe and supportive environment.

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