Somali Girls Education Promotion Programme (SOMGEP - T)

Project completed implementation in March 2022

The SOMGEP-T project worked with 148 primary and 51 secondary schools, communities, individual students, religious leaders and Ministry of Education in Somalia.

The project aimed to support 32,860 girls living in rural and remote areas, the significant majority of whom lack access to education beyond primary level and, in many cases, upper primary classes as well. It sought to improve the quality and relevance of learning and build a strong foundation for transition into secondary education and employment. It also aimed to boost demand for secondary education among marginalised rural girls by increasing community support for on-going girls’ education.

Activities

• Constructed classrooms in remote primary schools, building water facilities in new secondary schools, and providing solar chargers for mobile devices and tablets to be used in schools.
• Trained teachers in order to improve the quality of numeracy, Somali literacy and English as a second language, whilst also providing opportunities for students to practice English through locally developed digital content that could be accessed on mobile phones and tablets provided
• Strengthened school governance and management by training and coaching school Community Education Committees.
• Promoted positive shifts in gender and social norms through dialogue with religious leaders, authorities, elders, girls and both female and male role models.
• Empowered mothers through adult literacy and financial literacy classes, village savings and loans groups, and business coaching and mentoring.
• Working with the Ministry of Education to develop and implement an accelerated secondary learning programme that focuses on numeracy, literacy and life skills
• Worked with the Ministry of Education to develop and implement an accelerated secondary learning programme that focuses on numeracy, literacy and life skills.