The youth of Baargaal have experienced several challenges in the last few years, including piracy, insecurity, unemployment, and a poor local economy. With few livelihood opportunities, many turned to crime, piracy, or human trafficking, which led to instability in the district. Despite having rich fish resources, fishermen had no ice to keep the fish fresh while at sea and no cold storage space after they returned. Profits were low and opportunities scarce presenting a bleak future for many youth.
Nawal Ahmed is a 25-year-old teacher trainee from Qardo, a community in Puntland, Somalia. As the sixth child in a family of 15, she recognized from an early age that she would have to compete with her brothers to earn the opportunity to attend school. As a dedicated student nicknamed ‘professor’ in high school, she worked hard to gain an education that ultimately led to her becoming a teacher.
For many girls in Galkacyo and all over Somalia, access to education remains blocked. Early marriages and high demand for help at home caring for younger siblings are among the reasons that girls are prevented from enrolling in school. For the few lucky girls who are able to complete primary school, secondary school seems completely out of reach. Cultural barriers, as well as a lack of strong female role models and female teachers, contribute to the high dropout rates of female learners.
Borama, the capital of Awdal Region in western Somaliland, suffers from an aging transportation infrastructure. In 2012, the main road running from the Borama livestock market past the municipality to Amoud University had fallen into disrepair, hampering social, educational, and economic development in the city. The Borama community decided that repairing the road was a major priority, and worked with USAID’s Transition Initiatives for Stabilization (TIS) project to rehabilitate three kilometers of the main road.
It is harvest time in the Shabelle Region of Somalia and Faduma Nur is smiling. Her demonstration plot and maize harvest have been rated excellent by the agricultural extension workers that have been trained at the new Agribusiness Incubation Center in Afgoi. Previously, her harvests were very poor. Her fields are on bush fallow lands and she was not aware of good agriculture practices until her recent training.
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