(ERGO) – Kaha Hirsi Ali has been concerned about the lack of education opportunities for her seven children, as they live a traditional nomadic life, herding their remaining goats in a remote part of central Somalia’s Galmudug region.
Recently, however, the opening of a new primary school in their village of Fadalweyn, 30 km from the nearest town of Godinlabe, has enabled four of her children to go to school for the first time.
“I was determined to sell off some of our livestock in the hope of getting an education or my eldest son, who is 19, by sending him away to another location, but I no longer need to do that,” Kaha told Radio Ergo.
The family have lived in Fadalweyn for 20 years. They depend on pasturing their 85 goats, which are the remnants of their herd of 350 animals before the run of subsequent droughts in the region.
“The education at this school is going well and many other students are joining. Thankfully my son’s education is now bearing fruit. Previously, he completed studying the Koran”, Kaha said.
The school in Fadalweyn was opened by a group of 20 teachers from Adado and Godinlabe, who raised $5,600 over eight months from local businesses and well-wishers to establish the school.
They bought $1,000 of timber from a local warehouse on credit to build the three classrooms. Ahmad Abdullahi Jama, one of the teachers, said the fund was important for the pastoralist community, living outside urban centres, who otherwise cannot educate their children and still pursue their nomadic lifestyle.
There are around 350 families like Kaha’s in the area. Most of the children have never been educated, as they could not afford to go to the nearest school in Godinlabe town.
The three teachers teaching sat Fadalweyn school come from Godinlabe and Adado districts respectively. They teach maths, Somali, Arabic and Islamic culture. Each receives a salary of $300 a month, with accommodation and food. These running costs are raised by the same teachers who established the school.
Ahmad told Radio Ergo they have set up similar schools in remote parts of the region in Do’oley, Iidole and Biyogadud. He hopes that Fadalwayn school will be as successful as the others.
Fadalweyn district officer, Abdullahi Farah Jima’ale, said the local leadership has selected 11 committee members to work with the teachers to sustain the education programme and to assist with student needs.
