“Education is the fundamental right of all human beings”
- Worldwide, 121 million children of primary school age are not in school.
- An estimated 158 million children aged 5-14 are engaged in child labour—one in six children in the world.
- About one in five adults in today’s world—774 million people—is illiterate.
- More than three million children in Somalia are out of school. (UNICEF Somalia).
Education is the fundamental right of all human beings, and unequal path to sustainable socio-economic development. Education promotes individual freedom, empowers people and the most effective tool for upward social and economic mobility for the disadvantaged groups. In September 2000, world leaders adopted United Nations Millennium Declaration, consisting of 8 MDGS, Envisaged ensure that by 2015, all children complete good quality primary education. More than three million children in Somalia are out of school.In many areas across the country; parents are not able to fund their children’s education. In addition to poverty, long distances to school, safety concerns, social norms favouring boys’ education, and lack of teachers, particularly female teachers, and the low availability of sanitation facilities, stop parents from enrolling children, particularly girls, in school.
Since 2008; MRF’s work focuses on improving access to quality education particularly in IDPs Camps and rural areas to enroll young boys and girls in nearby primary schools, secondary schools and community education and training centers also opened in villages where lack of school or very far for the villagers. Advocacy and lobbying carried out to mobilize rural communities to send their children to primary schools and secondary schools.
MRF’s Education Programs and Initiatives:
- Child Sponsorship Program- Primary and Secondary Schools
- Education Supplies & Community Library
- School Solar lighting project
- Vocational training program
- Entrepreneurship and skills training
- Youth Empowerment Center
- Hanad’s Women Learning Centre
- Child Protection training
In 2019, our education program has continued to expand in size. Our child sponsorship Programme included 37 children in primary school, 23 in nursery and 2 in secondary, making a total of 72 who would otherwise not be able to attend or complete school. Fees are provided, as well as the provision of basics such as uniform and scholastic materials. In addition, we have continued to support the many children with disabilities.
Manaal Relief Foundation partnered with Siyaad Charity Foundation to provide free education services and sponsorship, since the program established; the total number of internally displaced and orphaned children sponsored for primary and education is 72. They go to Darwiish Primary and Intermediate School and Waberi Primary/Intermediate School in Garowe city and Burtinle Primary School in Burtinle town. This education sponsorship program activity closely working with partnered primary and secondary schools and MRF staff regularly visits the schools to ensure that the children are getting relevant support and help with special needs such as medical cases where possible.
