US injects $ 15 million into UK girls’ education program in Somalia
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s girls’ education program has received a major boost from USAID, following the injection of $ 15 million into the UK-run project, which primarily targets adolescent girls in the nation of the Horn of Africa.
Somalia is one of the countries where access to education is a bit difficult due to a dysfunctional government, which has struggled to choose for nearly three decades. Most of the education programs are supported by supporters across the country.
The program takes place mainly in the states of Banadir, Hirshabelle, Jubaland and South West, and the main objective is to provide access to quality education for young girls in the Federal Republic of Somalia. It is not present in Galmadug and Northeastern State.
Currently, the UK is managing the program with a budget of $ 17.6 million and currently supports nearly 42,000 girls who attend various primary schools and non-formal courses tailored to their needs.
The additional funding, according to the UK Embassy, will allow the program to absorb an additional 40,000 girls aged 15 to 24 who have never been to school will have the chance to improve their lives through the course. 11-month non-formal education.
Joint funding will also provide support for young women to engage in income-generating activities and civic education, in addition to providing links to other development opportunities. It is estimated that a total of 85,000 girls will benefit from this program.
Apparently, the announcement precedes the World Education Summit on July 28-29. Together with Kenya, the UK will co-host this event, aiming to raise $ 5 billion to ensure that all children, especially those in developing countries, including Somalia, have equitable access to quality education .
Kate Foster, UK Ambassador to Somalia praised the initiative, adding that it contributes positively to the development of Somalia, a country that is rebuilding itself mainly with the help of international partners.
“With this new funding from USAID, we are expanding our approach to reach even more marginalized households and communities. It will strengthen their resilience by providing young Somali women with basic financial, literacy, numeracy and numeracy skills. of life, ”she said.
“USAID is very excited to contribute to this successful UK-led initiative to provide more young Somali women with the basic education they lack, but rightly deserve. These skills will provide women with increased livelihoods and civic opportunities, which are essential to advance Somalia’s economic and social development, ”added Patrick Diskin, USAID Mission Director in Somalia.
Access to primary education remains a major challenge in Somalia, especially for girls. According to the 2020 Somalia Health and Demographic Survey, only 27% of children of primary school age receive primary education, and only 25% of them are girls.
Multiple barriers affect access to education for adolescent girls in Somalia. The combination of the COVID-19 epidemic and economic conditions has further exacerbated the exclusion of the most vulnerable adolescent girls and young women from educational opportunities.
The UK, US and EU are Somalia’s main government-to-government or government-to-NGO funders, and have positively transformed the country, especially on education, security and even economical.
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