International Save the Children Alliance
Somalia
The Situation
Somalia is one of the poorest countries in the world. Life expectancy is just 47 years and many of the country's 4 million children are malnourished. There has been no effective central government for the past 18 years, when the north-western part of the country declared itself the independent Republic of Somaliland. Increased fighting is making it even more difficult for aid agencies to work and some 360,000 people have been forced to leave their homes.
Schools and education systems in Somalia/Somaliland were completely destroyed during the fighting and civil war that followed the 1991 coup.
Our Target
We are working to ensure that more children have access to a good quality education.
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What we do:
- Help 36, 588 children gain access to quality basic education in our operational regions by 2010
- Together with education authorities, communities, families and children ensure that a protective environment is in place in 208 schools in 24 districts supported by Save the Children
- Renovate schools to improve facilities, including providing separate toilets for girls
- Distribute materials based on child-centred learning and curricula for teachers and students
How Somalia measures up
- In 2006/2007, only 30 % of primary school-age children in Somalia and Somaliland were enrolled
- Only 17 % of adults are literate
- Girls only constitute 36 % of all enrolments at primary level and have a significantly higher drop-out rate than boys during upper primary
- Even where children enrol in school, only about 50 % of those entering grade one are likely to complete grade 4 and a mere 18 % will complete grade 8
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