Garowe/Qardho, Somalia – August 2024 – A three-day grassroots campaign reached 15 remote villages across Puntland, mobilizing communities to champion disability rights and bring out-of-school children with disabilities into classrooms.
Campaign Impact at a Glance
✅ 15 villages engaged across two districts (Garowe and Qardho)
✅ 150+ local stakeholders involved (parents, leaders, officials)
✅ Out-of-school children identified for enrollment support
✅ Village-specific action plans created for inclusion
How Change Happened
📜 Rights Awareness:
- Community dialogues on disability rights under Somali law
- Emphasis on education access as a fundamental right
🏫 Inclusive Education Advocacy:
- Demonstrations of how inclusive classrooms benefit all learners
- Local success stories from neighboring communities
👩🏽🤝👩🏾 Community-Led Solutions:
- Village leaders spearheaded identification of excluded children
- Parents shared barriers like transportation and stigma
“We didn’t realize how many children were missing school until this campaign—now we’re changing that,” shared a Qardho village elder.
Key Outcomes
• New enrollment pipeline for 23 identified children with disabilities
• 15 village task forces established to track progress
• Stronger links created between schools and the village communities
The Road Ahead
➡️ Monthly follow-ups by district education teams
➡️ Teacher training on inclusive classroom strategies
➡️ Community awareness drives to reduce stigma
Organized with local government partners, driving change from the grassroots up
