Mogadishu’s displacement camps are struggling with an intensifying educational crisis, as over 6,000 children from displaced and impoverished families in Kahda, Dayniile, and Garasbaaley districts remain unable to attend school. A recent survey by the BAR Teachers’ Association highlights the depth of the issue, pointing to economic hardship and a severe lack of free education options as major obstacles.
Farhiyo Mohamed Ali, a mother of eight children, shared her anguish over being unable to afford school fees. “We barely survive each day,” she explained. “We need the Somali community’s support to get free schooling for our children.” Farhiyo, who raises her children alone, earns a daily wage of just $3 to $5 digging waste pits, a sum insufficient even for basic needs.
At the Bil-iyo-hidig camp in Kahda, 590 families face similar challenges, with bleak prospects for their children’s education. Aadan Abdi Mohamed, a father of six, has spent over a year looking for a free school but cannot cover the cost of private schooling. “Our children are left idle in makeshift shelters. Education is essential, and without it, they become an additional worry for us,” he said. Displaced from Middle Shabelle due to conflict, Aadan’s family once sustained themselves through farming, but now even basic schooling feels unattainable.
For 11-year-old Omar Ali Said, the impact has been particularly harsh. Omar has been out of school since July after his school in Garasbaaley closed due to funding issues. “I was preparing for third grade, but now I can’t attend school anymore,” he shared. His mother, who washes clothes for $3 to $5 on sporadic days, struggles to provide for her seven children.
Abukar Macalin Yusuf, Secretary-General of the BAR Teachers’ Association, explained that the survey revealed the closure of 17 schools serving 11 camps across Dayniile, Kahda, and Garasbaaley over the past year. “Previously, organizations supported schools, but nearly all have since closed, leaving children idle,” Abukar noted, emphasizing that some children are now at risk of falling into negative influences like drug use or joining gangs.
This educational crisis spans beyond Mogadishu to other regions, where families who cannot afford private schooling are left without options. BAR’s findings illustrate an urgent need to address this educational void to secure a brighter future for Somalia’s vulnerable youth.