Educate Displaced Children in Somalia for a Year

The Educate Displaced Children in Banadir, Somalia project continues to address one of the most urgent humanitarian needs in displacement settings: access to safe, inclusive, and continuous education for internally displaced children. Banadir, which hosts a significant proportion of Somalia’s internally displaced population, faces persistent challenges, including overcrowded informal settlements, limited school infrastructure, household poverty, and frequent protection risks that disproportionately affect children. This project aims to restore and sustain access to education for displaced children in Banadir by:

• Establishing safe and inclusive learning spaces within IDP communities.
• Reaching children who are out of school or at risk of dropping out.
• Supporting learning continuity through basic scholastic materials, school feeding, and structured education support.
• Promoting child protection and reducing exposure to risks such as child labour and early marriage.

Since the last update, implementation has remained limited, constrained directly by the scale of the funding gap. With only a small fraction of the project budget secured, NAPAD has not yet been able to move into full-scale establishment of learning spaces or enrollment of out-of-school children at the level the project envisions. This pause in visible activity does not reflect a pause in need. Many displaced children in Banadir remain out of school today, facing the same overcrowded settlements, the same household poverty, and the same protection risks described in our last report. The humanitarian case for this project has not diminished, if anything; every month without funded activity is a month of lost learning for children who have already lost their homes and routines once.

WHY THIS PROJECT MATTERS

The scale of the education crisis in Somalia is alarming:

• Approximately 4.9 million children are out of school.
• In some displacement settings, only 21% of displaced children attend school.
• Children with disabilities face even greater exclusion due to lack of inclusive learning systems.

For displaced children in Banadir, education is more than learning; it is protection, stability, and hope in the midst of crisis.

WHAT YOUR SUPPORT ACHIEVES

Your donation helps the following:

• Bring out-of-school displaced children back into learning.
• Create safe, child-friendly learning environments in IDP settlements.
• Provide essential learning materials and classroom support.
• Reduce dropout rates linked to poverty and displacement.
• Strengthen protection against child labour and early marriage, among other protection risks.

IMPACT OF EDUCATION IN CRISIS

Education in emergencies has long-term, transformative impact:

• Protection: Schools provide safe spaces for children affected by crisis
• Resilience: Education helps children adapt to climate and economic shocks.
• Opportunity: Learning equips children with skills for future livelihoods.
• Community recovery: Educated children contribute to rebuilding stronger, more stable communities.

WHY CONTINUED FUNDING IS URGENTLY NEEDED

Despite early progress, the scale of need remains critical. Without sustained support, displaced children risk permanent exclusion from education, deepening cycles of poverty and vulnerability. Your continued support will help expand access to education, strengthen learning environments, and ensure that children in Banadir are not left behind because of crisis conditions beyond their control.

CALL TO ACTION

Every contribution brings us closer to ensuring that displaced children in Banadir can learn, grow, and thrive despite ongoing humanitarian challenges. With your support, we can transform education from a lost opportunity into a powerful tool for protection, stability, and hope.

Donate today to help displaced children stay in school in the midst of crisis.