Education and the Mid-Life Challenge: Make Plan to Re-ignite occupation fervor

Education Challenge

Socialization comes and starts from the house since we born in a 9 month in common as human being, we live and grew up with our families and capture the environment of the house that means we become familiar with the family and its links to relatives. However the chance and the opportunities we had is very little or in somewhat we all did not get the prospect we all need.

Our parents rush and took us in to schools in order to learn and take one step at once compared to our peer groups, we got chance to attend a formal education through schooling system because many children, may be 100 million children of primary school age, 60% of them girls are not enrolled in school in each year, many more are now untrained and independent teachers in overcrowded, unhealthy and poorly equipped classrooms, and one third of all children don’t complete five years of schooling, the minimum required for basic category.

Education is the key of the new global economy, for primary schools on up to life long learning, it is central to development, social progress and human freedom. Access to education is not enough, quality is just as important at present, many children have all practical purpose, illiterate, trained, committed and motivated teachers are not probably the most significant factors.

The list of causes why children lack possibilities of education presents a wide range of issues that are often lacked together, poverty basic major obstacle to a children’s right to education, parents is also another core issues of obstacle for children to go to schools, because they need them to work for the family and working in the fields, living day time does not fit the formal education system in addition some parents don’t recognize the value of education or they find the curriculum irrelevant and therefore reluctant to send their children to school.

Other parents encourage their girls get the opportunity to continue education after marriage. Some parents cannot afford to pay for school fees and school uniforms or can’t get their children to school because of long distance and unsafe travel to school for children affected armed conflict.

All in all Allah saved us from the un schooling system, for the time being our parents made possible us to learn and go/attend to school, even far beyond the primary school to University, may be through under the most difficult conditions, and this is the challenges that exist in everywhere with every era. This does not mean that we are relaxing but we have to struggle on how we utilize our limited resources more efficiently and more effectively, as to how we increase girls enrollments, children education both formal and non formal, or may be the little thing that we could do or contribute will be a great effect on how taking part education for all {Global Strategy}.

How we can reach this is to practice Blood Sweet and tears (to put forth, efforts and sacrifice to achieve an elusive goal) to eliminate tribalism and practice the theory of Dr. Suleiman Walhad, (let us think and act as individual, but not as a tribe), also not misunderstand the practice of individualism, as many people act currently, and that is the theory of selfishness but not individualism, Mr. Hassan is a good example, to help and sacrifice, helping your friend is like helping the whole society.

On the other hand, one question might be asked, about girl’s education, what are the causes for the girl’s low enrolment? There are a variety and tremendous reasons on girls education regarding on low enrollments; economic and financial difficulties is one core problem, Cultural biases is another nucleus obstacle, early marriage for the girls is a central constraints, lack of infrastructure for the schools, lack of girls friendly learning environment, domestic work and lack of female teachers, in addition to this, lack of health facilities, or perhaps shortage of water, or possibly lack to access to clean water in schools are also contributing to the factors of girls low enrollment.

All what we need is to build the house on the ground/foundation to the upward but not from upward to the foundation, let me draw your attention all what we do is to sacrifice the needy people, focus on children, girls education, all what we do is to feed our people not only our self’s, and this will come under the constructing our professional and career development, to have strong roots.

Moreover, the Ministry of Education of Somaliland has limited resources, and the actions to be taking is very little according to the reality on the ground, for instance ,the state parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed to the development of the child’s personalities, talents, mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential and yet there is no teacher education policy in Somaliland (good example is teachers smoke cigarette in class rooms while they are teaching students).

Nevertheless, education is not fully recognized as a right by duty perils, the infrastructure of the government is poor special rural areas, or may be resources of government allocation is very poor and little attention has been paid to teachers as professional.

Therefore girls should have the same opportunities as boys, children with disabilities should have the same possibility to lead a decent life as the more able, also children living in a remote rural areas should not have fewer opportunities than the children living in large urban areas and therefore all rights apply to all children without exception.

Mid Life Challenge

The word Soldier can be applied in different ways in different context, but the most meaning full of the current situation can be referred specifically to members of the army without officers commission, a soldier is a person who committed to defense his nation, people and the country against the enemy from other sources.

That is the meaning and the advantage of the Soldier and it would not be easy to became a soldier, unless you pay a prize to be a soldier, unless you put your time, effort, energy and money in to one place to be a soldier. But in contrast what is a Veteran because my friend Hassan is a veteran, {a soldier who has no longer services and practices in the army force}.

For one thing, no body will stop your career, it provides meaning and personal fulfillment either you have to recognize that some things are missing in your career and vocational life or taking the initiative to change must come from within (your behavior and Human relationship).

In other wards changing trends in the workforce are presenting new challenges for jobholders and seekers. Information age is another core issue of challenge because of two factors including rapidity and complexity, which are coming together, people are being asked to work at faster pace within increasingly complex situations.

Another challenge is the social interaction and human relationship, what is more is the building of effective team work, mutual respect, integrity and commitment is the core factors of success, for instance if you jump from one generation to another you will not be able to behave as normal since you are two step forward, about dating its big challenge, ladies will not be able to understand of what you are talking about because you are thinking and acting as an old man, that is way some guys are looking and around for housemates as a soul mate or friend from benefit, so again I am saying it is better to make changes for room for fresh new ideas or blow the cobwebs away.

More over in a recent investigation and examination to discover facts and figures about the career development, it has been found that many achievers who lose enthusiasm for their work, share common traits including their work has little connection to the things they really care about or may be they are very proud about the degrees they recently got from the Universities, although the sky is great and far reachable.

As part of this many people have came to know the need for improving and updating their career development, by identifying your/their current skills, knowledge, abilities, and interests, also identifying the new skills, knowledge, and experiences you would like to acquire and have, together with human connection it is important, IT is a fundamental matter of helping people through out the world.


Mohamed Farah
Hargeisa, Somaliland

Children: A Neglected Promising Force for the Future

On the 16th June of every year, the international community celebrates for the Day of the African Child, in which the needs and problems of African children are addressed, past plans reviewed and a way forward illuminated. This year's DAC coincides with a time when the ever widening gap between children in rich countries and those in Sub-Saharan Africa is at its peak. In this article, I will explore the situation of Somaliland children, who represent a potential vehicle for transformation and agents of change, in the wake of the world's renewed commitment to promote the conditions of children in this continent.

"Every boy and girl around the world has a right to expect that we will do all we can to ensure that they will enjoy their right to education"

Koffi A. Annan, Former Secretary General of United Nations.

Arday baan ahayoo

Arday baan ahayoo

Ubixii wadankaan ahayoo

Literal translation of that song could be:-

I am a student

I am a student

I am the flower of the country‌

These were the words that were ringing into my ears as I slowly walked in front of four children, two boys and two girls, who were gracefully sitting by the doorstep of their house in a remarkable afternoon. Dressed beautifully, they had faces, laden with happiness and delight, which indicated the effort and time their parents devoted to put them in such a condition. What interested me was not the rhythmic tone with which they chanted the song, nor the attractive reflections their faces and dressings made. It was something lying way beneath the observable that aroused strong emotions inside me. I deeply felt in my heart that the children, at the age of kindergarten education, were communicating an important message to me and to every concerned member of the community.

I cannot guess what those who accompanied me in the walk perceived, or whether I was the only one who had the built in capacity to understand their language. However it be, their message was moving; it demanded the ears of every sympathetic listener; it made a commitment whose fulfillment was a collective responsibility; it seemed to be the determinant of the future of this society; and underlying it were the necessary ingredients for development and progress.

To me, these simple slogans were determination and dedication from the part of children, but for them to be liable to what they have pledged to their community requires us to give them the right chance and help them overcome their challenges.As my mind started to think about the essence and reality of their words, a series of urgent, answer-demanding questions began to impinge on my conscience. To what extent are they informed about the potential obstacles lying in the long, long way to realizing their commitment?‌ What do they actually know about their predecessors who have already taken the same journey under the same conditions? How do they estimate the magnitude of the social, psychological and financial support they need in order to live up to their expectations? What is the level of trust they have in us fulfilling our role given that they have mastered theirs? And in overall, how optimistic are they about the future?‌Like hundreds of thousands of children in Somaliland, who constitute a comparably large proportion of the society, these youngsters faced a gloomy future, clouded with misery and uncertainty. Given the fact that they seemed to be from well-off families in local terms and living in urban residence, enjoying many opportunities that their counterparts in rural areas are deprived off, it is not exaggeration to say that the odds were utterly against them.

As an illustration of my point, my thinking took me back to a day, almost fifteen months from now, when I was sitting at a teashop in the center of the town. A slim, bright-eyed young boy, a shoe-polisher, was serving me. While he was busy with his due task, cleaning the shoes and making them shiny as possible so that he could convince me give him the small charge, I was exploring what was going around me. A moment came when my eyes critically gazed at the young boy himself. His shoes were in tatters and his rags were covered with dirty, a characteristic of his mode of making living. Suddenly he looked me up. The unsmiling, determined face which interrupted my probing eyes easily implied how cruel the atmosphere in which this boy grew was.

To my surprise, I noticed that his small possessions beside him included several books. I wondered what he was doing with them. It was not long before my mouth uttered with the question but his answer got its way through his dark lips with no much difficulty. "I am student "‌ he said in a confidence manner. I became extremely eager to know more about what compelled this unlucky child play this dual, opposite role. But he seemed to be in no way hesitant about answering my question.

As I later learned, he was the oldest of a family of six children, living in the suburbs of the town. The father, though in a good health and age, was unemployed, heavy Kat-user, and as I interpreted, of no use to the household financially. His mother, trapped for the care and looking after of the children, sold some biscuits and sweats in front of her house. But the income from this form of down-looked business meant little to a family of eight. To answer my question on how he managed to learn and work at the same time, he told me that he attended school in the morning and worked in the afternoon. To the fall of the night he usually went home with one or two Kilos of ration, plus a small amount of Somaliland shillings. This relieved a lot of burden from the mother, who was lonely struggling with ensuring that their children at least survived. Shockingly enough, he told me that none of his brothers and sisters was attending school.

For a family whose sole-bread winner was a nine-year old shoe polisher, enrolling several children in school was not an easy venture, however promising it may be. That family, with an average income of less than $ 30 a month a sum that must cover all basic needs - found it hard to find money for their children's schooling. School fees, together with the associated hidden costs, were the biggest barriers that prevented that very poor family from building a better future for their youngsters.

The situation of that young unlucky child, though determined, is the rule rather then the exceptional in Somaliland. His case is representative of the harsh life that thousands of children in this country have to endure.The majority of children in Somaliland live under the perils of negligence, poverty, ignorance, diseases, exploitation and lack of basic care. The deleterious impacts of these factors on child's development make any looming hope seem unattainable. With their effects multiplying each time, these misfortunes are transmitted from one generation to the next as if they are an irreversible, congenital part of normal life.Infant and child mortality rates are one of the highest in the world, mounting to figures as high as 125 and 211 per 1000 live births respectively.

Preventable infectious diseases constitute one of the main immediate causes of death among infants and children in this country. Diarrheal diseases, respiratory infections and malaria together account for more than half of these cases. Very low level of immunization- about 30%- which is far from being sufficient to prevent many health complications arising as a result of communicable diseases, seems to be an underlying factor behind many health misfortunes surrounding Somaliland children.

Recurrent droughts and failed rainy seasons led to severe food shortages, which negatively contributed to poor nutritional status in many parts of the country, specially in rural areas, where chronic malnutrition among infants and children is widely prevalent.A large proportion of children in this part of the world do not get the psychosocial and physical welfare needed for effective child development. As a consequence, many live in a state that is adversely affecting their emotional well-being rather than nurturing it.

Despite the fact that the international community made its commitment and reaffirmation that primary education would be a universal phenomena within the short term future, the situation in the ground in Somaliland does not show any indications in favor of the attainment of that goal in the foreseeable outlook. The reality dictates that the majority of children born and bread here are denied of their legitimate right to basic education, let alone the rest of the educational ladder.

A child who is obliged to put up in such a situation is for no reason forced to face the sorrow and bitterness of dark future and is amenable to all forms of social and psychological predators, in addition to being devoid of all the good that go with education. There a flower-to-blossom is to wilt.The different parts of the community suffer these devastating situations in extremely disproportionate manner. Gender disparity in all aspects of children's lives is widening time after time, a fact that is in drastic contrast with the international communities' ambition to eliminate all forms of gender inequality in a decade's time.

Disabled children, with special needs and care, have to sustain these pains and hardships exacerbated by their physical and mental scars. Children with some form of mental or physical retardations have no place in my society, both at family and community levels and they are treated as physical objects rather than human beings who deserve right and respect, and above all, who can positively contribute to their society.

We- the adults, responsible members, educators, officials and all concerned citizens- are the duty bearers who are liable to the situation of the children- the rights holders in this regard. It is our collective and patriotic responsibility to ensure that the needs of young children in Somaliland are well understood and addressed. If our cultural heritage and values are to survive way behind us, we must sow and nurture the seeds of the future flower.

Ridwan Mohamed Osman
Nairobi,
Kenya

Finance: What Does It Offer Me?

Psychologists, even today, are arguing how much of our character comes from nature - that is the genetical and biological inplants - and how much of our behavior come from our nurture - the social environment that mold the way we think and act. My dad belongs to the latter part. Actually, he is not psychologist by schooling. His commonsense indicated to him that the latter was more sensible than the former. Neither am I a psychologist too. However, I also have some commonsense.

I beleive that every person is composed of both the nature and nurture. It is nature that gives the capacity; and the nurture (environment) that unleashes that ability or potential. It also can go other way round. Your environment can nourish your biological ability and therefore enable you to do things which you might not have been able to do.

Family is the first institution tabulating all the do's and donot's to the child's crystal-clear mental tablet; it is, quite often, the most influential institution of all times. One should not think that this is unhealthy. Family gives the child the rules of the social game. The child plays according to his tune. I also acknowledge the fact that there are some families that also dictate the tune, the tempo and every bit and piece of the game.

After family comes the school. The school is the first gateway that put the child in touch with the outer society and gives him/her the chance to explore his/her capacities in relation to his/her peers. S/he forms bonds with others who are not from her/his family. S/he spends lot of time with them, creating experiences with them. Eventually, these experience serve as what adults say, "the good old days." These same experiences are the anchors that will hold the peers together in situations that are more challenging and demanding than they are going through now.

From these experiences, they actually learn who, among her/his peers, to trust and who not to trust by observing and engaging in activities that may go without the notice of the adult eyes. In the future, they already know with whom they can rely on when situations become hard.

After the child grows, then he goes into different social settings where the socialization process continues. Everyday, man learns lessons regarding the social rule of the game. They learn what to say when you want to attract a girl; what to do to receive the attention of a girl who is in the midst of a crowd of men and women; how to endure embarrassments; how to prevent against intruders; how to say no to your boss; what to do when you in a funeral; and the list is endless.

Now comes the work setting. Every job affects your personality in a way or another. The fact that their mentalities as well as their lifestyles are set in a way cues us with all the hints we need to understand the kind of job someone was doing in the past, and what personalities they have acquired as a result. That is how we know Mr. Farah was a soldier prior his current salesmanship. More importantly, their behavior change to the way they were acting for that significant part of their lives. Anyway, that is what learning is all about: the permanent change of behavior.

Though I was indirectly involved in finance works, this was my first time I ever served as a finance officer. I have to admit. I am learning a lot from being a finance officer - I mean a lot to affect my personality as an individual and, of course, my course of life.

I have always hated being associated with money. I do not know why, but one was clear: I always believed that I did not belong to the world of money. All that I liked about money was consuming, not counting (or just add the word with the prefix ac to look more complex). That is when it made the most sense to me. Accounts, bank clerks, cashiers, and all those honorable people occupying positions directly involved in the management and accounting of money never became my role model however elegant they dressed.

Surprisingly enough, money and money-related jobs changed their dresses as I landed on this new job: Finance Officer. Money was hurting anymore! I do not know why, but my awkward feelings seem to vanish away instantly. One valuable lesson is to rethink about my prejudices, which I have plenty of them. I still do not know why I did not like accounting or finance jobs. I am still studying and let you as I finish that study.It is worth mentioning that above all these; there are advantages I am reaping from this maneuver. One of the great lessons this job offers me is that I have to give considerable attention to all the details that go into my job. In my earlier experiences, I was very much involved in leadership than management and therefore I used to map out the territory and it was upto the management to find their places inside. So delicate a job requires attention to every detail without losing the big picture.

There are many lessons I took during my studies at the university. I never had any work experience relating to accounting or finance. This job filled the void. I know now, from the bottom of my mind, what my accounting instructor meant when he was discussing the behavior implication of the budget, reconciling bank accounts, and supporting documents for strong internal control systems.Above all, my job also demands emotional expenditure against the successful conduct of the tasks involved. Disagreements between the accounting records are not confined to the books. They have strong emotional bearings. They bring about disagreements between my head and my heart - resulting headache, lack of sleep and the cycle goes on until the books reconcile.

Finally, I am very proud to be associated with the great men and women who are going for a noble cause, at least, in this Endeavour. Namely, the men and women at Somaliland National Electoral Commission, WSP International, the Academy for Peace and Development, and last but not the least, my team, the Somali Democratization Program Project Management Team. All these men and women pose a constant challenge for me to learn, and cooperate with me without spare.

I am grateful for you all.

Mukhtar H. Maidhane

Dugsiga Dhegoolayaasha Borama

Dugsiga ay wax ku bartaan ardayda dhegaha la' ee Magaalada Borama waxa iridaha loo furay sanadkii 1997-kii. Waxa bud-dhiga dugsigaasi gaarka ah kaalin hormoodnimo ka cayaartay haweenaydii Talyaaniga ahayd ee Annallena Tonnelli. Dugsiga Dhagoolayaasha Borama waa dugsigii u horeeyey ee noociisa ah ee laga hiragaliyo dalka tan iyo qaran jabkii. Koox arday ah oo tiradoodu dhan tahay shan arday ayaa qol ka mid ah gurigii ay deganayd Annallena loogu bilaabay duruusta gaarka ah ee ku salaysan suul dhabaalayska Soomaliyeysan.

Naxariistii Jano Alle ha ka waraabiyee Marxuum Maxamuud Abdi oo wax ku soo bartay dalka Kenya isla markaana ay barbaarintiisii iyo waxbarashadiisiiba kaalin mug leh ka geysatay haweenaydani Talyaaniga ahayd ayaa bilawgiiba ka hawl galay dugsigani. Ka sokow ardayda dhegaha la' ee uu Marxuum Maxamuud wax ku barayey dugsigaasi waxa bar-bar socotay tabobar iyo layli uu ku carbinayey macalimiinta hada wax ka dhiga dugsigani.

Waqti bilawgii dareenka iyo fal-celinta ay ka bixiyeen dadweynaha ku dhaqan magaalada Borama waxa uu ahaa mid isku dhafan. Kooxo ka mid ah dadweynuhu si weyn ayay ganafka ugu dhufteen aasaaska dugsigani iyaga oo diidmadooda gun-dhig uga dhigayey in haweenayda ajnabiga ah ee aasaaska dugsigani gacanta weyn ku lihi ay ka leedahay ujeedoyin qarsoon oo daaran khal-khal galinta ictiqaadka ubadka dhegaha la' ee dugsigani loo furay. Kooxo kale oo ka tirsan shacabku waxa ay u muujinayeen mashruucani taageero mabda'iyan ah, ha yeeshee waxa ay hoosta ka xariiqayeen in agabkii daruuriga u ahaa ee dugsi caynkan oo kale ahi uu baahnaa aanu jaahis ahayn, halka isla kooxo kale ay taageero mutuxan isla garab taageen hanaqaadka dugsigani. Si kastaba ha ahaatee, aragtidani leexsan waxa lagu toosiyey olole wacyigalineed abaabulan oo diirada saaray fahamsiinta iyo dhacsiinta waxtarka dugsigani u yeelan karo dadweyanaha.

Dhaqan ahaan umada Somaliyeed aqoon iyo waxtar toona ma bidaan ardayda iinta ku dhalata isla markaana dugsiyada looma diro, halkaasi oo xoogii iyo maskaxdii dihinayd ee ardaydaasi da'da yar lagu dayacay oo aan laga faa'iideysan.

Hawl fudud ma ahayn in bulshada la dhacsiiyo in ubadka sidaa loo soo dayici jiray boqolaal sano maanta dugsi loo diro. Eebe mahadii ha ka gaadhee, maanta wacyiga waalid badani aad buu u koray, waxana ay fahmeen in iinta ay ku dhasheen caruurta qaarkood aanay ka horjoogsanayn in ay waxbartaan oo lafahooga, waalidkooda iyo wadankoodaba anfacaan. Tani waa mid ka mid guulaha tirada badan ee uu dugsigani u soo hooyay guud ahaanba dadka afka Somaliga ku hadla..

Maanta oo laga joogo furitaankii dugsigan toban sano ku dhowaad, Dugsiga Dhegoolayaasha Borama, waxa uu marayaa kaalin hanoqaadnimo isaga oo dugsigu soo gardaadiyey ugu yaraan laba dufcadood oo arday ah kuwaasi oo maanta kaalin fir-fircon kaga jira horumarka bulshada. Waxa kale oo dugsigani kaalin hormoodnimo ka qaatay hirgalinta dugsiyo dhawr ah oo ka hirgalay magaaloyin Somaliyeed oo dhawr ah ka dib bilikeedintii dugsigani Dhegoolayaasha Ee Borama.

Dhinaca kale dil-quudheedkii iyo shirqoolkii loo geystay haweenaydii Talyaniga ahayd ee dugsigani hirgalintiisa muruq iyo maalba u hurtay, ayaa saameyn ba'an ku yeeshay dugsigani. Inkasta oo caa'iladii haweenaydaasi ay wali bixiyaan nafaqaadka ku baxa macalimiinta wax ka dhigta dugsigaasi, hadana waxa meesha ka baxay horuscodnimadii ay haweenaydaasi ku hagaysay dugsigaasi iyo waliba dadaalkii dhifka ahaa ee ay hadh iyo habeenba ku bixinaysay horumarinta ardayda, agabka iyo aqoonta macaliniminta ka hawl gala dugsigaasi.

Guntii iyo gunaanadkii, Dugsiga Dhegoolayaasha Borama waxa uu kaalin hormoodnimo kaga jiraa kobcinta maanka iyo aqoonta ardayda iinta leh ee fursadihii ay wax ku baran lahaayeen ay ka horjoogsadeen caqabadaha dhaqan-dhaqaale xumo ee isbarkan, waxana durba muuqata in midhihiisii la gurtay. Sidaa darted, waxa uu istaahilaa in lala garab joogsado taageero hiil iyo hooba leh.

Abdirahman Adan Mohamoud