From the team
Written by Esperanza Escorza Lalinde
Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Programme Manager
As part of our Irish Aid-funded EMPOWER programme, I recently travelled to Somalia to visit communities supported by World Vision and our partners and witness the incredible work being done. From schools and health centres to creative writing workshops and community groups, the trip was filled with powerful stories of resilience, learning, and hope.
Creative Sparks: Fighting Words in Action
Our partners from Fighting Words, Development & Outreach Officer Colm and Education Director Nóra, ran a full-day workshop with nearly 30 teachers and education officers in Puntland. The training focused on equipping educators with tools and techniques to run creative writing sessions in their own classrooms, adapting the Fighting Words approach to their unique context.
Using story dices, cartoons, drama, and games, the workshop encouraged teachers to explore storytelling as a way to build confidence and creativity in students. Teachers practiced composing group stories, developing characters, and facilitating feedback in a safe and supportive environment. The emphasis was on fun, freedom, and making sure every child felt their voice mattered. It was a vibrant, hands-on day filled with laughter, learning, and Somali folktales.
Learning to Lead in Diilin
The following day, we visited Diilin school, I met a group of women and adolescent girls enrolled in the Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP). They spoke with pride about how literacy and basic maths skills are helping them start small businesses, such as shops, tailoring, and more. World Vision also provides vocational training, and it was inspiring to hear how education is opening doors for them.
We also had the joy of observing a creative writing session facilitated by Fighting Words and a local teacher. The children’s stories were full of imagination and humour, one featured a rat named Gedi who loved dates, another followed a lion and a hyena in a sticky situation. The session ended with singing, laughter, and a sense of magic that filled the classroom.
Community Champions
I sat down with members of the Community Education Committee (CEC), Child Protection (CP), Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) groups. These committees were formed during the Humanitarian Programme Plan (HPP) and continue to be supported under EMPOWER. They spoke passionately about their work, raising awareness about child protection, early marriage, and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). They spoke about the shifts they’ve seen in community attitudes, but also acknowledged that there’s still much work ahead. The elderly women in the GBV committee especially moved me with their dedication to improving the lives of women in their community.
Healthcare with Heart
At the Diilin Primary Health Unit (PHU), I met Amal, the nurse in charge. The PHU was built under HPP and is now supported by EMPOWER. Amal sees 15–20 patients daily and is deeply committed to providing the best care possible. Her passion and professionalism are a testament to the impact of sustained support.
Building Safer Communities Through Education
Esperanza, our Programmes Manager, recently visited Diilin Primary School in Somalia, where she met teachers, students, and community volunteers. Through the Empower! project, funded by Irish Aid, children are gaining vital literacy and numeracy skills. Women and girls are also being educated on critical issues like gender-based violence, FGM, and the right to education. The project is making a meaningful impact and we’re committed to walking alongside this community as they build a safer, more empowered future.
Education Against the Odds
In Cambare Primary School, I met the headmaster and learned about the school’s journey. It began in 2014 with community members teaching children under a tree. Later, they built a temporary hut, but the school was on the brink of closure due to lack of infrastructure and resources. Irish Aid’s support through HPP changed everything; Temporary Learning Spaces, classrooms, and latrines were built. Today, six teachers educate 164 children. The community is largely nomadic and pastoralist, so student mobility is a challenge. Still, awareness-raising efforts have improved enrolment, especially among girls. While these improvements are remarkable, challenges remain. The school still lacks sufficient classrooms and has no electricity, even basic tools like a printer are out of reach.
A Lifelong Learner
One of the most inspiring conversations I had was with Wiilu, a 54-year-old woman who joined the non-formal education programme just a month ago. She never had the chance to study as a child, but now as a mother and grandmother, and with the support of her family, she finally has the opportunity. Her main motivation to attend it is to be able to help at her family’s shop. Wiilu is learning Somali and mathematics, which will help her understand the loans and payments at the shop and be independent.
Since this course started in the community a year ago with a different cohort, she has observed that women support and encourage each other more to pursue education. She said that without this course provided by EMPOWER, she would have never had the opportunity to study, and she thanked the project. She hopes to inspire other women and girls to pursue education and claim their own power.
Supporting Survivors
I also visited the one-stop centre located in Eyl’s hospital complex. Opened in 2022, the centre is funded by Irish Aid and supported by EMPOWER. The centre provides psychosocial and limited medical support to survivors of GBV and child protection cases. Ran by two midwives, the centre serves around 40 community members daily and provides essential services to women, girls and boys. Their work is critical, not just in providing care, but in raising awareness and coordinating referrals with hospitals and other entities.
This visit reminded me of the extraordinary strength within Somali communities and the importance of listening, learning, and supporting locally-led change. Every story I heard was a testament to the resilience of the people and the transformative impact of programmes like EMPOWER.