One remarkable success story is that of Hamda Abdi Ahmed, a 23-year-old mother from Suubaan village. Before the EMPOWER project, Hamda faced numerous barriers to education, including inadequate facilities and societal pressures that lack of income also was a challenge for girls from attending school. However, with the project's focus on encouraging girl’s education to better future life, Hamda's life took a positive turn.

“I remember sitting in the classroom, watching my teacher write on the blackboard. At first, the letters looked like strange symbols, and I struggled to read them. But I told myself, ‘If others can do it, so can I.’ Every day, I practiced, even when it was difficult. I wanted to read books, to learn how to write, just like most girls of my age do.” Hamda says.

For Hamda, her journey to education was not just about learning to read and write—it was about reclaiming her future. At 23, a mother of two young girls, she had spent most of her life believing that education was a privilege meant for others. But deep inside, she held onto the hope that one day, she would have the opportunity to learn.

“The first time I wrote my name, I cried. It was like seeing a piece of myself that I had lost. And when I read my first sentence, I knew I had stepped into a new world—one where I had a voice, where I could understand and be understood.” Hamda added, “Growing up, I watched my brothers and neighbors go to school while I stayed home to help with house chores. I always wondered what it felt like to read a book, to write, to understand the world beyond my village. But in my community, education was not seen as a priority for girls, especially after they became mothers. I thought my chance was gone,” Hamda recalls.

From an early age, Hamda faced significant hardships. Her family struggled with economic difficulties, and traditional norms often limited girls’ opportunities for schooling. Which made her fall back on education. Yet, she remained steadfast in her belief that education was the key to a better future. As mother of girls, her breakthrough came when she encountered World Vision’s EPOWER project, which aims is to support vulnerable children and women.

“I feel different now, I think different now, because I’m an educated person, and I want to keep learning and inspire other girls like me to join our classes which starts 3pm till 5:30pm.”

Through scholarships, mentorship, and community engagement programs, World Vision helped Hamda stay in school. Their support not only provided her with the necessary learning materials but also empowered her to become an advocate for girls’ education in her community.

“I want to raise my children with education, I want them to learn how to read and write” Hamda said.

As the project continues to unfold, Hamda story is just one of many, highlighting the profound impact of education and protection services in transforming lives and fostering a brighter future for women and children in protracted crises in Somalia.