Rising Above Displacement: A Young Girl’s Vision to Improve Learning in Somalia’s Marginalized Communities

In a crowded settlement on the outskirts of Mogadishu, a place where corrugated shelters reflect years of displacement and hardship, Aisha Nuur Hassan begins each morning with a determined journey: navigating the narrow lanes of Ceelasha Biyaha camp all the way to the gates of Banaadir College of Education, in Mogadishu, 16 kilometers away from her home.

Born in the coastal town of Marka, Aisha saw her life change when prolonged drought forced her family to flee. They resettled in one of Mogadishu’s largest informal camps. But Aisha is no longer just a face in a crisis: she’s now a first-year education student and one of 2,278 Somali girls awarded a scholarship through the Somalia Empowering Women through Education and Skills (‘Rajo Kaaba’) Project, a World Bank–funded initiative with additional support from the Somalia Multi-Partner Fund and the Early Learning Partnership Fund.

Rajo Kaaba is implemented in partnership with Somalia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education. The project supports girls and women from marginalized and low-income communities across Benadir, Hirshabelle, Galmudug, South West, and Jubbaland, offering them access to diploma-level education in high-demand fields such as nursing, midwifery, and education.

Aisha remembers her early years in Marka fondly. “We weren’t rich, but we had a home,” she says. “My parents believed that education would give us a better future.” That belief stayed with her, even when life took a harder turn: as crops failed and livestock died, her family was forced to move. “We thought it was temporary. But we’ve been in Ceelasha Biyaha ever since.”

Camp life was tough. With limited access to educational services, many children dropped out. “Some girls got married early; others had to work,” Aisha recalls. “But I kept going—even if it meant teaching myself.”

The Opportunity That Changed Everything

In 2024, Aisha learned about the Rajo Kaaba scholarship and applied, unsure of her chances. “There must have been thousands like me,” she says. “When I got the call, I had goosebumps. Someone believed in me—just when I had almost stopped believing in myself.” The scholarship covers tuition, a monthly stipend, and academic and psychosocial support. “It’s more than money,” she says. “It’s a lifeline. It gave me my future back.”

Now enrolled at Banaadir College of Education, Aisha studies teaching methodologies, child psychology, and classroom management. Her days are long, beginning with morning lectures, followed by hours in the library, and ending with late-night revision under the dim light of her shelter in Ceelasha Biyaha camp. “The shift from camp to campus wasn’t easy,” she says. “I had to catch up on things others learned years ago but I’m not afraid of hard work.”

Teaching as a Mission

For Aisha, education is more than a degree—it’s a purpose. “When you grow up without a proper classroom, you know the value of one,” she says. Her dream is to return to places like Ceelasha and teach children who’ve endured displacement and hardship. She hopes to become a teacher-trainer, developing inclusive curricula for marginalized learners. “Education should reflect our reality—kids studying without desks, walking miles to class. We need practical solutions.”

For Aisha, education is Somalia’s most powerful tool for recovery. “It fights poverty, violence, and hopelessness. It helps us heal.” Her message to girls in camps: “Don’t stop dreaming. Someone will open a door for you. Until then, keep knocking.”

Aisha plans to complete her diploma, pursue further studies, and return to her hometown as an educator. “I want to be the teacher who says: I understand. I’ve been there too. Let’s learn together.”