CAN VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR YOUTH TRANSFORM SOMALIA INTO A BETTER PLACE?

Transforming Somalia into a better place and promoting stability is one of the primary objectives that the Somali government, national and international NGOs are concentrating to their efforts on these days.  As the result of longtime political unrest, clan rivalries, terrorism, and violent insurgency, many people have lost their lives, economic growth has been held back, and the country continues to be politically unstable. As well, there are a lot of youth who have been unable to obtain a formal education.  Due to the chaos of the last decades, many youths have not been able to work their arable lands, rear their livestock or go to schools. Powerful warlords are denying to them access to their basic needs. For the consequences of all kinds of the transgressions over the youths resulted lastly, the youths to be part of the problem and get a variety of different kinds of ammunitions.

Now, the Somali government and its allies are liberating new areas every day and many youths are surrendering to the government. Those who took part in the fighting and the civil unrest, as well as vagrant and street children, may have special economic, livelihood, and psycho-social needs. The violence even affected youth who didn’t take part in the fighting and abstained from going to school or work due to intimidation.

The INGOs, LNGOs, and the Somali government established rehabilitation centers with schools where youth are trained in marketable skills to integrate into the community again in a peaceful manner. This vocational skills training (VST) can contribute to the restoration of the livelihoods of all the youths and to economic development. During their training they are taught different skills, including but not limited to; plumbing, electricity, mechanics, tailoring, cooking, mobile repairing, computer skills, entrepreneurship and basic calculation courses, while tie and die, henna and beautification are reserved for young females only. Therefore, if the youth are committed to going back to school and work, obviously they can change the living standards of many households, lessen the incidence of crime and strengthen social cohesion.

This informal education can help those who are old enough to sit in the formal schools and they are a large in number. If the rehabilitation centers are equipped with the necessary equipment and qualified trainers, learning marketable skills can help youth contribute to both economic development and stability. Currently, the VST and TVET (Technical Vocational Education and Training) centers across the country are very few in number. They are managed by NGOs and every minute they can be shut down due to a lack of funding. Skills are vital for poverty reduction, economic recovery, and sustainable development, especially for the post-conflict countries like Somalia.

Certainly, the capacity building of youth through vocational training can transform our country into a better place in the near future. Youth have the energy, greatest enthusiasm for change, and the ambition to increase their knowledge. The only thing they need is mentorship and a chance to do something great in a short a period. All kinds of these skills can lead the youth to the path of prosperity for their country, increasing our resilience, contributing to the gross national product (GNP), and self-sufficiency. With the income from these skills, youth would reinvest in the farms they left years ago and livestock while this would create direct and indirect jobs for other youths.

There is an important subject that is not taught in the Somali schools which scholars believe that if the subject is not commenced and taught the youth won’t be able to be patriots and take part in the reconstruction of their country. This subject is civic education, is important for promoting democracy and good governance. If these two are improved, this will be an antidote to youth immigration and violence. Lastly, there is no development when there is no youth development because, youth are the only people that can transform the things that are broke, lousy or bad into something better. Thus, their education, health, and creativity is very essential to development and resilience.

THE CONTROVERSY OF SOMALIA’S DECENTRALIZATION

The controversy of Somalia’s decentralization

In 2004 Somalia adopted a federal system. One of the objectives of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), which was created in Nairobi, Kenya, was to create a decentralized administration system. The TFG was envisaged to federate Somalia two years after the date of its creation and after a federal commission committee was established. Despite the concern of the citizens, who didn’t vote on whether they wanted such a system, there has been a lot of debate about implementing the federal system. Most people believe that this idea is driven by countries that are not similar with Somalia in terms of economics, culture, and education. The clan rivalries that have been taking place since 1991 when the country lost its strong central government and the main reason for the inter-clan clashes was, disputes over territory. When the country adopted the federal system, the existing territory grievances between the clans exacerbated and worsened. The current federal system is based on clan (4.5), which means four major clans and others (0.5). Every clan has formed his own autonomous state and the clashes between the states are continuing. In addition, the federal system oppressed the 0.5 clans, or what they call others. The others (0.5) are not powerful clans and they were not consulted in the state formations and didn’t also get the quota they deserved in the regional states.

The argument of those who don’t believe in decentralization;

Most Somalis are opposed to federating Somalia and they are expressing their concerns in the mass media, both print and broadcast. The people who opposed the current decentralization of power have strong and concrete evidence that Somalia can’t be federated now. Their arguments can be summarized as 1) these people believe that the federation will bring no benefit to Somalia except economic loss 2) the territorial fighting between clans will continue while Somalia is insisting on federating Somalia because the current government has no effective integrated army that can take control the country and every administrative state or autonomous state has its own militia. 3) Applying the federal system is very expensive. 4) This argument is that the federation needs a lot of resources and knowledge and the current government is based on international organization and UN donations and it can’t even pay its employees and instead the international community is paying the country’s civil servants and the national army. 5) The formed states and the developing ones are based on clan and every clan has its own regional state which totally is opposed to the theory of federalism. The federation has no reliable solutions for the Somali people, despite death and destruction, and this is what is currently going on Galka’yo region, in which two regional states are contesting the control of the city and the inhabitants are being killed and displaced by the militia of both administrations. 6) Federating Somalia will have bad implications for the resilience and stabilization of the country. 7) Lastly, Somalis are a people who share one culture, religion, and lineage and what they need is a strong central government. The other concern Somalis have expressed is that the economy would be much worse than it is now because every regional state will collect its own taxes and customs and the traders that pass through one state to another will be levied much taxes. This will make it very expensive for their commodities and poverty will increase.

The argument of the centralization opponents

The centralization opponents are very few, according to the general perceptions of the people regarding the federal system. The main reason they are supporting the federal system is that; 1) they said: “the federal system is more democratic than centralization.” 2) The public will participate in the governance process and have a chance to say in the decisions affecting them. 3) Public voting, signing petitions, and the impeachment of those who violate the law are the only chance of the federal government. 3) The other reason why federalism is important is the separation of power, improvement of justice, and even economic development.

Although Somalia has population of over 15 million, and little in the way of resources, most of its citizens believe that federalism is not the solution to the country’s problems and believe that the international community and some of the functional leaders that are still strong in politics and have an interest in federation are compelling people whom they didn’t ask for their consent about the change as well the fate of their own nation.

                                                       

                                                                                Elmi Hassan Samatar

                                                                               samatar2020@hotmail.com

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT DOESN’T MEAN IMPAIRMENT AT ALL

Mohamed Ahmed Sh. Mohamoud, is a 44-year-old father of 6 who was born blind. He is a teacher at the Al-Nur School for the blind. He was raised by his maternal grandmother and, by the age of 3, he was enrolled in Madrasa (a madrasa is an educational institution offering instruction in Islamic subjects including, but not limited to, the Quran, jurisprudence, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, and law). Later he was schooled in Qoryoley district. In 1991 when Siad Barre’s government was ousted by rebels, Mohamed was in standard 8 at Qoryoley Primary & Elementary school in Qoryoley, Lower Shabelle. Mohamed was eager to continue his education and in order to do so he visited Addis Ababa and Nairobi between 1994 to 1996. But that dream wasn’t successful and he decided to go back his homeland. Fortunately he was accepted by Imamu Shafi’ primary & Secondary School in August 1996, which was one of the first schools opened in the country after the destruction. In July 2001, Mohamed he was among the second batch students who graduated from Imam Shafi’ school and, on 23^rd October of the same year, he enrolled in the Islamic University in Mogadishu in the faculty of Education. In June 2005 he graduated from the university. His dissertation was the first book accepted by the university and in 7^th August of the same year he was hired to teach at Al-Nur School for the blind in Mogadishu, Somalia. He still teaches in that school. Mohamed has a Masters from the International University of Africa-Sudan, department of Research and African Studies.

Mohamed, who is also currently a lecturer in IMAM University is a role model for many. Mohamed believes that he is the same as his peers and he can do the same things they can do in life. He said “visual impairment doesn’t mean impairment at all and as long as we have the mind we have the sight.” Despite his blindness, he is the breadwinner of his family. Mohamed doesn’t believe he made a great change and see himself as a normal. I asked him what he did differently and what people can learn from him. He replied “I’m not vaunting and bragging myself into anything and I’m the normal man you see.” Instead of remaining in the veranda and the house yard, Mohamed decided to become a trader after he lost his school in the chaos that the country went through. From 1991 to 1994 he was a business traveler shuttling between Mogadishu and Qoryooleey for his business purposes. Mohamed changed his mind and decided to go back to school in 1994, stopping his business with the intent of devoting himself to seeking knowledge. He said the reason he ceded his business was because of the importance of education. As he said,“at any time your wealth can be mugged, destroyed or it may be disappear, but your knowledge will remain in your brain and it is the real asset that one can claim.” Mohamed truly believes the education rather than anything else. “Due to education, I’m not waiting and expecting my sustenance from anyone else. Instead I’m feeding my family and that is God’s grace.” Mohamed, he is an instructor, motivator, and role model for his community. He teaches both blind and sighted students. He writes articles for the newspapers, gives interviews to TV and radio, and broadcasts orientation programs on social affairs.  A gregarious, polite blind man, he loves his friends, hugging every single friend who visited him. He is a good for storyteller, likes to inspire the people and he help them understand that losing eyesight is not losing your capability to learn, work, and interact with society.

The ambition of the great smiling blind man is not yet at an end. He expects to pursue his PhD soon; he plans to start in 2018 if the things go well. Lastly, Mohamed has a word to his community. “Changes begin when you believe it.” He added, “As a man, you need to have a role model, a person that you follow in his footprints, therefore, have a good path that reaches you the good horizon and do not hesitate to change yourself as well the world.”

                                                                                                                                                                Elmi H Samatar

samatar2020@hotmail.com

THE 2016 SOMALI ELECTIONS AND YOUTH PARTICIPATION

The 2016 presidential and lower and upper house MP elections are scheduled to happen between October 10th and November 30th of this year,  making it one of the most popular discussion topics  among youth. The youth believe that this election cycle will have more legitimacy in contrast to the elections of 2012 where only 135 clan elders chose the 275 Somali MPs. This time around 14,025 citizens will elect the 275 lower house MPs, which means every MP will be elected by 51 constituency members from his respective clan. The 51 constituency members are entitled to elect only the lower house MPs while the upper house MPs will be selected by the regional states of Somalia. The lower house voting will take place between October 23 and November 10, and on November 30 the new parliament will elect the new president. Therefore, the minimum quota that the youth will get in the 51 constituencies members that will elect every MP is 10 for every 51 constituencies. Many youths are discussing how they can influence the 41 remaining constituencies to combat against election bribes and how to elect the right MPs.

Makka Al-Mukarama Hotel is one of the most popular hotels in Mogadishu. At Makka, politicians, merchants, elites, and other luminary people always gather to discuss a variety of issues. One afternoon, I eavesdropped on a conversation behind me between, a number of youths. They were sitting under a decorated shelter in Hotel Makka. I hastened towards them and asked if I could sit with them. The youth were discussing the 2016 Somali elections and the impact of youth participation. I probed them on the possibility of the potential for youth impact, keeping in mind the challenge of clan-based selections and the political dynasty of our country. One of the youth said in a confident voice “It’s clear that we can’t make a huge change now, but we can at least shake the shoulders of the candidates although the youth are among the representatives that will elect the lower house MPs”, Another good-looking youth said, “The imminent threat that MPs are feeling is youth participation. Youth can’t be bribed and will elect the candidate they want regardless kinship, relatives, and friends”.

In this year’s election, there are a number of youths who have dared to challenge seasoned politicians who came to the office for the nomination of their respective clan elders. The most important government positions like the director general, vice secretary of ministries, and all civil servants are employed by their clan elders, and these elders are the people who have the last resort of their employments in the government departments. The concern of the youth is that biased recruited persons are not willing to share their experiences and do not the help the youth get jobs. Walking through Mogadishu’s downtown streets you see the billboard adverts of the youth for their candidacy. Online, social media is the most popular platform used by the youth to promote their candidacy.  

The youth in Somalia complain about one of the highest unemployment rates in the world as every year the universities produce new graduates. The youth have hope for election; it will be the first election they experience in their lives. Young people don’t want to waste this opportunity and they see it as a golden moment to change the system of government, which only employs senior bureaucrats who don’t like to share their experience with juniors. These days the recreational areas and the social amenities which are quietly increasing in Mogadishu  have become gathering places  for university graduates who are eager to take part in the recovery of their war-ravaged country and are interested in having  a tangible influence on the country’s politics. Finally, the youth are looking forward to these elections and are waiting to see the theory of change they made during the elections unfold. 

                                                                                                                        Elmi Samatar
                                                                                                                        samatar2020@hotmail.com