Wamo Stadium Primary and Secondary School in the village of Sinai, Kismayo District, stands today as a beacon of hope for the community. However, for students like 17-year-old Ikran Mohamed, who has a visual impairment, the path to an education has been full of challenges.

Ikran, who has a condition that gives her permanent eye redness, found it challenging to engage fully in her lessons. At home, the inadequately ventilated makeshift kitchen, in which firewood is used to cook, exacerbated her impairment, as did intense sunlight. Her dream of becoming an optician seemed distant, if not impossible.

Ikran's story unfolds against a backdrop of adversity faced by children with disabilities in Somalia: overcrowded classrooms, lack of appropriate learning resources and a pervasive lack of inclusivity have meant that many students, especially those with disabilities, have struggled to attend school or fully engage in their studies.

Students with disabilities also face stigmatization and segregation within the community, which can have a detrimental impact on their self-esteem and confidence, and make the school experience emotionally as well as educationally challenging.

Assistive devices support better integration of students with disabilities into school

With the support of GPE, Ikran’s aspirations were rekindled through the provision of a handheld electronic magnifier (Explore 5HD) to enhance her reading and writing capabilities.

Under a GPE grant of US$20 million for 2020-2023, over 300 learners, including Ikran, received assistive devices such as hearing aids, reading glasses, magnifying assistive devices and walking sticks, after a meticulous screening and assessment process.

Ikran's world changed when she received the magnifier, which enabled her to read books otherwise inaccessible to her.

The GPE-funded program also enabled the construction of three classrooms and a library at the school, as well as disability-friendly, gender-segregated latrines.

However, these success stories come with a reality check: the demand for assistive devices surpasses their supply. Students like Ikran often share their devices, emphasizing the urgent need for more resources.

Inspiring change toward more inclusive education

Ikran's journey from exclusion to empowerment serves as a reminder that, with the right support, children with special needs have the potential to enhance their educational achievements and shape their own futures.

The new classrooms accommodate more learners, including those with disabilities and the new, inclusive library remains a hub of knowledge, encouraging students to access age- and learning- appropriate books and learning resources.

The GPE-supported program has not only provided an environment conducive to learning but also instilled a sense of inclusion, with a ripple effect on the students and the community at large.