Story on girl education
Answers
Not enough being ‘a gifted girl’
Every morning as the young girl prepared her brothers for school, she longed to join them. She could not believe that her dreams of a formal education were shattered; she knew that she had the capacity to advance in school. Quality of life in Somaliland is highly influenced by access to primary education, without it, a live of poverty and dependence is the norm. Samia’s destiny was to do household chores and care for her ailing father.
Every time she saw her former classmates she avoided them. "I used to be second to none in all the school examinations. My friends would call me 'the gifted girl'. When I dropped school, I felt so much pain; I didn't want my friends to see me helpless at home. I was so lonely."
Her mother then desperately sought casual work in Berber, the town nearby, with mixed results. A year later, things got worse. Her father died due to HIV/AIDS related complications and her mother was also diagnosed with the disease. The stigma of their parent’s HIV/AIDS infection forced her eldest brother to run away from home.
Samia desperately needed financial support to keep food on the table, not alone keep her siblings in school. The psychological strain had become too much to bear. Even if she managed in the short-term, her chance to further her ability to read, write and advance a career appeared out of reach. She was a girl, in a community where female discrimination was the norm. “I wish my country can be enlightened on the education of girls. We are highly discriminated when it comes to education priorities,” she said.
Making the right to education a reality
She now has good reason to believe this will happen. Two years after her parents removed her from school, she managed to return to the classroom. This happened as a result of her meeting with a social worker from SOS Children’s Villages who quickly identified the various needs of the family. Practical support including psychosocial counselling was provided. Samia’s brother was encouraged to return and become the family breadwinner through the provision of a business setup grant. His small successful workshop now generates enough income to support the family. This has ensured that the boys and the Samia can attend school.
SOS Children’s Villages is a partner in a wider community project that is engaging with communities in Somaliland to highlight the importance education to all children. Efforts are also made to help people understand the causes of HIV. They are assisted in the treatment and care of those affected. Through better understanding the stigma attached to it is also being addressed.Samia, is one of many girls in the community who have been re-enrolled in school and provided with the materials needed to prosper. Now girls in Smaliland can do what others take for granted. They can access school to experience a love of learning as they read, write and prosper.
The girl's name has been changed to protect her identiy
Girl education -
Let us pick up our pen and pencils, they are our most powerful weapon.
- Malala Yousafzai
Girls education is equally important as that of boys education. It is necessary for the development of a country since a country doesn't constitute of boys. A society needs equal balance between girls and boys education and that can be only done when both are educated.
There are certain places in our country where girls are not educated thinking that it will go waste. People only focus on boys education because they think girls will get married and go to their husband's house, then what is the need for it. But by educating a girl they can actually educate two families.
But they are not aware of the fact of educating a girl. Educating a girl means development of country, share of burden over families, social awareness, knowledge of their rights and so on. So we should educate the girl child.