Mindigale village is 45 KM from Badan district in Sanaag region. It neighbors Awsane village from the East, Rad village from the North, Habarshiro village from the South and Golis mountains from the West. The village was established in 1976.
CARE’s UKAid funded Somali Girls’ Education Promotion Project (SOMGEP) aims at increasing the number of girls in rural areas of Somaliland, Puntland and Galmudug who access, receive and complete a quality education. In Badan district, SOMGEP is supporting 3 primary schools with Community Education Committee (CEC) training, gender and child protection awareness, provision of partial scholarships, conduction of Parent teacher forums, Construction and rehabilitation of classes, provision of teaching and learning materials and literacy and numeracy training.
Fatima Ahmed Naleye is a 43 year old woman lived in Mindigale in Badan district Sanaag Region, Puntland state of Somalia. She is one of the parents at Mindigale primary school. Somali Girls Education Promotion – SOMGEPP project (Kobcinta Waxbarashada Gabdhaha in Somali language) is initiative funded by CARE International and implemented by Tadamun Social Society (TASS) Care International local partner established Non Formal Education (NFE) classes at her school in Mindigale village as part of project (SOMGEP) output activities. The NFE classes were meant for Students/mothers to assist/ help in their children’s home work. From past project experiences literacy is found to be an essential skill/ knowledge that contributes and influences in priority setting and change of attitude in terms of girls’ education.
Fatima heard about the establishment of NFE classes from head teacher and the CEC chairperson under the SOMGEP project at her village and learning materials will be given to mothers of the evening classes and the main subjects taught in the evening classes are; Maths, Somalia and Islamic studies. Immediately she joined the established NFE class at her school and started learning literacy and numeracy.
Fatima said “before the establishment of non-formal classes I did not had any relationship with my children about their education performances but after I joined the evening classes I had very close relationship and came to know who among my children – five school aged girls (one in grade one, two in grade two and two in grade three)– performance well in Maths, Somalia languages and Arabic (the subjects that are taught in the evening classes for mothers’) she added that I usually discuss and ask them (the children) to help me in working out the school homework at night at home and that is how I come know who is performance well on what subject among my children who are all in lower/elementary classes at Mindigale primary school in Mindigale village Badan district and my home turn to be a small private school”.