[Somali-Americans vow to rebuild Somalia through increased access to education]

Atlanta, GA-March 24, 2010- When people think of Somalia, they think of a two decade old civil war, widespread piracy, and abject poverty. Somali and American Fund for Education (SAFE) is, however, convinced this is not the whole story.  SAFE is a nonprofit organization founded by Somali-Americans in 2008 that focuses on rebuilding Somalia by providing educational opportunities for the youth growing up in Somalia today. “The images we see on the news about Somalia are very negative, but supporting important causes can have a very positive impact.  Education is the key, especially for girls,” said Hodan Guled, SAFE Founder and Managing Director.  

To date, SAFE has raised $10,000 for Abaarso Tech, a high school in northwest Somalia, to help educate girls. The organization believes that young women will be instrumental in changing their country because a girl who has an education is more likely to contribute to the economic productivity of the next generation.   

Education opportunities are limited for the majority of children in Somalia with only 1 out of 5 primary school aged children enrolled in school. The enrollment rates are less for girls; girls account for less than 30 percent of children in primary schools. SAFE is supporting local education initiatives to increase enrollment rates for K-12 schools. In this effort, the organization solicits proposals from local schools and organizations focused on education development in Somalia. “Communities all over Somalia are ready to educate their children, if given the opportunity. Our efforts empower these communities to initiate sustainable education programs for their children,” said Hodan.  

SAFE awards grants annually; the next request for proposals will be released on April 15, 2010. 

Contact:

Hodan Guled

Email:

www.safeeducation.org