BAIDOA (Baraarug) – Abdalla Deerow Primary and Secondary School, an all-girls institution in Baidoa, is facing a critical funding gap after NGOs that previously supported the school were affected by cuts in U.S. foreign aid this year.
The school, which was officially opened in June 2006, was named after the late Abdalla Deerow Isak—a former constitutional minister and speaker of the Somali parliament—who was assassinated by terrorist groups in Baidoa.
Today, the school serves 1,578 students, all of them girls, attending both morning and afternoon classes.
According to the school principal, Maano Mohamed Nur, the aim of establishing the school was “to provide education exclusively for girls who either lacked access to education or could not afford school fees.”
Girls’ education in Somalia remains fraught with challenges, rooted in cultural, economic, and security-related issues.
Traditional social norms often prioritize boys’ education, while girls are expected to stay home, marry early, or care for household duties.
In many low-income families, school expenses—such as uniforms, learning materials, and transport—are unaffordable, and boys are given priority.
Insecurity in certain regions and the threat of violence further deter girls from attending school, particularly for internally displaced girls facing unstable conditions.
Infrastructure issues also pose a significant barrier. The school’s facilities are under strain, and the lack of separate toilets, menstrual hygiene kits, and sufficient sanitation equipment forces many adolescent girls to stay home during their periods.
NGOs previously helped fill these gaps, but that support has now dwindled.
“The NGOs used to provide hygiene kits for the girls, learning materials like white chalks, and sanitation equipment,” Principal Maano said. “But now, the NGOs are facing their own challenges, and we no longer receive the assistance we used to have.”
Sixteen-year-old Jamila Abdiwahab, now in Form Three of secondary school, must navigate these obstacles daily.
“The challenge I face is that my school is far from our house,” she said. “When it rains, the road gets flooded and full of potholes, making it impassable. On those days, I cannot go to school.”
Climate-related issues like flooding have only worsened the situation in Baidoa. Still, despite the challenges, many girls are determined to continue their education.
Fourteen-year-old Anisa Ali Hassan, also in Form Three, said, “I don’t like staying at home. Education is important. I would tell other girls that staying at home will not bring you anything. I urge you to go to school. Get an education for yourselves—it will help your family and your future.”
Another concern raised by Principal Maano is early marriage, which continues to be a major barrier for girls’ education in Somalia.
“When a girl is educated, she benefits herself, her family, her parents, and the entire country,” Maano said. “An educated girl represents an educated whole society. If a girl receives an education, she influences the entire community.”
In Baidoa, some young women drop out of school after early marriages end in divorce or abandonment, leaving them with children and no support.
This situation leads many to feel hopeless or isolated. But Maano emphasized that it’s never too late to return to school.
“Even if a man once deceived you into early marriage, and now you have one or two children and have been left alone—you can still learn,” she said.
“No one is too old to learn. Education is not about age; it’s about your desire. Education is open and free for you. Come to Abdalla Deerow School—we welcome and support every girl who wants to learn.”