Development Ratings

In 2008, over 25,000 young people, mainly women, in Somaliland/Somalia completed the distance learning courses I and III. This includes internally displaced people, young people on a nomads’ course, and a children’s UNICEF course.

Beneficiary numbers are under-estimates as friends & family members often listen to the radio programmes and attend classes. After a BBC survey, it is estimated that around 250,000 people benefit indirectly from hearing educational radio programmes, including in neighbouring Somali communities in Kenya and Ethiopia. (There is demand from these areas for CDs of the programmes and the textbooks and materials to carry out the courses.) Volunteer teachers receive training and a training stipend and benefit from improved status locally. 2,000 secondary and 8,000 primary students can now sit annual local examinations in Somaliland under the new examinations systems and buildings. The secondary examinations are recognised for university entrance internally and in neighbouring countries. The examination centres and systems are also used by other people for sitting professional exams such as for nursing and police qualifications, spreading the impact. In addition, 500 young people were trained in vocational skills during the year. A sample taken for a mid-term evaluation shows some significant changes in skills, opportunities and job prospects for most people.

In Southern Sudan, in 2008, teacher training and salary payments in 100 primary & 100 secondary schools benefited ~200,000 students. 300 people completed an adult literacy course, and 2,500 an IT course. 200 people in Southern Sudan, Somaliland and Somalia have completed a distance learning certificate course in Public Administration and Management by Distance Teaching. In 2007, 21 people achieved the Advance Certificate. Several students are working towards the Post-Graduate Certificate and Master’s degrees. 2,000 staff members of local government, NGOs & schools were trained in 2008 in English and basic computing.

In Swaziland, 120 HIV/AIDS orphans were supported in secondary education. Work is developing in Uganda, where 30 ‘school mothers’ where trained to support 400 girls in each school with problems such as self confidence, sexual predation or bullying. 6 primary schools have had libraries built to benefit 400 pupils each. In Kenya, 40 orphans are supported in school from a grant a donation from a law firm that won a legal class action case against the British Army when it was based there.

In the UK, 15 small emergency scholarship grants of around £450 were awarded for students of African origin to study in the UK, as well as 7 larger scholarships. Community research and advocacy courses continued.

The cost of support for direct beneficiaries includes training and building construction work. The radio broadcasts are a cost-efficient way of reaching a much wider audience that is used to an aural tradition.

Recent evaluations were carried out on library use. In some cases, librarian training had not had the desired effect, but student use and demand of the relevant resources is very high. Local language pamphlets are extremely valuable literacy tools for primary and adult learners. A mid-term evaluation in 2006 found AET to be very successful in increasing the number of literate Somali people. There were some recommendations for dealing with local office work overload and vocational skills targeting issues which have been addressed.