April 09, 2013 – Secondary school graduates have been urged to take an informed decision when selecting the course and university of their choice, as they prepare to join local and overseas universities.
The students are introduced to various subjects and are given the chance to ask questions about their course of choice.
On 27th October IFTIN Foundation held a community event at the Waberi District Commission office, a venue recently made accessible to persons with physical disabilities. The objective of the event was to acknowledge the Waberi District Commission’s purposeful decision to renovate their offices to make them accessible. In total, 47 participants (16 females; 31 males) attended the event. Deputy Social Affairs Commissioner Mr. Ali Abdulkadir Farah said, “We have purposefully decided to implement this disability friendly spaces as persons with physical disabilities represent a large number of the community in the district and to make sure PWDs access basic services of the district”. He also pledged to support IFTIN’s awareness raising activities to make sure PWDs are included in public and political life. Mr. Abdullahi Hassan Hussein (Chairperson of the National Disability cluster) said, “We are happy that we have full access to district services and got served as normal citizens”. The event served to highlight how improving physical accessibility to public spaces for PWDs provides them with opportunities to engage with local government officials. It was also intended to set an example for other government authorities to emulate. The event was covered by the media and video clips are available on the following links:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=406460536913174
Deputy Social Affairs Commissioner of Waberi District Mr. Ali Abdulkadir Farah pledging to support IFTIN’s work on increasing PWDs accessibility for public participation (27 October in Mogadishu).
Iftin Foundation getting the support from BUILD project held two-day roundtable meeting for people with disabilities on October 19th -20th, on public places’ accessibility for PWDs targeting 20 representatives from 13 PWDs and Youth CSOs. The two consecutive day roundtable meeting for public accessibilities for people with disabilities was about to find and realize the easiest and suitable ways which public accessibility for People with disabilities can be promoted in order to enhance with the public participation of PWDs while focusing on the rights of PWDs for public spaces/places in Mogadishu and address current limitations and challenges in accessing public spaces and its consequence on their political and socio-economic participation. In both sessions, PWDs participants appreciated the roundtable meeting as they shared their frustration of lack of accessibility in the past and were encouraged to try and engage in attempting to remedy that.
The two day Session’s key speakers note
During the discussion of findings conducted by Iftin Foundation, some of the participants discussed that the public places required implementing an accessible facility for PWDs concerns different public institutions and private organizations, so it would need to discuss this issue with those different organizations/institutions, while some others said that that problem is not only lack of public places’ ramps accessibility but even banks counters and sign languages translators as well as the worshiping places like mosque needs to make accesses.
In the discussion, it was suggested that people with disability are too much different and their needs are too different therefore it will be good to distinguish categories like1-5 levels. The level one is the most vulnerable groups are blind and wheelchair users while level 5 are normal group with physical disabilities. Mohamed Salad Ali “If this work would be started early by Creative and Iftin, the disable people would be more active in time”.
Abdullahan Hassan Osman “Ramps accessibility is very good but it needs to ask banks and remittance and business to arrange counters/boots for wheelchair holder and toilets should be included the accessibility because most of the disable persons are not able to use other normal toilets”.
Participants have emphasized it is necessary to have legal framework regulate with disable community as to have basic rights for PWD. Ismail Ahmed Ali, “sign language and the braille are not included National curriculum in the schools therefore we need to have legal rights since we have many students who have this condition and have right to learn like any other citizen in the country”.
Most of the participants discussed that accessibility is first importance but they said accessibility is not only wheelchair ramps but also artificial legs are also key for accessibility and it facilitates participation and active role play of some disable people, Halawai Sheikh Dahir “The artificial legs are very important for accessibility because I would not arrive this fruitful discussion meeting without having with artificial legs”.
A participant welcomed the assessment data and rated is excellent according to their perspectives. Omar Abdi Omar “it is one we needed but it would be great to reach more public places in order to succeed more places to make accessible facilities”. Mr. Omar said that they are so much happy the seriousness of Iftin, “Iftin Foundation and its sponsors are on the path of supporting for PWDs”.
Some participants that are some public service provider places like CID, Passport Center, Banadir Municipality which disable people have some difficulties and said they would like to create particular office for PWDs in those centers to ease their service accessibility. The most point of view of the participants was to engage unified campaign awareness messages securing PWDs rights, “To invite PWDs representatives and give speak role within other non-disable community event can be important tool for awareness of PWD’s issues dissemination”
Abdinasir Jim’ale (deaf),“Deaf people able to go anywhere but when they arrive their destination, services providers don’t understand them therefore we need to pressure them to hire people know sign language”, Abdinasir discussed that business owners, public institution managers and government staff and policemen to learn sign language is part of accessibility therefore they should learn it”.
Abdullahi Hassan Hussein, “We as disable people have not effective connection with normal Community because they are not understanding our real situation therefore awareness for public is very considerable”.
During the 2days roundtable debate was discussed the economic situation of PWDs and participants said that most demandable ideas for PWDs are business startups and would need microfinance support to build their future and become independent.
All participants satisfied hard work of Iftin Foundation and they also thank USAID and Creative for their funding technical support for the People with Disability in Somalia.
September 2019
IFTIN FOUNDATION with guidance form the CRPD expert and BUILD project of Creative Associates International, conducted a set of six questions to be responded to when conducting field visits. IFTIN also recruited 10 volunteers from PWD serving CSOs (8 men and 2 women), provided them with a brief of the field assessment (full questionnaire found below) approach and ensured that they understood the assessment tool that was drafted and we have managed to reach 13 public service provider locations.
In line with the general purpose of the project, the political and social life of people with disabilities, Iftin Foundation conducted seven (7) day field assessment (10th – 16th September, 2019) at public service facilities in Mogadishu that made it possible an access for people with physical disabilities, especially where those with physical disabilities are able to access their services without the need for further assistance. This assessment was data carried out from the field in details and findings obtained during the assessment period that 29.2% public places provide service facilities suited their places an accessibility for the people with disabilities, while other 70.8% their services were inaccessible by the people with disabilities. In other side during the assessment also noted that 100% of the public space service providers have positive perception and humanity feeling people with disabilities to have accessible and comfortable facilities and services in the community but most of them don’t have any knowledge about this issue of public service inclusivity.
In details the findings also were discovered that 4 spaces out of the 13 selected places which equivalent 30.8% have accessible design for people with disabilities, and 1 place is naturally accessible without any deliberate design for serving of people with disabilities while other 8 places which equivalent 61.5% have no accessible service for People living with disabilities. The 84.6% of the respondents from key public spaces visited responded that there is need to have access of people with disabilities for the facilities of public places by marked strongly agree and 15.4% respondents selected agreed in the assessment form provided while there is no anyone refused.
This shows it would need more awareness raising about the disability issues and conduct more strategic advocacy, in order to increase social and community awareness of the disabilities and community inclusion rights.
Additionally and funds permitting, IFTIN will consider the following interventions in the future;
To engage high level awareness programs for the public in order to bring the attention of the people that people with disabilities are active and great number of the community.
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Iftin Foundation working with Putland chamber of comer implemented Workshop Meeting among Female Graduates and Employers in Galka’yo on 15th June 2015. The workshop meeting targeted with the relation between young elite women graduates and their potential employers in the location galka’yo and participated local organizations, business companies and the government institutions in the area.
Mohamed Ismail, the Secretary General of Galkacyo of the Putland Chamber of commerce opened the workshop in briefly introduced the role of Fursad project on the female graduates in Somalia at large while Nasro, the project coordinator of Fursad explained the main terms behind to implement this bright work for female graduates.
Nasro first talked about that currently male university graduates have better employment opportunities than female graduates because of their networking opportunities and sent her last message to companies, organizations, government and the general public in order to minimize opportunities inequalities and normalize the community common participation.
Mr. Said from Red Sea Company has explained that there are some companies that can employ women and others that cannot due to the nature of their business which important to change that negative culture and attitude. Sheik Abdishakur, from Amal Bank said he agrees much to what Mr. Said has said. He added that he knows that women who spent most of their time in education and should support and empower with women to establish nation with inclusive aspiration.
Abdiwahid from Shell Company, Sheik Mohamed from OPEC Company, Asma Abdullahi, from Puntland University, Faduma Hussein from East Africa University and the Farhiya from Galkayo International University discussed their views regarding admitting the positive and crucial role of women on the community development.
Iftin Foundation collaborating with Puntland Chambers of Commerce held dialogue about the Role of Businesses, NGOs and Government on female graduates in Garowe on 7th June 2015. The occasion which was organized as the high level meeting among the above three entities discussed their effective roles on young female graduate employment and career development.
Ahmed Ali Ugas, the executive director of iftin Foundation and Mr. Abduqadir, the chairman of Putland chamber of commerce welcomed and thanked together for all guests from government, NGOs, private companies and civil societies for attending this wonderful session and announced that session is open. After thanking and opening the dialogue Mr. Ugas talked about the importance of this theme” The role of business, NGO’s and government on female graduates job placement” and how it’s vital to talked about and discuss it overly.
Discussion Outcome
The facilitator briefly introduced Iftin foundation and their initiate project named ”FURSAD” with the participants for the aim of prompting job placement of female grandaunts in public and private sector. Mrs. Nasro, the project coordinator gave details to the subject and why they choose? She appreciated the attendants and talked about how FURSAD was initiated and reaches this position, she remarked that recently Iftin Foundation had been working on education sector in the entire Somali regions and this project named Fursad was out of the programs that Iftin Foundation was established and worked for recent years. Nasro continued her speech and noted that the main aim of FURSAD project is to promote and advocate job placement of female graduates in private companies, because most of private companies don’t provide and employ female in their settings and that may have negative impact on their physical, mental and, economic and social development. Furthermore noted that Iftin Foundation had done several studies on young female graduate’s job placement in private sectors, and they discovered that 20.5% of female worker employ education sector. I.e. schools, nursery, and higher institute and so on. And on least ranking percent was telecommunication sector. Finally noted that Iftin Foundation have developed a database which helps young female graduate to submit their CV’s and also enable other interesting private companies to sort out their job candidates from the website.www.fursad.so
Iftin Foundation organized the first Secondary School girls Competition during the holy month of Ramadan (July 8 – August 7, 2013). The program was exclusively attended by female representatives from 32 of Mogadishu’s most popular schools and was broadcast on both Radio Iftin and Kalsan TV. As the first of its kind, the program inspired girls to stay in school, compete for prizes, learn from each other.
Majority of radio stations in Mogadishu broadcast quizzes and contests among various districts or schools of Mogadishu during the Holy month of Ramadan. However, as a male-dominated society, female participants have a little role, if any in such competitions. For example, in 2012 a quick survey revealed that the female participation of such quizzes was lower than 20%.
Objectives:
The objectives of this project were:
Beneficiaries:
The program was broadcast on Mogadishu’s Radio Iftin and Kalsan Tv and has reached more than 100,000 students and their families. The program attracted the attention of:
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