SOCWE Graduation Ceremony
On June 11, 2011, a graduation ceremony for 527 SOCWE
trainees took place at Hotel Bakin in Mogadishu. The event was to celebrate
with and award certificates to the trainees who finished training courses at
SOCWE in partnership with Education Development Centre (EDC). The ceremony was
attended by members from Transitional Federal Institutions, civil Society
actors, universities, parents EDC and SOCWE team.
At first, the ceremony was opened by Ahmed Ali,
SOCWE project manager who welcomed and briefed the participants over the training
objectives and beneficiaries. Ahmed said that the training was for secondary
and university graduates who needed work readiness and proficiency skills to go
to the world of work.
On behalf of the trainees,
Sabir and Hawa Mohamed expressed their gratitude to SOCWE and EDC for the
opportunity being provided equal opportunity to train more youths towards
selective courses on work readiness and proficiency skills. Both said they were happy and welcomed the
participants on the occasion.
Abdullahi Mohamed Nor of Somali
National Youth Council (SNYC) talked in the event to encourage the youths to reconstruct
the country and lead changes to secure stable governance in Somalia. Abdullahi
said without getting the youth educated, they are not able to help the country
out of the chaos. He also praised the outreach and programs by EDC to train the
risk youth in Somalia. He quoted as,” It takes ten years to grow a tree, but
to properly nourish a person could take a hundred years. Education is the
foundation to building any country. “
Mohamed Abdirahman Wehliye,
representing EDC office in Mogadishu gave overview into SHAQODOON program
objectives which were mainly on focus to train and place youths in age bracket
of 15 – 24 who did not get chance of skill building to go the world of work. Wehliye
encouraged the youths to continue studying in skills and knowledge till scoring
the goal of changing livelihoods.
Secretary General of National Women Union, Fadumo
Osoble also spoke in the ceremony. She told Somali youths should eliminate the
bad reputation they acquired for the last 20 years and replace this by
reconstructing the country and leading a tangible change that takes place in
Somalia.
Abdulkadir Salad Abdi from Somali Youth Development
Network (SOYDEN), which is the biggest youth Network in Mogadishu, requested
TFG and International NGOs stop conditioning on 3- 5 experience over job
offering to youths. He said,” Many youth graduates apply positions advertised by
the governmental and nongovernmental institutions that the youts are fit, but
they are always told they were disqualified to be short listed because of less
job experience.”
Safiya Abokar Karani, SOCWE Chairlady, said that
her centre was assisted by EDC grant which gave opportunity of training and
placement to more than 600 trainees. Safiya told that the trainees were those
at risk and both genders were chanced to participate the training. She
recommended that such programs need to be given attention in the future.
Director General for Minstry of family and Child
development, Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Nor, speaking in the event promised that his
ministry would place around 50 female trainees who finished the training. He
said that the exact number to be placed was under discussion but would be disclosed
soon.
Finally, Director General for Ministry of labour,
youth, sports and social affairs, Mr. Aweis Sheikh Xadad, was welcomed to floor
to say his sayings. Aweis told that his ministry is obliged and responsible
ensuring that the youths are placed into the public and private institutions.
He told that besides the certificates to be awarded to the youths he would also
give out his business cards to the youths and in case of recommendation, they
could contact him at any time. After
encouraging remarks and promises by the DG, process of certificate awarding was
started. 527 youths received their certificates.
