STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- The World Bank-supported Rajo Kaaba (“Building Hope”) program has enabled over 2,700 Somali girls to access higher education and technical training, empowering a new generation of professionals in health, education, and public service.
- The project aims to equip more than 40,000 women, girls, and youths across Somalia with technical and vocational (TVET) skills to enhance employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
When Ilhan Ali Abdullahi was growing up in Ceelguula, a small town in Galmudug state, she witnessed more loss than any child her age should ever endure. Her memories are not filled with schoolyard games or childhood joys, but with the quiet grief of a community struggling to survive. Scarred by conflict, poverty, and displacement, Ceelguula had no ambulances, no clinics, and no trained health workers.
In times of emergency, people suffered in silence, and some didn’t survive. Witnessing this, Ilhan made a quiet but powerful resolution that one day she would become a nurse. “My community needs someone who can care for them, someone who understands their pain,” she says softly. “I wanted to be that person.”
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Today, Ilhan is one of 3,000 Somali girls awarded scholarships through the Somalia Empowering Women through Education and Skills (‘Rajo Kaaba’) Project, a World Bank-funded initiative implemented by Somalia’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education. The scholarships support young women pursuing studies in nursing, midwifery, and education across 25 universities in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Southwest, and Jubaland States, as well as the Banadir Region.
The Rajo Kaaba project expands access to higher education while also aiming to equip over 40,000 women, girls, and youths across Somalia with technical and vocational skills. By promoting education, practical training, and leadership opportunities, Rajo Kaaba is transforming lives and creating pathways for women’s empowerment and employment across the country.
Before the Rajo Kaaba Scholarship
Before university, Ilhan’s days revolved around caring for her younger siblings and helping her mother manage a small household. School was often interrupted, sometimes for lack of money to pay the fees, at other times due to insecurity. Even when she graduated from high school, the idea of university felt distant. There were few role models for young women in her community, and even fewer pathways to higher education. “I honestly thought it wasn’t possible,” she said. “I kept my dream alive quietly, hoping something would change.”
That change came unexpectedly. One afternoon, a teacher at her former secondary school told her about an open call for applications through the Rajo Kaaba scholarship. The application process was competitive, and Ilhan remembers being both hopeful and nervous. “I stayed up all night preparing my documents,” she recalls. “It felt like everything depended on that moment.” When the acceptance message was delivered to her, she says that “it felt like the entire weight of my future had just lifted off my shoulders. This wasn’t just for me, it was for my family and for every girl in my neighborhood who thinks she can’t make it.“
The scholarship covered her tuition, provided learning materials, and connected her with a network of mentors and peers. For the first time, she felt part of something bigger, a generation of young Somali girls rising to rebuild what years of instability had broken.
“I want to help mothers deliver safely.”
Modern University in Galkayo is now Ilhan’s academic home. Her days start early with clinical theory classes and hands-on lab sessions. “My favorite subject so far is maternal health,” she says. “I want to help mothers deliver safely, to reduce the fear so many women feel when giving birth without proper care.” Despite long hours and power cuts, Ilhan remains undeterred. When the internet is unreliable, she borrows textbooks. When lectures are canceled, she helps her peers revise. “Nursing is not just a profession, it’s a responsibility. We’re trained not just to treat, but to listen, comfort, and give hope.” Ilhan’s journey to nursing is one of thousands now unfolding across Somalia: a story of resilience, purpose, and transformation made possible by empowering girls through education.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Success!
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
Error!
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.
From dreams to leadership
“I’m not done dreaming,” she says with quiet confidence. “This is just the start. Somali girls are stepping forward to lead, to heal, to build. And we’re not turning back.” She hopes to open a women-led health outreach center in Ceelguula, offering maternal and child health services to rural and displaced communities, places that are often the last to receive care.
The journey of Ilhan, and many others like her, signals the rise of a new generation of Somali women: individuals empowered to serve, inspire, and lead their nation’s journey toward resilience, equity, and inclusive growth. That is what the Rajo Kaaba scholarship program is seeking to achieve.
This feature was developed by Hussein Mohamed.
