Garowe, Puntland –Somali Family Services organized and conducted a radio/IEC materials development workshop with support of Educate A Child (EAC) project.

The aim of three days workshop is to develop radio advocacy and IEC materials/messages for all SFS/DANDOR/SHILICON/EAC Project targeted locations in All district targeted by EAC project partners. SFS has invited 10 participants from MoE, UNICEF and EAC project partners to the workshop. In attendance were officials from UNICEF, MoE&HE, EAC project other partners including Mr. Said Mohamed, The Late Ms. Woki Munyi, Mrs. Meriall Davis, UNICEF, Mr. Mohamed Ismail Finnin, Director of Formal Education, Mr. Abdinasir Hirsi, Director of TVET and EAC project focal person, Mr. Ali Mahdi, Ms. Idley, SHILICON and Mr. Khalif Hassan, DANDOR, Mohamed Hassan, SFS and Samatar Sooyan, SFS/Radio Sahan.

The workshop had started at 9 am in which Mr. Mohamed Hassan, representing Somali Family Services (SFS) took the lead by making opening remarks by asking the participants to make a quick introduction and made an introductory presentation on objector and theme of the workshop. The participants were asked to set ground rules and share their expectation for these three days workshop.

During the workshop, UNICEF made a presentation on communication for development (C4D) and shared the participants’ samples of developed IEC materials. Said, UNICEF informed the participants to develop should be simple, appropriate, context centered and child/community friendly. Also she requested SFS and other EAC project agencies to print few IEC materials and to share with communities and other stakeholders from project targeted locations. The key characteristics of good IEC materials are quality image, bigger size and simple message as shared by the facilitators.

In conclusion, the workshop developed key messages for Radio and IEC materials and these messages were in English version However, Mr. Abdinasir, EAC focal person, MoE volunteered to translate it into Somali. The developed messages are as follows in both version (English and Somali)

• Send all girls and boys to school : Reduce poverty( Photo: Happy boys and girls going/in school compound/ classroom setting)
• Caruurteena aynu u dirno waxbarashada si aynu u dabargoyna faqriga
• Education is light, use it to light your community(Photo: Young educated elite in Puntland e.g Nurse attending to patient, bankers, doctors)
• Aqoontu waa iftiin, ee aynu ku iftiimino bulshadeena.
• Father and Mother support your son and daughters education (Photo: A parent helping a child with school homework)
• Aabe iyo Hooyo  taageer waxbarashada wiilkaga iyo gabadhaada.
• Every child in Puntland has a right to quality education: Every parent has responsibility to send their children to school( Photo: inclusive photo such as a boy herding goats,  disable, an IDP and marginalized child attending school)
• Ilmo kasta oo Puntlandi ah wuxuu xaq u leeyahay inuu helo waxbarasho tayo leh, sidaa darteed waalidka waxaa masuuliyadi ka saaran tahay inay caruurta u diraan dugsiga.
• Let us unite to educate our children {photo: community members building a school e.g teachers, religious leaders, women , children, government-MoE&HE, private companies )
• Bulshooy aynu u midowno waxbaridda ilmaheena
• Student of today is tomorrow’s leader: Invest in your children‘s education(Photo: Role models accepted in the community level)
• Ardayda maanta waa hogaamiyaha barri, sidaa darteed aynu maalgasho ilmahadeena si aynu u helno hogaaimye wanaagsan.
• Every child in Puntland has a right to quality education: MoE&HE is fully supporting you (Photo: The minister addressing children/community)
• Ardayga walba oo Puntlandi ah wuxuu xaq u leeyahay waxbarasho tayo leh, Wasarada Waxbarashada iyo Tacliinta sarena si buuxda bay u taageersan tahay.
• Buug iyo qalin baa barwaaqo lagu gaaraa
• U Dadaal Carruurtaada, oo U dir dugsiyadda

SFS will print 500 T-shirts and 1,000 posters for advocacy and produce 3 billboards with advocacy messages on education. The posters will be distributed by SFS, Dandor and Shilicon to the project targeted locations. The workshop achieved its goals and the objective as key messages were developed and endorsed by participants from MoE&HE. The participants were in session for half a day and SFS organized and served the workshop participants with refreshment.

During workshop closure, Mr. Abdinasir Hirsi, Director of TVET, MoE & EAC project focal person said, “I can confirm of my outmost support and that MoE to EAC project partners for the smooth implementation of the project.

#######

For more information, please contact Mohamed Hassan at mohamed.hassan@ussf.org or visit www.ussfs.org.