Campaign Status

Ongoing Offline: The campaign is currently ongoing offline and, thus still in the process of collecting funds.

Summary

The campaign aims to launch an online interactive British school to educate 1,000 students yearly.

Challenge

There are currently three million students out of school in Somalia due to the prolonged civil war, poverty, and lack of access. Those fortunate enough to attend school often encounter issues such as overcrowded classrooms, inadequate sanitation, and a shortage of essential materials like books. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges, forcing children out of the classroom to curb the spread of the virus.

According to USAID, one out of every five Somali school-aged children is displaced. USAID's assessments also reveal that even those children attending school may not be learning. Somalia boasts one of the world's lowest enrollment rates for primary schools, with only 30% of children in attendance, and of that, only 40% are girls.

Many students across the country find themselves caught in a cycle of poor performance and demotivation, leading to disengagement from school. Poor academic performance at age 15 significantly increases the risk of dropping out altogether, posing long-term consequences for both individuals and society as a whole. A nation's economic growth is severely compromised when a substantial portion of the population lacks basic skills.

This pressing need for affordable and accessible virtual schools with relevant and modern curricula has prompted various organizations and private institutions to respond. However, many are not leveraging scalable technology and quality curricula to address the issue nationally. Our initiative initially targets Mogadishu and Garowe, with plans to expand to all major urban areas in the country as capacity grows. The initial goal is to benefit 1,000 students, with a projected reach of almost 100,000 students in the next five years. The expected beneficiaries comprise 48% male and 52% female.

Examining the education system, according to the Somali National Development Plan (NDP-9), only three percent of schools are rated in good condition. Enrollment rates, especially for early childhood and primary school, are low, with teacher-to-student ratios ranging from 1:35 to 1:40. The rate of qualified teachers at the secondary school level is less than 35%. The Somali Health and Demographic Survey (SHFS) phase 2 reports low Gross Enrolment Rates (GER) across the country, with only 33% of primary school-aged children enrolled. This is notably lower than the average of 74% in low-income sub-Saharan countries. Net Enrolment Rates (NER) for children aged 6–9 years are the lowest, ranging between 22% and 30%.

Somalia currently ranks 165th out of 170 countries on the Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Solution

After extensive brainstorming and observation for over a year, we resolved to address the poor quality of education in our country by establishing a virtual school—a solution we believe aligns with our overarching goals. To implement this vision, we reached out to numerous companies locally and abroad, ultimately selecting one in Hyderabad, India.

Unfortunately, our initial enthusiasm was met with adversity. Despite our payment of 70% for app development, the chosen company declared bankruptcy. After months of unresponsiveness, they shared only a UI/UX design, signaling the end of our first attempt. This setback, however, served as a valuable lesson. We delved into various e-learning apps, studied emerging educational technologies, and acknowledged the necessity of utilizing a Letter of Credit (LC) in dealings with foreign entities.

Undeterred by the setback, we embarked on a second attempt, opting for a crowdfunding campaign to realize our mission of enhancing education quality in the country. We aim to launch Mire Virtual School—a low-cost ($5/month) and fully interactive British online school for Primary and Lower Secondary education (Grades 1 - 9), focusing on English, Science, Math, and ICT. Additionally, we aspire to introduce Pearson IGCSE and A-Level courses as a stretch goal.

Our mission is to make education accessible, providing children with skills crucial for success in our technology-driven world. Key objectives include:

• Developing an accessible and affordable child-friendly website and mobile application.
• Implementing a modern, interactive British Curriculum.
• Educating children from low-income families and enrolling low-performing students nationwide.