unicef somalia schools as zones of peace programme...teachers, and ministry officials to see the...

CASE STUDY

UNICEF Somalia Schools as Zones of Peace

Programme

A case study reviewing the expected and unexpected impacts of the UNICEF Somalia’s Schools as

Zones of Peace programme implementation through Child to Child Clubs in Garowe on the student

(individual), school, family unit, and community level. This case study explores different levels and

approaches to the programme’s implementation, conflict issues that have been handled, changes in

participants (children and youth) capabilities and participation in the Clubs, and perception changes on

this level towards children’s contribution as peacebuilders and policy. The Schools as Zones of Peace

programme is a part of UNICEF’s larger, Peacebuilding, Education, and Advocacy programme.

JUNE 2015

Rebecca Herrington

Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation Specialist- UNICEF

Search for Common Ground

1601 Connecticut Ave NW Washington, DC 20009 USA

+1 202 265 4300

[email protected]

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Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 3

Acronyms ....................................................................................................................................................... 4

Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 5

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 7

Overview of Schools as Zones of Peace (SZOP) programme ................................................................. 7

Overview of SZOP Programme Objectives ............................................................................................ 7

Purpose of Case Study ........................................................................................................................... 8

Case Study Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 9

Overview of Context and Demographics of Participants ............................................................................ 10

Thematic Review of Findings ....................................................................................................................... 13

Value of Peacebuilding ............................................................................................................................ 13

KAP Survey ............................................................................................................................................... 15

KAP survey- Trust and Tolerance ............................................................................................................. 16

KAP survey- Civic and Social Participation ............................................................................................... 18

KAP survey- Inclusion in Governance Processes ..................................................................................... 20

KAP survey- Attitudes towards Social Services ........................................................................................ 21

KAP survey- Constructive dispute resolution .......................................................................................... 23

Gender Considerations ............................................................................................................................ 25

Additional Findings by Participant Group .................................................................................................... 27

Club Members.......................................................................................................................................... 27

Facilitator/Catalyst................................................................................................................................... 28

School Attitudes ....................................................................................................................................... 29

Identified Needs for Strengthening SZOP Programme/CtC Clubs ............................................................... 31

Final Recommendations and Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 32

Annexes........................................................................................................................................................ 35

1. Case Study Terms of Reference ........................................................................................................ 36

2. Schools as Zones of Peace PCA......................................................................................................... 44

3. List of Child to Child Clubs in Puntland............................................................................................. 48

4. List of Guiding Questions for Interviews .......................................................................................... 50

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Acknowledgements

Marleen Renders, Programme Specialist Peace-building and Resilience at UNICEF Somalia

Support Centre, for her initiation of this case study and support throughout.

The wonderful practitioners working on the UNICEF Somalia Team dedicated to serving in

education to improve the lives of children and youth throughout Somalia.

The Puntland Student Consultancy Association for help coordinating with the schools and sharing

their insights and information on the SZOP programme.

The schools: Kaalo Women Primary and Intermediate School, Alxikma B Primary and

Intermediate School, Darwiish Primary and Intermediate School, Xaji Aaden Primary and

Intermediate School, and Alwaaxa A Primary and Intermediate School. For setting aside time and

actively engaging in sharing their experiences.

The UNICEF ESARO Regional Office for their review and insight on the case study.

And, the Government of the Netherlands for providing generous funding for the UNICEF

Peacebuilding, Advocacy, and Education programme

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Acronyms

CEC Community Education Committee

CtC Child to Child

KAP Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice

MOE Ministry of Education

PBEA Peacebuilding, Education, and Advocacy

PSCA Puntland Student Consultancy Association

SFCG Search for Common Ground

SZOP Schools as Zones of Peace

UNICEF UN International Children’s Education Fund

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Executive Summary

The Schools as Zones of Peace (SZOP) programme was implemented through UNICEF’s larger

Peacebuilding, Education, and Advocacy programme, working to demonstrate the peacebuilding

dividends of education. UNICEF Somalia utilized the existent Child to Child club model that had

previously focused solely on life skills and mobilization of out of school children, and expanded

the curriculum to include dialogue on conflict issues, reflections on peacebuilding, and training

in non-violent dispute resolution for children and youth in selected primary schools. Working

with the Ministry of Education and Puntland Student Consultant Association as an implementing

partner, 50 schools were selected throughout Puntland to participate.

The pilot Child to Child (CtC) club curriculum has been implemented for six to eight months

(depending on the school) in Garowe as of April 2015. UNICEF Somalia requested this case

study to better understand the intended and unintended preliminary outcomes of the pilot, as well

as most successful implementation strategies in order to develop a structured module for scaling

of the initiative and mainstreaming of the conflict module throughout the CtC interventions

across Somalia.

The preliminary evidence gathered in this case study shows increased engagement and

responsibility from students participating in the CtC clubs, reduction in the number of conflicts

that occur in schools with successful implementation of the clubs, and more respect for the

capabilities of students by the head teachers and other school faculty where clubs have been the

most active. Key findings related to increased individual capacity are:

• Direct engagement by students from the CtC club in addressing conflicts between

students, and between students and teachers at the school, as well as during

extracurricular activities outside the school;

• Increased knowledge and value of peacebuilding as an important solution to tribalism,

clan fighting, and more largely for Somalia, as expressed by students and seen through a

reduction in the number of conflicts occurring at the implementing schools;

• And, a heightened sense of responsibility for students from the CtC club, leading to better

school management, demonstration of care for the surroundings of their community, and

proactive outreach to collaborate with other schools and provide education access to

those deemed less fortunate.

At the community level, there have been some perception changes among the head teachers and

catalysts interviewed regarding the capabilities of students and their roles as peacebuilders in the

community, but this exists only where implementation has been the most successful. Where there

has been a reduction in conflicts at the school, the head teachers also mentioned parents were

more positive about sending their children to school, but were not necessarily attributing this to

the clubs or even aware of the club’s existence in some cases. The community outreach aspects

of the programme have not been fully realized as of yet and were not clearly communicated to all

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engaged parties at the beginning of implementation. Where community outreach activities have

been student-initiated, for example at Alwaaxa Primary, it will be important to try and capsulate

the success they have had in order to foster more community engagement at other schools.

On the structural level, regarding the Ministry of Education and policy implications, there were

no changes seen through this case study. Overall, there is strong preliminary evidence that the

SZOP Child to Child clubs are an effective means of incorporating peacebuilding into school

environments with strong potential for far-reaching impacts on the individual and community

levels. It will be essential to capitalize on the best implementation practices seen so far for any

continuing support, expansion, or further development of the programme, as well as a more

expansive evaluation of the programme after slightly longer implementation.

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Introduction

Overview of Schools as Zones of Peace (SZOP) programme

Schools as Zones of Peace Project (SZOP) is a school-based peacebuilding programme utilizing

Child to Child clubs within the schools to dialogue about peace, conflict issues in the community,

train children and youth in non-violent dispute resolution techniques, and engage in community

outreach with different groups. This project equips children and youth in the selected schools to

facilitate conflict resolution at the school and community level, as well as empowers children,

teachers, and ministry officials to see the child’s potential as agents of peace. Overall, the

programme aims to increase a sense of social cohesion in schools and surrounding communities.

The Ministry of Education helped to identify 50 major schools in Bari, Nugal, Karkaar, Sanaag,

Sool, and Mudug regions to directly benefit from SZOP. Existing Child to Child (CtC) school

clubs in the 50 identified schools are the main avenue for organizing and undertaking the

peacebuilding activities. One facilitator within each school, also known as a ‘catalyst’, went

through training on the “Six- step” process of CtC facilitation to help children identify issues and

concerns in their schools and communities, learn life skills, discuss, debate and resolve issues,

and prepare peace day events.

Activities of the clubs include after-school meetings addressing context-specific issues identified

by the catalyst and students themselves. For example, the impact of tribalism in the classroom

became a topic in response to the types of conflicts students experienced on a regular basis. This

discussion resulted in a drama to better demonstrate the harm and alternative outcome to

common conflicts around tribalism that occur at the school. Dramas like this, along with posters,

poems and songs that all focus on different aspects of peace then become part of school

assemblies and community outreach events run by the CtC club members. The development and

implementation of such skills and activities aims to increase the capacity of school children,

parents, teachers and community members to prevent, reduce and cope with conflict and promote

peace.

Overview of SZOP Programme Objectives

The SZOP Programme Goal is to: Increase sense of social cohesion in school communities.

The outcomes of the programme each relate to a different level of desired change (individual,

community, and structural); the CtC facilitators/catalysts, children and youth and their

community, and Ministry of Education Officials, or a larger policy-oriented level of change.

Each of these objectives was incorporated into the questions and discussion items of the

interviews and focus groups conducted for this case study to aid with identification of

preliminary results.

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• Outcome 1: CtC facilitators gain the skills to actively promote child participation and

engagement around critical peacebuilding issues in schools.

• Outcome 2: Increased participation of children in addressing conflict issues affecting

their schools and communities.

• Outcome 3: Ministry of Education officials develop more positive attitudes regarding the

role of children in addressing peacebuilding issues affecting their schools and

communities.

Purpose of Case Study

The case study was conducted to support UNICEF Somalia staff and the in-country

implementing partner to collect evidence and determine the expected and unexpected impacts of

the SZOP programme on the student (individual), school, family unit, and community level thus

far. The process was aimed at identifying what works best and what has been tried and does not

work to facilitate development of a structured module for scaling of this intervention. This case

study will aim to;

• Help identify and utilize preliminary evidence and existent best practices;

• Improve quality facilitation of the Child to Child clubs;

• And, develop a deeper understanding of the factors impacting implementation that have

been seen thus far from the programming implemented in Garowe.

Garowe was selected as the focal point of this case study due to security and time constraints,

and as such lessons learned and evidence of impact will need to be compared and validated from

other regions and a larger selection of schools. Emphasis during the interviews and focus groups

was placed on the following programme components;

• Behavioral changes among programme beneficiaries, especially application of non-

violent dispute resolution practices;

• Shifts in children and youth’s capabilities and level of engagement at school and in their

communities;

• Impact of individual capacity building (children and youth) on community capacity in

peacebuilding;

• And, the role of the Ministry of Education in this initiative, including policy and

perception changes around children’s contribution as peacebuilders.

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Case Study Methodology

The case study methodology adhered to the principles of research ethics as put forth by

UNICEF1. It was necessary for this case study to engage with children and youth as they are the

direct beneficiaries of the SZOP programme. Children and youth participating in the focus

groups were well-informed of the purpose of the focus group and how their responses were to be

used, with specific efforts made to ensure privacy and confidentiality. Any concerns from the

participants were addressed before proceeding with the activities. Informed consent was obtained

from all participants before any activities proceeded, both in regards to participation in the focus

group and recording of the focus group. The selection of participants was equitable and non-

discriminatory. The results of the case study will be shared with participants through the

implementing partner, Puntland Student Consultancy Association (PSCA), in an accessible

manner, taking any security and protection issues into consideration.

Five schools from the Garowe region were selected, through consultation with the UNICEF

Somalia team and PSCA, as the focus for this case study, consisting of a mixture of those

demonstrating through observation and anecdotal evidence the best, worst, and average

implementation of SZOP programming. Semi-structured interviews and participatory focus

group protocol was developed pre-Mission, based on best practices and existent tools designed

for the PBEA programme, tailored to the UNICEF Somalia PBEA Monitoring and Evaluation

Framework and SZOP programming. These tools were utilized to collect qualitative data on the

expected and unexpected outcomes of the Schools as Zone of Peace project.

The semi-structured interviews were conducted with the CtC catalyst and the head teacher at

each school, three groups of Community Education Committee (CEC) members/parents

(determined by availability), as well as the Ministry of Education Director of Primary Schooling,

totaling 20 interviews in all. A focus group was conducted with the student members of the CtC

club at each school. Additionally, discussions were held with UNICEF Somalia staff and PSCA

staff to leverage existent implementation lessons learned and the external perspective on each

school’s status and other external factors that impacted the programming.

Questions were asked regarding attitudes towards the SZOP programme, activities conducted by

the CtC club and what a typical meeting looks like, attendance of the club and showcase events,

favorite CtC topics, attitudes towards the school, selection process of students and the catalyst,

perception of children as contributors to the community and to peacebuilding, changes in the

children, school environment, and home, conflicts within the school, relations with the Ministry

of Education (for a list of guiding questions please see Annex 4), and issues of social cohesion

related to the KAP survey. Phrasing was conversational and tailored to the participant(s).

1 UNICEF ERIC Compendium http://childethics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ERIC-compendium-approved-digital-web.pdf

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Additional topics were pursued during the interviews and focus groups as they emerged and were

deemed useful to the purpose of this case study.

Overview of Context and Demographics of Participants

The findings of the Conflict Analysis Study in Education (UNICEF, UoY, 2013) indicated that

Puntland faces both structural conflict drivers (e.g. poverty, geography, political and social

inequalities, history, or weak government structures) as well as proximate conflict drivers (e.g.

drivers exacerbated by existing conditions resulting in violence, such as regime change, elections,

external interventions, and insurgent violence). Puntland faces five main types of conflict

according to the Conflict Analysis, including; a border dispute with Somaliland over the Sool and

Sanaag region; tension between Puntland and Galmudug administrations; Al-Shabaab prone

insecurity challenges; lawlessness, piracy and other forms of armed criminality, and finally, clan-

based conflict, which poses substantial threats to undermine collaborative norms of the society.

Garowe is the administrative capital of Puntland, situated in the Nugal region. A growing city,

eleven out of thirty of Garowe’s primary schools are participating in the SZOP programme. The

region has a dry, desert climate, limiting agricultural livelihood possibilities and creating an import

dependency for most food products. There are two camps for Internally Displaced Persons

immediately outside the city and a significant presence of various NGOs due to the relative

stability of the city in relation to other regions of Somalia.

As of the evidence collection of this case study, the most significant conflict driver in Garowe

is tribalism and clan fighting. Clan disagreements result in violent outbreaks between families,

and on a daily basis influences relations and learning outcomes at the school level. One example

given during a CtC club presentation during the visits was of a teacher, a student from the same

clan as the teacher and a student from a different clan. The teacher passed the student from his clan

regardless of the quality of work he submitted, and failed and yelled at the student from the other

clan. This escalated to the students’ parents and a fight between the teacher, school, children, and

families. In the presented drama, the CtC club members came in to help resolve the conflict and

open a space for dialogue on how clan favoritism has negative impacts on students’ ability to

engage and learn at school. This was highlighted as a common occurrence at the schools through

the focus groups, one that has not changed, but reduced due to the efforts of some CtC clubs to

tackle the issue of tribalism in their schools.

Five of the SZOP participating schools within Garowe were involved in the case study with

varying degrees of size, access to resources, leadership, and different compositions of the student

bodies’ socioeconomic make-up.

• Kaalo Women Primary and Intermediate School: This school is operated alongside a

women’s center that provides livelihoods training and other support services to women in

the surrounding community. Many of the faculty, including the head teacher, also

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participate and help manage the activities of the women’s center. This school had

multiple classrooms and was being supported in a few different initiatives by different

NGOs, including a lunch programme. Many activities of the CtC club at this school were

student initiated, managed, and supported.

• Alxikma B Primary and Intermediate School: Alxikma was a slightly more

conservative school than some of the others visited. The school seemed to have more

limited resources, or support from the parents, and the parents were unaware of the CtC

club. The facilitator at Alxikma firmly believed in his students, but felt he lacked the

support, training, and clarity of purpose in his role. There seemed to be a lack of

engagement by external parties, including the implementing partner, PSCA, with this

school.

• Darwiish Primary and Intermediate School: Darwiish was a very well-resourced

school, acknowledging favoritism from the Ministry of Education, which often led to

more funding opportunities for Darwiish directly as it is the school in the region where

donors are taken. Darwiish was quite a large school and the head teacher was aware of

trying to improve gender equality, expressly mentioning the efforts being made to have

more female teachers and faculty members. The students here also seemed to be more

aware of larger community dynamics, engaging in reflective discussions throughout the

focus group.

• Xaji Aaden Primary and Intermediate School: Xaji Aaden was by far the most

resource-poor school visited, consisting of only two school rooms, forcing multiple

grades to be taught in the same room. This school also presented as having limited

access, to the MOE, the implementing partner, and other community resources. The

students in the CtC club at this school were significantly younger than at the other

schools visited. In general the interactions with Xaji Aaden were much more reserved.

• Alwaaxa A Primary and Intermediate School: Alwaaxa had access to the most

resources of the schools visited, but primarily from the parents of the students as

compared to donors like Darwiish. The CtC club had a projector, laptop, camera, and a

large hall that was used for the CtC presentations, exams, and other events hosted at the

school. They were also continuing construction of additional classrooms. More students

at Alwaaxa were able to speak or understand English and the students had financial

support for their initiatives (like going to conduct a peacebuilding training day at a school

in a different region). These students also asked if there were similar programmes being

implemented in different countries that they could learn from, showing a larger

community and global awareness, which did not appear in focus groups with students at

the other schools.

Table 1 below list the selected schools and the composition of their teachers and members of the

CtC clubs. Most clubs were supposed to be around 25 members and currently there is one club

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per school. All but one of the clubs were composed of student members in the age range of 13 to

18.

Table 1: Case Study Selected Schools Teacher and Child to Child Club Member Demographics

School Name

Teachers Club Members

Catalyst Total Male Female Total Male Female Age

Range

Kaalo Women Primary

and Intermediate School

Female 16 5 11 25 13 12 13-18

Alxikma B Primary and

Intermediate School

Male 10 8 2 35 18 17 14-16

Darwiish Primary and

Intermediate School

Female 36 19 17 21 11 10 14-18

Xaji Aaden Primary and

Intermediate School

Male 7 3 4 25 12 13 8-15

Alwaaxa A Primary and

Intermediate School

Female 19 15 4 22 12 10 14-18

The implications due to the sex ratio of the teachers was hard to discern with such a limited

sampling and only engaging with the head teacher and catalyst (who in all cases taught

additional courses at his/her school). Some preliminary observations and suggested areas for

additional exploration are mentioned in the Gender Findings section of this paper. This section

will also discuss the difference in engagement seen between the boys and girls of each club,

despite the generally even split in participants sex within the clubs of the selected schools.

The schools were selected based on observed level of success in implementation from schools in

Garowe that the implementing partner, PSCA, deemed to have implemented SZOP programming

very well, average implementation success, and poor implementation. This ranking was

revisited, as can be seen in Table 2, based on comparing interview and focus group feedback, as

well as third party (Search for Common Ground) observation to the originally planned objectives

and activities of the SZOP programme, resulting in a different ranking of schools than presented

by PSCA.

Table 2: Implementation Outcomes Ranking for Schools Selected for Case Study

School Name

Observed

Ranking

Number

Observed Ranking Note

Implementing

Partner (PSCA)

Ranking

Alwaaxa A Primary and

Intermediate School 1

Exemplary- alternative

dispute resolution training

has begun to reach the

community

Middle

13

Darwiish Primary and


Successful

Implementation- Broad

impact on school

Best

Kaalo Women’s Primary and


Student-led success-

student initiated

achievements

Best

Alxikma B Primary and


Struggling a bit- lack of

clarity around full

purpose of programming

Lower

Xaji Aaden Primary and


Struggling- no clarity on

objectives and a lack of

guidance and resources

Lower

Additional information pertaining to the demographics of the schools and participants can be

collected from PSCA, the implementing partner. A closer look at socioeconomic standing of the

students, teachers, and parents might yield additional findings with a larger sampling. Originally

this case study was also going to look at clans, a significant dynamic of local conflicts, however

it was deemed unsafe to the participants to collect that information either directly or indirectly.

Thematic Review of Findings

The first series of findings pertain to the broader value for peacebuilding the SZOP programming

seems to be instilling among children and youth participants, as well as the emerging results as

they relate to the five domains of the KAP; trust and tolerance, civic and social participation,

inclusion in governance processes, attitude towards social services, and constructive dispute

resolution. These findings also touch upon the outcomes of the SZOP programme, primarily

Outcome 2, “increased participation of children in addressing conflict issues affecting their

schools and communities,” as well as both the interaction and perceived impact the programme

has with gender issues.

Value of Peacebuilding

At the start of each visit at the five schools, the students put on a mini-presentation, consisting of

many of the activities they do during a peace day event, such as scripture readings from the

Quran, poems, songs, presentation of drawings, presentation of ideas, and dramas. There was

always a student who led the proceedings, not the catalyst, and many of the students were

presenting their own work from the club. It was apparent through the presentations at each

school that students who participate in the CtC clubs have an increased appreciation of

peacebuilding, connecting peacebuilding directly to how it can positively impact their

community. Catalysts, head teachers, and students at all the selected schools mentioned how the

programming serves as a type of therapy or safe space, allowing students to talk, draw, and act

out issues related to the civil war and everyday violence that happens around them due to

continued tribal warfare. As such, it would be important to incorporate a psychosocial element to

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the programming and ensure schools have the necessary supportive networks to access for

students when serious issues come up, in line with Do No Harm methodology. Due to the

limitations of the context and lack of available local resources, such adjustments may be

restricted to bringing on a child trauma specialists who can consult on the mainstream module

development, advise on how the programme can best approach these issues, and assist in better

training the catalysts to provide what minimal care they can.

At AlHikma, the head teacher discussed how programmes such as the SZOP programme and

discussions on peacebuilding “help develop this country, can increase participation from the

community, can increase the interest of the government and education authorities, and help

avoid all conflict igniters.” Another student told his version of the history of Somalia and then

discussed how peace was the only hope for a united and better future for the country. Most of the

imagery around peacebuilding was related to trees or peace being life water for those who are

very thirsty. The imagery of water for the thirsty is an apropos metaphor, as the SZOP

programme’s peace component was expressed as necessary and desired by the students at the

selected schools with an underlying thirst for more, more topics, more trainings, more outreach

activities, access to learnings from similar programmes in other countries, etc.

One of the clearest communications on how students were beginning to value peace and

peacebuilding was through the songs, poems, and drawings they made. There is one poem

included below that represents the type of language used by students when talking artistically

about peace for Somalia and in their community. The third party interviewer highlighted in the

English translation of the poem themes and sentiments that were repeated in poems and/or songs

at all the schools.

Table 3: Student Written Peace Poem from CtC Club Activities

Poem about Peace Written by CtC Member

Gabay ku saabsan Nabada

Qiimay nabadu leedihiyo qaaye iyo guule

Waa waxa ay qaybaha bulshada quaran ku gaaraane

Waa waxa qabiil suuriyo qaran horseedaaye it is

Qaran kacay qabiil isku tagay oo qoryaha qaatay

Qasadkii iyo ujeedadu tahay qola kale laynin e

Peace is valuable and it is cherished by everyone mankind

It is what makes societies reach to a nationhood

What demises tribalism and leads to a nationhood

When tribes riot and take arms to fight

And the aim is to kill other tribes and communities

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Dabka huraya waxaa lagu danshaa nabada loo doortaaye Peace is what puts off the blazing fire

Students also highlighted how much they enjoyed engaging in the programme through

drawing, with many requesting additional drawing and painting materials. These murals

and decorative slogans were hung up around the schools and used in their presentations. At

Alwaaxa, the slogans were written in multiple languages (Somali, Arabic, and English) for

outreach to the community and within the school. Below is a drawing done by a student from

Alxikma of his community before and after peacebuilding, demonstrating clans killing one

another at first, and then all sitting under a tree (an illustration that was repeated throughout the

presentations) to resolve their issues and experience peace.

Figure 1: Drawings by CtC Club Member Representing Community before and after Peace

KAP Survey

In May 2014 a Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) survey was administered across the

different regions of Somalia where PBEA was implementing or about to start programme

activities. Initially developed in South Sudan, the survey was designed around five domains of

social cohesion that the PBEA programmes were trying to impact and geared toward measuring

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impacts being achieved with programme beneficiaries. The survey was later adjusted to the

contexts of Somalia, Ethiopia, and the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya.

Due to perceived challenges of conducting surveys in Somalia, the adapted survey incorporated a

smaller number of variables compared to other countries, which limited the creation of robust

composite indicators.2 And given the context, purposive sampling was used with randomized

techniques, resulting in a high percentage (85%+) of direct programme participants. As such, the

data is highly representative of direct and indirect programme beneficiaries, but cannot be taken

as a nationally representative sample. The survey was implemented by local Somali youth

trained as enumerators to administer the survey properly, even if it was necessary to read the

survey to the participant. Each question was reviewed with the enumerators in English and

Somali to ensure intended understanding and validate translation. The enumerators used mobile

technologies and paper-based surveys to collect data, which was then integrated into an online

platform with pre-set analytics and filter options to allow users to conduct simple analysis of

survey data.

Domains in the analytic platform were weighted to account for biases with subjective areas and

more concrete objective measures, particularly those around group interactions and civic

engagement. Focusing on programme beneficiaries, the survey sample also has inherent biases

and requires additional population based weighting to adjust. While the participants in the KAP

survey and those in this case study are not the same, the KAP survey results reflect a snapshot of

knowledge, attitudes, and practices around social cohesion and resilience of children and youth

from the SZOP programme and from Garowe a year before this case study, offering an indirect

comparison point for some of the findings. The following is a review of the emerging results as

they relate to the five domains of the KAP; trust and tolerance, civic and social participation,

inclusion in governance processes, attitude towards social services, and constructive dispute

resolution.

KAP survey- Trust and Tolerance

The Somalia KAP survey had two sections related to belonging and inclusion and trust and

respect. The questions asked about belonging and inclusion centered on the participants’ level of

comfort in interacting with people from different clans, genders, and with disabilities at schools.

This has expressed itself through learning about tolerance in the CtC clubs. The questions around

trust in the KAP survey primarily focused on the perception of participants in the ability to rely

on existing system to help settle disputes, from a community to systems level. Survey

participants rated these questions on a Likert scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree,

which once coded resulted in a 1 to 5 composite rating, with 5 being the most positive expression

2 In an effort to develop comparable cross-country datasets, the KAP instrument was later aligned with surveys being conducted

by the Harvard Humanitarian initiative in Uganda and Burundi where population-based surveys were launched in late 2014 to

measure social cohesion.

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of trust and tolerance. The trust and tolerance composite scores for participant groups

intersecting with case study participants are given below.

Table 4: Trust and Tolerance Scores by Relevant Participant Groups

Participant Group Trust and Tolerance

Garowe 4.02

Primary School 4.2

Age Range: 13-20 years old 4.16

SZOP Participants 3.65

As demonstrated by the scores, the groups intersecting with the case study participants had a

relatively high sense of trust and tolerance from the KAP survey a year ago. It should be noted

that behavioral indicators around trust and tolerance have been higher for in-school children and

youth as compared to out of school populations across countries implementing PBEA

programming, suggesting that being in school has a significant impact on particular aspects of

social cohesion. The KAP survey data on trust and tolerance, combined with the anecdotal

evidence discussing shifts in behaviors towards increased tolerance, suggests that the openness

and trust of participants in these groups may result in them being predisposed to accepting and

applying the material discussed in the CtC clubs. But, further evidence would be needed to

validate this, especially where there is a strong comparison between direct participants in the

KAP survey and in the second round of data collection.

Tolerance was demonstrated repetitively through CtC club member initiates shared during the

case study interviews. At Kaalo, the students were learning about tolerance through the CtC

materials and went out into their community to identify the out of school children. They

discussed with them the importance of school and brought this underserved population to the

attention of the faculty at Kaalo. They petitioned the faculty that if the students could fundraise

enough to pay for uniforms for the out of school children, that the school administration would

cover the cost of teaching fees for these students. As a result 70 new students were enrolled from

impoverished and refugee families, 51 girls and 19 boys in total. In regards to the difference in

girl to boy enrollment from the out of school community, the head teacher mentioned that there

are more out of school girls because girls are kept home if there is only enough money to send

one child to school, and the students said more girls came from the out of school population

because “girls are more receptive and listen better”.

There were also improved relations between schools through competitions, presentations,

and arranged sporting events. Kaalo Women’s Primary CtC club members held regular

football matches with the New Waaberi School CtC club members. Alwaaxa A traveled to a

school in different county to do a peace programming presentation. Darwiish held internal

competitions, but also competitions with other schools. Students reported an uptick in these types

18

of activities since this iteration of the CtC clubs has been implemented, and that they had more

ownership and possibilities for initiating activities, especially at Alwaaxa A where the head

teacher spoke directly in support of these student-led initiatives. For many students in the focus

groups these types of interactions were a highlight in their regular school activities, mentioning

both the fun competitive preparation for sports or academic competition activities, as well as the

meeting and playing with students from other schools component in all the aforementioned

activities. Although this outreach is not completely new or originating fully from the SZOP

programme implementation, students and head teachers both reported an increase in building

relations with other schools and an increased desire to participate in cross learning between CtC

clubs.

In all, the CtC clubs through SZOP programming offer both the opportunity and structure for

students to engage with people who are different from them in a positive way. If the SZOP

programme can enhance the training of the catalyst and therefore the discussions held in the

clubs around to link tolerance directly to issues of tribalism, the SZOP programme can more

intentionally address tribalism as a conflict driver in this region, which it has already begun to

do.

KAP survey- Civic and Social Participation

The second set of KAP-related findings was around the club members’ abilities and increased

participation in the programme, but more broadly at their school and in their communities. All

interviews mentioned the word “responsibility” at some point in referencing an improvement in

the students’ behavior. The discussions that centered on an increase in responsibility also

discussed an increase in respect towards the children and youth, even among the students

and in how they viewed themselves. Students in all the selected schools except Xaji Aaden

referenced an increase sense of engagement in their community (be it school or more broadly

speaking) and a sense of respect through taking on more roles and responsibilities.

As demonstrated by the KAP survey scores below for intersecting participant groups, the civil

and social participation scores were among the lowest of the scores from the five domains. It is

important to note that the questions in this section focused on participation in a community

group. There may have been some confusion related to the understanding of community group,

or perhaps the community group aspect did not represent a complete picture of civil and social

participation. Increased, self-appointed roles and responsibilities at the school and in the

community however, certainly fit within social participation with potential to influence civic

participation as well. It would be interesting to both expand the scope of the current case study to

validate findings herein, as well as expand the civil and social participation questions posed by

the KAP survey to present a more nuanced idea of participation, or even merely a different angle.

19

Table 5: Civil and Social Participation Scores by Relevant Participant Groups

Participant Group Civil and Social Participation

Garowe 1.05

Primary School .84

Age Range: 13-20 years old .88

SZOP Participants .82

During interviews with the head teachers and catalysts at Alwaaxa, Darwiish, and Kaalo, the

discussions about respect were around both the capabilities and actions of the students. Students

demonstrated increased responsibility by cleaning the classrooms and latrines more regularly,

and students at Alwaaxa even started picking up trash to and from school because they

recognized their role as participants in their community. At a few schools the students took on

representative roles for the student body and helped the administration by alerting them to what

was happening with the students and what they were thinking as part of a communication

channel for the students with the school management.

The idea of respect also touched upon being able to see students engage in conversations

about peacebuilding and other mature topics, calmly helping students work through conflicts

and reaching out to the faculty regarding potential issues at the school and alternative ideas for

improvements. At Darwiish and Alwaaxa this was affirmed by the way the head teachers spoke

about their students and their realization that they could contribute meaningfully to the

management of the school. At Darwiish, the head teacher proudly spoke about how some of the

CtC club students were selected to participate in the curriculum review process with the Ministry

of Education.

Acknowledging there is a livelihoods and hygiene component to the CtC curriculum, it is still

important to note that multiple schools mentioned an improvement in the school

environment throughout the last six to eight months of SZOP programme implementation,

more so than was seen in previous implementations of the CtC clubs according to the

interviewees. This suggests that the incorporation of the conflict module may potentially

enhance existing CtC activities and lessons. Reported changes mentioned include;

• Increased hand washing after using the latrine,

• Cleaning of the schoolyard,

• Assisting with keeping classrooms clean,

• And, regular cleaning of the latrines.

In the interviews, this was directly associated with the CtC club members and their expressed

feelings of increased responsibility, something mentioned repeatedly as a noticeable shift in the

20

perception of the children by the teachers in the schools. At Alwaaxa A this type of change also

reached the community level, as children mentioned they now feel a responsibility and

empowered [author’s word] to contribute, even in smalls ways, such as picking up trash on the

way home from and to school.

From only six to eight months of strong implementation of the new CtC club model through the

SZOP programming, the discussions with the selected schools demonstrated noticeable change in

student behavior, club member participation in their school environment and sometimes their

broader community. All students expressed a desire for the programme to continue, and three of

the five schools specifically asked what the intentions were moving forward for the CtC clubs at

the end of the focus group. A more structured module, with increased training to the facilitators,

guidance and monitoring from the implementing partner, and more resources to underserved

schools will have a significant effect on achieving the desired outcomes of the SZOP

programming and will be discussed further in the Recommendations section.

KAP survey- Inclusion in Governance Processes

The KAP survey asked two questions related to how involved the participant thought they should

be as youth and how well their opinion would be heard if the government was planning an

education project. While the scoring of the KAP survey is relatively high for the particular

participant groups below, the limited information from the case study on inclusion in governance

processes suggests a disconnect between equitable access and voice in governance processes for

youth in Garowe.

Table 6: Inclusion in Governance Processes Scores by Relevant Participant Groups

Participant Group Inclusion in Governance

Processes

Garowe 3.98

Primary School 4.25



Darwiish Primary was very proud that two of their CtC club leaders were selected to attend a

curriculum review session with the Ministry of Education. At the curriculum review session, the

students were asked to provide some of their thoughts about what should be included in a revised

curriculum, in brief. There were no other representatives from other schools in the region. The

students who did attend have not received any follow-up information on the process or pending

results of the curriculum review.

Both the head teacher and the students at Darwiish admitted they received preferential treatment

by the Ministry of Education and served as a role model school. They discussed how many

21

NGOs toured the school and how they received special grants for enrollment scholarships,

building, even mentioning that when textbooks become available, the Ministry ensures that all

students at Darwiish receive textbooks before they begin disbursing the remaining resources to

other schools. The third party interviewer for this case study asked the students at Darwiish if

they felt that the preferential treatment created problems in the community, and they agreed this

sometime heightened tensions between schools, but were unsure how to address such an

issue. This raises questions as to the reason for involvement of the Darwiish students in the

curriculum review and does not answer the question as to whether or not their opinions were

valued and considered in curriculum revisal itself.

The lack of other schools being asked for representatives to attend the curriculum review, or

engagement otherwise in the process suggests inequitable inclusion in governance processes. But

the curriculum review process is just one example of government involvement in educational

projects and schooling. As most of the schools are co-managed by the CEC and school

administration, with primary funding coming from external donors and the parents of attending

children, questions around children and youth engagement in educational projects as they relate

to governance processes may have to take a different angle to provide relevant information.

Either way, the involvement and perception of the voice of children and youth in community and

larger governance processes is worth exploring further through the SZOP programme.

KAP survey- Attitudes towards Social Services

The Attitudes towards Social Services questions in the KAP survey focused on participants’

perception of usefulness of services and activities provided by their schools, as well as a greater

understanding of the value of education. SZOP participants in the KAP survey had a more

negative view of useful services provided by the school, which will be important to follow up

with after a longer implementation of the SZOP programme and determining the perception of

who is implementing the programme, and how connected the SZOP programme is to the school

in the eyes of the students. Overall, the attitudes towards social services for participant groups

relevant to this case study were more negative than for the other domains of the KAP survey.

This was further reflected in the distance between the communities and the government that was

revealed through the case study interviews both with students and head teachers.

Table 7: Attitudes towards Social Services Scores by Relevant Participant Groups

Participant Group Attitudes towards Social Services

Garowe 3.35

Primary School 3.80



22

A lack of engagement by the Ministry of Education was reflected throughout the interviews

at all schools except Darwiish by both the head teachers and the students. All head teachers

mentioned they had a good relationship with the Ministry, but when asked about the frequency of

visits from Ministry Officials, they said they were not that frequent and only for monitoring

visits to show NGOs around. When asked if they felt like they could ask the Ministry of

Education if they needed something, most said no, or that they had asked but had yet to hear

back on any of their requests over the past few months. One head teacher said that the school had

to rely on itself and the parents to work on fundraising for whatever was needed, saying that

“this school relies on itself to provide for the needs of the children”.

PSCA’s first activity report discussed a large

event in October 2014, in Qardho, where

students performed poetry, plays, and

lessons from their CtC club meetings.

Students from schools in the region, family

members, parents, local elders and

authorities were present as can be seen in the

two pictures provided by PSCA. The schools

in Garowe that were part of this case study

mentioned that most events are held within

the school, sometimes with invitations to the

parents to attend. Darwiish said that when

they hold larger events they invite the Ministry of Education and they attend sometimes, but did

not mention the number of such events that have occurred. It remains unclear the exact number

of larger community or cross-school events

that have taken place in Garowe, the regularity

with which community members and the

Ministry attend such events, and how this

differs by region among the areas

implementing the SZOP programme.

It is through these types of events that

authorities can learn about what children

identify as important in their environment

and see evidence of the impact of

programming that aims to address factors in

the ongoing conflict, like the SZOP

programme. These events give the students a

voice beyond the school and a more active role

Figure 2: Presentations at SZOP Programme Event in Qardho in October 2014

Figure 3: Students in Attendance at SZOP Programme Event in Qardho in October 2014

23

as members of their communities. This is where the link is made between individual capacity

building, awareness raising in the immediate environment, and the larger policy situation.

Authorities need this type of exposure to connect with communities they work and programme

for in order to make policies relevant and effective.

If the programme is to continue and expand in its implementation it is crucial that the

Ministry of Education is held accountable to the resources they receive in connection with

this programme and play a much more active role in engaging with and showing support

for the initiative if they want to remain connected with it. It is recognized that the Ministry

has very limited capacity, but from the discussions held and interactions around this case study in

Garowe, the Ministry seems even slightly dismissive of the SZOP programming and work being

done.

KAP survey- Constructive dispute resolution

The KAP survey questions on constructive dispute resolution asked how participants would

respond to different situations, without touching directly upon specific conflict drivers. The

responses by the intersecting participant groups are slightly lower than for trust and tolerance,

but generally on the higher side of the social cohesion spectrum. It would be interesting to know

if survey participants would have responded differently if the situations posed mentioned

circumstances pertaining to regional conflict drivers. Either way, the case study highlighted that

club members among four out of five of the selected schools have been proactive in addressing

and working to resolve conflicts in their schools.

Table 8: Constructive Conflict Resolution Scores by Relevant Participant Group

Participant Group Constructive Conflict Resolution

Garowe 4.07

Primary School 3.76



Four out of the five schools gave clear and numerous examples as to how the students had been

applying alternative dispute resolution. The head teachers and facilitators reported a noticeable

decline in the number of fights happening at the school, although no change in the reasons for

fighting, still mostly centered around tribalism and a lack of space or resources (stealing pens

and pencils, shoving on the benches which turns into more violent fights).

• “80% of conflicts are now handled by the CtC. Conflicts are gradually reducing

especially in higher grades where CtC members are most active.”

• “Before the number of school suspensions very high, we practiced quick suspension.

When things happen now, CtC cools down the matters first and has decreased school

24

fighting. Much time was consumed with mediation and small conflicts used to impact the

whole community.”

The schools validated each other saying that the CtC members were well respected by the rest of

the student body and as such, were able to calm down fights enough to talk to both parties and

try and resolve the situation peacefully. For example, “because they were given a good name,

Peace Team. The name givens them good reaction from others.” Alwaaxa and Darwiish also

reported that other students made sure to attend school or come early when there were CtC club

presentations or assemblies.

Two schools mentioned through interviews that the club members were resolving fights

outside of school, on the way and also during sports3 amongst the children and youth in the

community after school. One head teacher said this is where many of the fights start, which are

then continued in the school, expressing appreciation that the CtC club members were addressing

issues outside the direct school environment.

At Darwiish the students proactively identify conflicts, even those between teachers and

students, and sit down with all involved parties to constructively work through the issue

(particular example given was confidential). They even presented this through a drama during

their presentation and the UNICEF staff member attending with SFCG interviewer was surprised

by how honest the students were with the issue of tribalism and how it presents itself at schools

in Garowe. This example was mentioned earlier, about a teacher, a student from the same clan as

the teacher and a student from a different clan. The teacher passed the student from his clan

regardless of the quality of work he submitted, and failed and yelled at the student from the other

clan. This escalated to the students’ parents and a fight between the teacher, school, children, and

families. In the presented drama, the CtC club members came in to help resolve the conflict and

open a space for dialogue on how clan favoritism has negative impacts on students’ ability to

engage and learn at school. This engagement in alternative dispute resolution by the club

members has resulted in an acknowledged and noticeable difference in parent, teacher,

student relations as mentioned by the head teacher, catalyst and students themselves throughout

the interviews and focus group conducted at Darwiish.

• “Parents are seeing children are doing conflict resolution so good things are coming

home instead of fights.”

• “Parents have become more interested in the school in a way and some understood the

importance of club activities.”

• “The best thing a parent likes to see is their children doing things by themselves and

managing each other.”

3 Trying to resolve fights at the football pitch and other sports events was mostly initiated by boys, as girls are not allowed to play sports in this community.

25

Alwaaxa students connected with a school in another county as a field trip to share with them

their training and do a showcase event. These same students regularly go to the football pitches,

of their own initiative, because many fights happen there and influence the environment at the

school. The club members try to resolve the fights at the football pitches on their own. These

students also engaged with two families who live across the street from the school who have been

fighting over tribal differences for the past two years. The students sat down with the two

families multiple times and the head teacher of Alwaaxa said that they have worked to resolve

the fighting between these two families, contributing to a more peaceful environment in the

community. Again, these were student-initiated activities after being in the club for several

months.

Head teachers mentioned that this allowed them to better focus on the management of the

school instead of spending all day resolving conflicts. It has also lowered the number of

suspensions in at least two schools, keeping children in the classroom. At Alwaaxa, the CtC

members even convinced the administration to sit down with three students that were suspended

in order to solve the original fight and allow them back in school in time to take the final exams

for that grade.

There was no mention by parents or children about changes seen in the home since the

implementation of the programme, besides the comment of “good things are coming home

instead of fights,” which the interviewee was unable to expand upon. Although, the head

teachers at two schools said parents of students who were in the club were becoming more

engaged and knowledgeable about the school. Overall the club and calmer environment were

believed to contribute to students appreciating the school more, according to the head teachers

and catalysts at three schools. Due to the limited length of implementation at this time, impacts

on the community were less than expected, and the Ministry of Education was not well-informed

as to the progress and impacts the programming had achieved thus far.

Gender Considerations

While girls participated in the presentations given at each school, only at Kaalo Women’s

Primary was it clear that they had taken a leadership role in the CtC club and felt confident in

their ability to speak publically. At the other four schools, girls would present mostly in muffled

tones. This became more evident during the focus groups with the CtC club, as girls often had to

be prompted by Abdifitah, the UNICEF Somalia staff member who was translating, and when

they spoke, they did so hesitantly and covered their mouths with their hijab. The only other

school where girls demonstrated a clear leadership role was at Darwiish, and this was limited to

two girls who had leadership roles in the club and exhibited a natural outspokenness. Even at

Darwiish however, these two girls would lower their hands or became less inclined to contribute

to the conversation when the boys were eager to comment. It is unclear whether or not this

difference in participation between girls and boys is fostered by the catalyst and teachers at the

26

different schools and/or circumstantial to the cultural and religious traditions of the region

without further observation.

This hesitancy for girls to initiate seemed to carry over to the roles in peacebuilding outreach at

the school and community level. As mentioned, conflict resolution activities outside of school

were mostly initiated by male club members, in the examples given during the focus

groups. At some schools the female club members presented separately to other female students

at peace events, with the male club members presenting to the other male students, while most

schools had both male and female students acting in the dramas presented. This was not

observably connected to the level of conservatism of the schools in question, which will be

discussed later (i.e. schools that were less conservative split the girls and boys for presentations,

but had a less conservative atmosphere in the classrooms and in observable school rules). It will

be important for the SZOP programming to more closely look at the gender element in

programme activities to best determine how to equip and enhance girl’s roles as peacebuilders

without putting them at risk against cultural and community norms. The programme seems

uniquely placed in the schools to help raise girls voices alongside children and youth in general,

but pushing these boundaries too quickly or forcefully will be conveyed as disrespectful and

hinder the impact of the programme. Particular attention should be paid to the sports element in

the programme, as well as how ‘outspokenness’ is encouraged among participants.

It was also observed that the level of perceived conservativism of the parents and faculty at

the selected schools impacted the implementation of the SZOP programme, but more

importantly impacted the level of participation and engagement between the male and

female student members of the club. Again, this perceived level of conservativism is based

solely on the perception of the third party conducting this case study and would need to be

reviewed further. Conservativism as such, was defined as more strictly adhering to religious

practice considered as “proper” in the community as large, conservative dress, and traditional

gender roles in interactions among school faculty and students. A discussion was held with the

implementing partner in order to preliminarily validate these perceptions, but PSCA replied that

all schools were open-minded equally.

Table 9: Level of Observed Conservativism in Schools Selected for Case Study

School Name Perceived Level of Conservativism

Kaalo Women Primary and Intermediate School Medium

Alxikma B Primary and Intermediate School High

Darwiish Primary and Intermediate School Low

Xaji Aaden Primary and Intermediate School High

Alwaaxa A Primary and Intermediate School Medium

The implications due to the sex ratios of the teachers was hard to discern with such a

limited sampling and only engaging with the head teacher and catalyst (who in all cases

27

taught additional courses at his/her school). This limitation of understanding or ability to identify

if sex of school management plays a role in the implementation of the programme applies to the

head teachers as well, of which three were male and two were female in the selected schools.

The only school that expressed gender awareness towards the role of females was Darwiish,

discussing how many administrators and teachers were female. It is assumed this is due to

regular interaction with international donors given they are the ‘role model’ school, so they are

aware of donor interests in balance in female representation in jobs and/or leadership positions.

There was some speculation that having the Kaalo women’s center housed in the same building

as the school and sharing some of the same staff influenced the participation of girls at Kaalo

Women’s Primary by impacting the teachers approaches and attitudes to gender dynamics in the

classroom, as they were the only girls who were readily outspoken. However, there is no

comparison and insufficient information from the interviews and school sampling to determine if

that is the case.

There were also some limitations in girls’ participation in the club activities due to traditional

gender roles and what was culturally acceptable. Girls were not allowed to participate in the

sport activities related to the competitions hosted by some schools4. Although gender is not a

primary focus of the SZOP programming, it will be important moving forward to ensure

equitable access to programme activities in some form for the traditional genders, as well as look

at the programme a bit more rigorously through a gender lens.

Additional Findings by Participant Group

Club Members

The selection of club members was one of the key differences in the implementation of the

programme activities. This is compounded by the understanding of the head teacher and

facilitator of the desired activities to implement and the intention behind them. There was

no established guidance given from UNICEF or the implementing partner directly to the selected

schools in regards to student selection for formation of the club. As such, the catalyst at Xaji

Aaden and Kaalo Women’s Primary selected students who were the most shy and reserved,

thinking the club would be a chance for them to gain leadership skills and learn about public

speaking. This then became a focus of the club and was seen in their presentation prior to the

focus group with the students. For example, the catalyst during the presentation at Xaji Aaden

stood next to the presenting students and guided them to speak louder, or hold the microphone

properly, and where to look when addressing the audience.

The Head Teachers and Catalysts at Darwiish and Alwaaxa Primary Schools explained that they

selected club members based on previously exhibited leadership skills in the classroom, choosing

4 No alternative activities were offered at the selected schools at the time of the case study.

28

students that were already naturally outspoken. This made an observable difference in the focus

groups, in the students’ engagement with the CtC materials and concepts, and in their ability to

apply critical thinking to questions asked. For example, at Darwiish, we were able to have an

extended conversation about how the students would behave if they were Ministry of Education

officials, and discuss what they would do differently and why. Students were able to admit they

needed to think about this more constructively and reflect on their ability to interact with the

current Ministry Officials. CtC clubs whose members were selected based on exhibited

leadership traits were also more engaged outwardly in the community and in proposing

additional activities to link with other schools, even requesting if there were schools outside

Somalia implementing similar programming they could learn from.

Given the objectives and desired outcomes of the SZOP programming, the second model of

selection or a mixed selection criteria may prove more beneficial, selecting predominantly

students already exhibiting leadership as the first group of students to engage with the new

CtC club model. Building confidence and public speaking skills is certainly part of encouraging

children’s voice as peacebuilders in their community, but is not fully served by the SZOP

programme activities and limits the efficacy of peacebuilding discourse and training. This is also

relevant in regards to age of the club members, as the members of the club at Xaji Aaden had an

average age range of 5 years younger than the other schools’ club members, which also

contributed to their ability to fully engage and reflect critically on the peacebuilding concepts

being discussed. The decision on selection needs guidance from UNICEF and through the

implementing partners in a clear way that connects directly to the objectives of the programme. It

is crucial that the implementing partner in all regions understand the intention behind the SZOP

programming and is able to confidently guide and support schools in implementation in order to

work towards the desired impact.

Facilitator/Catalyst

As mentioned, the SZOP CtC catalysts were identified, one for each of the 50 schools selected

for implementation of the programming. They were then given a refresher training on the CtC

club facilitation, with the additional of peacebuilding and conflict resolution topics. The desired

outcome related to the facilitators was Outcome 1, “CtC facilitators gain the skills to actively

promote child participation and engagement around critical peacebuilding issues in schools.”

The catalysts were chosen primarily because they had or were already CtC catalysts for the old

club model of the clubs. All five schools head teachers also confirmed that the catalysts were

chosen in part because of his or her closeness to the children in comparison to other teachers.

Additional reasoning given for selection of the catalyst was trust and length of time working for

the school, that women were better than men and “don’t think behind you”, being active at the

school and demonstrating that they were a hard worker, perceived ability to implement

programming, “obedient”, and “educated and calm”. Catalyst themselves believed they were

selected based on their closeness to the students and length of working at the school, but some

29

also mentioned they liked being the catalyst, “because it is one of the things [they] can do for the

community.”

The quality of the facilitator, from observation and feedback from the head teachers and students,

seemed to rest in the facilitators pride in what they were doing. Those that discussed the real

impact they believed the SZOP CtC clubs could make and believed in the potential of their

students were most engaged and supportive of the students, taking ownership in the club. Those

that were more reserved and saw their role as catalyst merely as an extension of their teaching

duties did not creatively identify topics and fight for the role of the club in their school. Pride in

the clubs was a theme throughout the conversations with head teachers, catalysts, and CEC

members. Schools that were implementing SZOP programming with the most success had pride

starting with the head teacher that resulted (both at Darwiish and Alwaaxa) in active

communication to the parents about the benefits of the club, support of the club through

resources (where possible), and a growing attitude towards the students as contributors to the

community and peacebuilding. This supports findings that community investment and uptake by

leadership is key to the sustainability of programming beyond the life of the funding.

The sex of the catalyst was also compared to success of implementation and participation of boys

versus girls in the club. Noting the limited selection, the sex of the catalyst did not seem to make

a difference in participation between the boys and the girls, with the boys always being more

active and readily commenting than the girls. The only school where there was a marked

difference was at Kaalo Women’s Primary, where the girls were much more outspoken and held

all the main leadership roles of the club. It is hypothesized that this difference is due to the

women’s center being housed at the school itself and many faculty of the school also working

for/at the center, thereby influencing faculty teaching approaches and attitudes towards

empowerment of their female students. This is of particular interest because this school chose

more timid students to be CtC club members, and although comparatively as a whole the

students were less engaged than at other schools, the girls were more active than at other schools.

However, this would need to be compared to other schools implementing SZOP programming

with close proximity to women’s clubs or centers to validate.

It is recommended that there is a catalyst checklist moving forward that can monitor the

progress and effectiveness of catalyst, in addition to assisting with their initial identification

in new schools. However, given that additional character traits and behaviors that make a quality

catalyst were hard to identify within the discussions held for this case study, more information

should be collected on this before developing the checklist.

School Attitudes

The attitude of the school, primarily led through the attitude of the head teacher, in regards to the

SZOP programme and this iteration of the CtC clubs seemed to highly influence the success of

the programme. This was reviewed as a related part of Outcome 3, “Ministry of Education

30

officials develop more positive attitudes regarding the role of children in addressing

peacebuilding issues affecting their schools and communities,” in that the head teachers also

represent elders in leadership positions that have a direct impact on child and youth education,

shaping their sense of self and worth, and either promoting or discouraging students to be

proactive and lead.

The head teacher at Kaalo Women’s Primary used the words ‘obligated’ and ‘obligation’

multiple times when referring to how she felt about the programme and how it had impacted her

school, despite increased enrollment and mentioning a decrease in fighting which was making

her job easier. She spoke about how the CtC club was a “small part of the overall school”,

especially compared to the women’s center. The head teacher at Xaji Aaden made similar

statements saying that “it seemed like it was a good programme and they are still willing to

support it,” conveying a more passive approach to the SZOP programming’s implementation at

her school. These sentiments were centered on the idea that when NGOs provide funding for

programmes the school is obligated to try their best to implement the initiative.

Feelings of obligation were contrasted by words like ‘pride’, ‘contribution’, and referring to

the CtC clubs as “a core programme at our school”. Head teachers that expressed the later

sentiments clearly connected positive changes they had seen in their schools, including a

decrease in the number of fights and increased enrollment directly to the actions of the CtC club

members. They saw the programme as impactful and expressed a desire to continue the

programming with or without funding (Darwiish and Alwaaxa). One head teacher had been able

to reflect on his own change in attitude towards the students as peacebuilders and contributors to

the school,

“At first I believed the students were very young so they cannot do more about

this issue [peacebuilding]. And as Somalia, our tradition, we do not emphasize

children’s minds. We use elders, religion members, educated; specifically we use

more about the orders of the parents, father and mother. […] This is the key of

our community. So, at first I don’t believe that those children can do something

better in my school. But after so many months they did dramas, they make lectures

in the morning; they also travelled to near schools, libraries, and primary

schools….”

This head teacher went on to list how the slogans and morning lectures had helped students to

reflect on issues of peacebuilding and process problems tribalism was causing in the school. He

discussed how teachers had reflected on the morning lectures of the students and how he had

seen a marked improvement in engagement between students and teachers at the school.

The head teachers are key stakeholders that need to be more involved in the decision to

implement the programming, as well as encouraged in their support of the initiative. The

positive attitudes from the head teachers were reflected in catalyst at the same school. Students at

31

these schools also discussed being supported by the head teacher, that they attended events and

spoke well of the students to faculty and the student body at assemblies. This translated to

increased feelings of ownership over the club by the students themselves and heightened

confidence with which students put forth ideas and engaged knowingly in peacebuilding

discourse.

Identified Needs for Strengthening SZOP Programme/CtC Clubs

All interviewees and focus group participants were asked what improvements could be made to

the SZOP programming. Although some responses were geared more towards the school

management and larger issues that would need to be addressed by the Ministry of Education or

the CEC, most respondents gave strong, considerate answers directed toward what they

considered the most beneficial implementation of the CtC clubs.

• Lack of resources was mentioned as an expressed need and an observation by the

interviewer. Schools that had more resources discussed how the resources

contributed to a sense of ownership and legitimacy of the club.

• Not all schools had a dedicated space for programming. This was essential to most club

members and catalyst as they believed a dedicated classroom or some other sort of club

space would allow them to plan more activities, have a safe space to counsel others

through dispute resolution, and meet more frequently.

• All participants mentioned the need for more than one club per school and more trained

catalysts. The clubs felt they were at capacity with around 25 participants to really

engage in the training, but there were many other students at the schools that were

interested in joining.

• Students and catalysts alike mentioned a desire for more diversity and direction/guidance

in topics. Initially they said they had liked being able to select their own topics and work

through the original training material that had been provided to the catalysts, but many

participants expressed a desire for resource books, more materials, workbooks, and more

advanced topics.

• The three schools most successful in intended implementation all discussed the need for

more monitoring visits, as well as identification of a clear line of communication. They

wanted to know who to bring questions and requests to regarding the SZOP programming

given that there were so many involved parties- Ministry of Education, PSCA, and

UNICEF. They also wanted all parties to visit more frequently to see the progress and

conduct more monitoring visits to show their support and hold them accountable to

continuous implementation.

• And finally, many schools mentioned the need for reliability of funding. This is perhaps

in direct response to the most recent disbursement of funds being over four months late

from UNICEF.

32

Final Recommendations and Conclusion

“What we have done is not enough, it needs to continue and for a long time.”

– quote from student

Recommendations for UNICEF

As the quote from the student above suggests, the primary recommendation to UNICEF is to

continue supporting this programming, including moving forward with developing the

planned structured module for scale. The desire for this programme to continue was echoed

from the students to the catalyst and head teachers at all the schools that understood the purpose

of the programme and were equipped to properly implement it. The preliminary evidence

presented in this case study also supports continuing this programme and that it is indeed starting

to make the kinds of impact desired. A consolidation of best practices seen thus far into a module

for more structured and clear implementation will assist greatly in ensuring effective

programming with targeted participants for quick uptake. This would hopefully feed into an

expansion of the club structure in some way, for other students to then join, supported by

additionally trained facilitators.

This scaling and continuation of programming would need increased review of implementation

between the various partners in order to ensure clear communication and understanding by all

parties, which appears to have been a problem in some cases. Regular review with the

implementing partner and schools of implementation timelines, outcomes, activities, and future

goals can help ensure cohesiveness in programming across schools, and maximize impact and

comparative lessons learned.

The final recommendations for UNICEF at this time are to provide annual trainings for the

catalysts, as they felt unequipped to meet the demand and growing interests of the students

based off their first training. This will also help serve as a check and balance of the catalysts and

provide a means of integrating new curriculum components into the programme. UNICEF

should also take a closer look at the gender components of the programming the current

positive and negative impacts, as well as the potential for positive impact that has yet to be

incorporated into the programme design. Along with this, given the strong positive initial

evidence from Garowe, it would benefit education for peacebuilding sector and UNICEF

Somalia learnings to expand the case study or begin planning for a mid-term evaluation if

programming is continuing, and as security permits, in order to have a broader view of the

outcomes of the programme and collect further evidence on the dividends from this type of

cross-sectoral programming.

Recommendations for Implementing Partner

33

The recommendations to the implementing partner, PSCA, are first about communication. It is

necessary to ensure all schools receive the same instructions on what the priorities,

activities, and goals of the CtC clubs are. Clearer communication from the partner will help

ensure cohesive implementation of programming, especially around community outreach and

engagement, which was not understood by the selected schools in this case study. When

community outreach happened it was student-initiated. While there should be space for student-

initiated activities, some schools simply did not even think about community outreach as part of

the CtC clubs goals. PSCA can help strengthen the directions and understanding of the

community outreach aspect of the SZOP programme.

The student-initiated activities have been some of the best impacts from the programming;

however, given the nature of the conflict and the direct link of these activities to the CtC club,

PSCA should monitor the student-initiated activities for conflict sensitivity. This should be

as unobtrusive as possible and only intervene if significant harm may come from the activities, or

they are increasing conflict tensions in some way.

The implementing partner should also increase their interaction and engagement with the

head teachers as key stakeholders. The head teachers’ buy-in at the selected schools was a

crucial part to successful programming and often they felt unheard or that they did not know who

to communicate with about the programme, needs, etc. Establishing a clear and reliable

communication channel with the implementing partner will help address some of their concerns

and show them that the external partners are also invested in this programme. This will also alert

the implementing partner to when head teachers are more reserved or less interested in the

programme and find alternative ways to support clubs and students at that school.

Finally, the implementing partner should provide better facilitation and support for cross

learning and sharing among participating schools. Many students and even a few head

teachers wanted to know if other schools were implementing similar programming in different

countries and how they were doing. They wanted to know how better to connect with schools in

their region and share what they were learning. This is a prime example of how the

implementing partner can facilitate larger impacts of the programme and beneficial cross

learning. This should be supported by the UNICEF team who may readily have the information

and be able to make connections between schools (even in different countries), but at the very

least the implementing partner needs to serve as a communication and resource link for the

schools and especially for the requests of the students.

Recommendations for Ministry of Education

As mentioned, if the programme is to continue and expand in its implementation it is crucial that

the Ministry of Education is held accountable to the resources they receive in connection

with this programme and play a much more active role in assisting with monitoring and in

showing support for the initiative. It is recognized that the Ministry has very limited capacity,

34

but there should still be active engagement from them as a partner if they are benefiting from this

programme.

Recommendations for Schools

Finally, a recommendation for the schools is to design (collectively or with guidance from

UNICEF and the implementing partner) a checklist for the facilitators/catalysts. This

checklist would be used in both helping identify and regularly monitor the catalysts to ensure

they are providing quality guidance and direction for the students in the club. Many of the

catalysts were selected based on previously having the position/role, or being close with the head

teacher and students. However, a further look into key characteristics and traits that make a

quality facilitator will help strengthen the club and hopefully lead to more catalyst-initiated

learnings to supplement the trainings given by UNICEF and provide the students with more

information, trainings, etc. The monitoring of the catalysts will help ensure they are supported

and providing a healthy, safe, and productive environment for the students to engage in these

sensitive issues, supporting student-led initiatives and helping the children and youth participants

grow into peacebuilders.

Conclusion

The Schools as Zones of Peace programme in Garowe has started to show real promise for

helping children and youth find their voice, learn about alternatives to decades of violence in

Somalia, and engage in their communities as respected peacebuilders. This is no small feat for

less than a year of implementation in a fragile and often shifting context. It is the champions

along the way from the original conception of the CtC clubs, to those staffs who work with the

MOE, with the implementing partners and with the schools continually to share the inherent

value of peace, to the head teachers who believe change is possible and support it from its

seedling stage on, to the children who know they can make a difference in their community when

given the right tools, that make this kind of impact possible. Further validation from more

regions is necessary to really know the impact of this programming, as well as evaluation after

further implementation, but this case study provides a first glimpse at the potential of the SZOP

programme in Somalia.

35

Annexes

1. Case Study TOR

2. SZOP PCA and M&E Plan

3. List of CtC Schools in Puntland

4. List of guiding questions for interviews

36

1. Case Study Terms of Reference

Overview

This Terms of Reference (TOR) document outlines the goal, objectives, activities and logistics for the

proposed M&E technical support mission to UNICEF Somalia, to be conducted by the Search for Common

Ground (SFCG) DM&E Specialist.

This mission is aligned with Activity 1 as outlined in the Global PCA between UNICEF and SFCG: “Provide

both remote and in-country technical support to UNICEF PBEA staff and partners in HQ, ROs, and COs,

including contribution to PBEA information management system (IMS), 2014 annual report reviews, and

peacebuilding and education capacity building training materials review.” The overall aim of the mission

is to support UNICEF Somalia staff and country implementing partners in collecting evidence for a case

study determining the expected and unexpected impacts of the Schools as Zone of Peacebuilding

programmes in Garowe on the student (individual), school, family unit, and community level. This case

study will help inform future programming decisions, as well as the development of a structured module

that can be more broadly implemented through the Child to Child clubs, utilizing evidence gained of

existent best practices, quality facilitation, and a deeper understanding of the impacts that have been

seen thus far from the programming implemented in Garowe.

Schools as Zones of Peace Project (SZOP) is a school-based peacebuilding program with community

outreach activities, which aim to increase a sense of social cohesion in school and surrounding

communities. The project aims for schools to take a role in facilitating conflict resolution at the community

level, as well as empowering children, teachers, and ministry officials to see the child’s potential as agents

of peace. In Garowe, this has been done through transforming the Children to Children groups into

student-led committees that actively deal with conflict resolution between students, and between

students and teachers, along with tackling relevant peacebuilding issues in showcase events to the

community.

Activities for the technical support mission will be held at five selected schools in Garowe, Somalia, from

April 12th – 19th, 2015. The SFCG DM&E Specialist will be responsible for the successful and timely

completion of all agreed-upon deliverables.

M&E Technical Support Mission

Goal: Provide both remote and in-country technical support to UNICEF PBEA staff and partners

in HQ, ROs, and COs, including contribution to PBEA information management system (IMS),

2014 annual report reviews, and peacebuilding and education capacity building training

materials review.

Objectives

1. Collect evidence from five selected schools in Garowe participating in the Schools as Zone of Peace project, specifically on the expected and unexpected impacts as

37

perceived by the students, faculty, and community (parents and community leaders) with the aim of identifying what works best and what has been tried and does not work to facilitate development of a structured module for scaling of this intervention.

a. Emphasis will be placed on the following program components: i. Exploration of conflict issues that have been handled

ii. Children’s capabilities and active participation iii. By extension of this individual capacity building, the changes in

community capacity in peacebuilding iv. The interactive role of the government in this initiative and perception

changes on this level towards children’s contribution as peacebuilders and policy

b. Acknowledgements will be made as to varying school management, implementation, and other identified variables that may have affected outcomes

2. Develop a case study based on evidence gained from semi-structured interviews and focus groups discussing the impacts and lessons learned from implementing SZOP programming in Garowe, with a potential for applied learnings in other regions.

3. Determine with UNICEF Somalia staff and Puntland Student Consultancy Association (PSCA) what additional evidence gathering would be beneficial to program growth and enhanced understanding of programming components that have positively impacted social cohesion among direct and indirect beneficiaries of the SZOP programme in Somalia

Activities

1. Develop semi-structured interview template and tailored participatory focus group protocol in line with UNICEF guidelines for ethical research with children and youth, pre-mission, to serve as tools for qualitative data collection for the case study

2. Conduct 5 days of semi-structured interviews with community leaders, government officials, teachers, and Community Education Committee members at the selected five schools in Garowe.

3. Facilitate participatory focus groups with students from selected five schools in Garowe. 4. Facilitate participatory focus groups with the parents of students from five schools in

Garowe. 5. Meet with MOE staff at start of Mission to discuss work plan and deliverables. 6. Debriefing with UNICEF Somalia and PSCA to discuss preliminary highlighted trends and

next steps regarding deliverables, culminating in a case study on Schools as Zone of Peacebuilding programmes with potential for expanded case studies on thematic elements arising from the original case study.

7. Collection of additional evidence from schools, partners, and UNICEF Somalia staff (who will translate as needed), including, but not limited to; any SZOP implementation related audiovisual materials archives/recorded by PSCA or CtC clubs themselves regarding the implemented events/activities, activity/event reports/noted prepared and filed by clubs or by PSCA, written work plans developed by Clubs with support of respective teacher facilitator, school-developed SZOP activity plan, and monthly or quarterly CtC clubs review meeting minutes/notes.

8. Writing of case study by SFCG DM&E Specialist. The first draft will be submitted to UNICEF Somalia by May 8th, three weeks after end of mission.

38

9. Review of case study by UNICEF Somalia staff and PSCA staff, will feedback compiled and returned to SFCG by May 15th.

10. Review of feedback, final edits and formatting. The final draft of the case study will be submitted to UNCIEF Somalia by May 22nd.

Methodology

The case study methodology will strictly adhere to the principles of research ethics as

put forth by UNICEF. It is necessary for this case study to engage with children and youth

as they are the direct beneficiaries of the SZOP programme. Children and youth

participating in the focus groups will be well-informed of the purpose of the focus group

and how their responses will be used, with specific efforts made to ensure privacy and

confidentiality. Any concerns from the participants will be addressed to their

satisfaction before proceeding with the activities. Informed consent will be obtained

from all participants before any activities proceed. The selection of participants for the

semi-structured interviews and focus groups discussed below will be equitable and non-

discriminatory. The results of the case study will be shared with participants through

PSCA in an accessible manner, taking any security and protection issues into

consideration, once a final draft is submitted.

Five schools from the Garowe region will be selected, through consultation with the

UNICEF Somalia team and PSCA, as the focus for this case study, consisting of a mixture

of those demonstrating through observation and anecdotal evidence the best, worst,

and average implementation of SZOP programming. The case study will be conducted in

Garowe due to extent of implementation and limited access due to security concerns in

some of the other implementing regions.

Semi-structured interviews and participatory focus groups will be developed pre-

Mission based on best practices and existent tools designed for the PBEA programme,

tailored to the UNICEF Somalia PBEA Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and SZOP

programming. These tools will be utilized to collect qualitative data on the expected and

unexpected outcomes of the Schools as Zone of Peace project.

The semi-structured interviews will be conducted with the CtC facilitator in each school,

2-3 other engaged teachers, the head teacher, and Garowe government officials.

Garowe government officials will be selected based on relevancy of their position to the

SZOP programme and their willingness to be interviewed during the Mission dates.

Three participatory focus groups will be conducted in each school location, one with

randomly selected students in each school location, one with Community Education

Committee members, and another with parents, if possible to arrange. Students will be

randomly selected; ensuring representation of different education levels, proportional

gender representation, and varied participation with the SZOP programming. Parents

will be selected based on student profiles and willingness to participate. Reasoning for

39

participation will also be captured. The focus groups with students will focus on

individual level impact of the programming. The focus groups with CEC members will

focus on school community level impact and broader awareness of SZOP programming.

And, the focus group with parents will be used to highlight family unit and community

level impact of the programming.

A final participatory focus group will be conducted with community leaders, as

identified by the Garowe government officials, schools, UNICEF Somalia staff and PSCA.

From the combined list of community leaders developed from input from the

abovementioned parties, community leaders will be randomly selected to participate,

ensuring non-discriminatory and representative sampling. The focus group with

community leaders will highlight community level impact of programming through

discussion of awareness, expected and unexpected outcomes.

Implementation Logistics

UNICEF Somalia will arrange visits and meeting with PSCA and selected schools and participants.

They will also provide a translator for the interviews and focus groups.

Location

The activities will take place in Garowe at the selected schools and implementing

partner’s office.

Security Arrangements

The SFCG DM&E Specialist, UNICEF Somalia staff, and other relevant parties will abide

by the UN security protocol specific to working in Somalia throughout implementation

and outlined activities. The DM&E Specialist will be staying at appropriate UN

accommodation. UNICEF Somalia staff are taking care of transportation arrangement in

line with UN security protocol. A visa has been procured and humanitarian flight

arrangements made.

40

Timeline

Time Session/Activity Facilitator(s) Participant(s)

Sunday, April 12th 2015

Afternoon

Arrive at location, meet with UNICEF Somalia staff and Puntland Student Consultancy Association (PSCA) to review work plan and update on program status

UNICEF, PSCA UNICEF, PSCA, SFCG DME Specialist

Monday, April 13th 2015: School #1

8:00 am Meet at office - -

9:00am Meet with MOE UNICEF, PSCA

UNICEF, PSCA, SFCG DME Specialist, MOE

10am-11am

Focus group with parents SFCG SFCG, parents

11am-12noon

Semi-structured interviews with teachers SFCG SFCG, teachers

12:30-1:30 Back to hotel for lunch and mid-day school break - -

Afternoon session

Focus Group with students SFCG SFCG, students

End of Afternoon

Focus Group with CEC SFCG SFCG, CEC members

Tuesday, April 14th 2015: School #2 & School #3


9am-10am Focus group with parents SFCG SFCG, parents

10am-11am


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11am-12noon


Over Lunch Focus Group with CEC SFCG SFCG, CEC members

1:30pm-2:30pm

Focus group with parents SFCG SFCG, parents

2:30pm-3:30pm


3:30pm-4:30pm


Wednesday, April 15th 2015: School #4



10am-11am


11am-12noon


12:30-1:15pm

Back to hotel for lunch and mid-day school break - -

1:30pm-2:15pm

Focus Group with CEC School #4 SFCG SFCG, CEC members

2:30pm-3:15pm

Focus Group with CEC School #3 SFCG SFCG, CEC members

3:30pm-4:30pm

Focus Group with Community Leaders SFCG SFCG, community leaders

Thursday, April 16th 2015: School #5



42


10am-11am


11am-12noon


12:30-1:30pm

Back to hotel for lunch and mid-day school break - -

1:30pm-2:30pm

Focus Group with CEC SFCG SFCG, CEC members

Afternoon session

Observation of CtC activities CtC facilitator and children

SFCG, CtC facilitator, children

Friday, April 17th 2015

Whole Day Off

Work from hotel: identification of gaps and necessary clarification

-

-

Saturday, April 18th 2015

Morning Semi-structured interviews with identified government officials

SFCG

SFCG, UNICEF Somalia, government officials

Afternoon

Debrief with SFCG, UNICEF Somalia, and PSCA around activities. Preliminary discussions on trends. Discussion on deliverables. [In Somalia]

SFCG, UNICEF Somalia, PSCA

Sunday, April 19th 2015

- Travel day- country exit. SFCG DME Specialist

43

Deliverables

1. 5 Days in-county semi-structured interviews and focus group facilitation 2. 1 Day in-country planning and debriefing with UNICEF Somalia staff and PSCA (IP) staff 3. Semi-structured interview template and completed forms 4. Focus group template/tool and completed note taker forms 5. Case study on Schools as Zone of Peace

a. Rough draft submitted from SFCG, May 8th (three weeks after exit) b. Comments from UNICEF Somalia and PSCA by May 15th c. Final draft submitted from SFCG, May 22nd

Budget Guidelines

As per discussions between SFCG and UNICEF Somalia, SFCG will use budget lines from the

UNICEF/SFCG Global PCA to cover the majority of expenses for this technical support mission.

These expenses include insurance, accommodation and per diem for the SFCG DME Specialist.

The visa, flight to Garowe from JKO, and security expenses will be covered by UNICEF Somalia.

Total expenses (can be calculated once a timeline is agreed upon):

44

2. Schools as Zones of Peace PCA

UNICEF SOMALIA: SUBMISSION FORM FOR NEW PCA

PCA Reference No:

Date of Submission: June 25 2014 Submitting Section: Education Section

Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA)

Submitted by: Linda Jones, Chief Education

Prepared By: Said Mohamed Hassan, Project Officer

Reviewed By: Merriall Davies, Education Specialist

Cleared By: Marianne Clark-Hattingh Chief Of Field Office

1) GENERAL:

Name of Partner: Puntland Student Consultancy Association (PSCA)

Project Title: School As Zone of Peacebuilding

AWP Reference: NEZ EDU/ 4.1.2

Project Location: Start Date Duration of the

Project

Number of Direct

Beneficiaries

Zone, North Eastern Zone

Upon signing of the PCA

8 Months

• 20,000 school children

• 400 school teachers

• 50 Child- to- Child clubs (CtCs) in 50 schools

Regions: Bari, Nugal, Karkaar and Mudug

2) FINANCIAL

Description UNICEF Contribution Partner Contribution Total

Cash (US$) Supply (US$) Cash (US$) Supply (US$)

Original US $ 152,004 0.00 Please add 0.00 Please add

Payment Terms (as per the DCT Guidelines) 1st Advance amount of USD 45.601 (30%) to cover expenses of first quarter activities 2ndAdvance amount of USD 60.801 (40%) after liquidation of first tranche 3rd Advance amount of USD 45.602 (30%) after liquidation of second tranche

3) PROJECT

Brief Description on the Project

Schools as Zones of Peace Project (SZOP) is a school-based peace building program with community outreach

activities which aims to increase sense of social cohesion in school communities. The project aims for schools to

take a role in diffusing conflict at the community level as well as empowering school children and teachers to see

their potential as agents of peace. SZOP will do this by emphasizing the participation of school children and

45

teachers in school and community attitudinal transformation processes aimed at attaining a culture of coexistence

and harmony.

The Ministry of Education has helped to identify 50 major schools in Bari, Nugal, Karkaar, Sanaag, Sool, and

Mudug regions to directly benefit from SZOP. Existing CtC school clubs in the 50 identified school will be the main

avenue for organizing and undertaking the community outreach peace building activities. The CtCs facilitators will

undergo training on the ‘6- step’ process of CtC facilitation a well- guided process to teach facilitators to help

children to identify issues and concerns in their schools and communities, how to discuss and debate issues and

resolve issues, how to formulate an action plan to address the issues, and how to prepare a peace day event for

example.

Activities will include after school club meetings addressing context specific issues for example as violence in

schools and – as a response to these issues - devising and showcasing of poetry, drama, and art centered on

these issues. Central to this is the embracing of existing positive traditional and cultural heritage. In the last quarter

of the program CtC clubs will jointly organise a showcasing event. Through drama and cultural artistic work

children will present the issues they identified to the local education officials and the community at large.

The development and implementation of such skills and activities aims to iincrease the capacity of school children,

parents, teachers and community members to prevent, reduce and cope with conflict and promote peace.

Project Details

Project Goal: Increased sense of social cohesion in school communities.

Indicator. % and # of school community members indicating an increased sense of social cohesion by the end

of the program.

Outcome 1: CtC facilitators gain the skills to actively promote child participation and engagement around critical peacebuilding issues in schools.

Indicator 1a. % of CtC facilitators indicating confidence in their ability to engage children in peacebuilding activities by the end of the program

Indicator 1b. % of CtC trainees rated as effectively implementing the 6-step facilitation process with youth to address peacebuilding issues in schools by the end of the program

Output 1.1: Action plan developed by facilitators centered on next steps for engaging children in peacebuilding programming

Indicator 1.1.a. One action plan developed by each facilitator, for each school, 3 months into program

Activity 1.1.1: Identify participating schools in urban centres in cooperation with Ministry of Education officials

Indicator 1.1.1a. # of schools selected to participate 1 month into program

Activity 1.1.2: Refresher training for 50 CtC facilitators in 50 schools on the 6-step process of CtC facilitation

Indicator 1.1.2a. # of CtC facilitators participating in training 3 months into program

Outcome 2: Increased participation of children in addressing conflict issues affecting their schools and communities.

Indicator 2a. # of children participating in CtC facilitated programming by the end of the program

46

Indicator 2b. % of participating children indicating confidence in their role in addressing conflict issues affecting their schools and communities by the end of the program

Output 2.1: Children lead community showcase event addressing critical peacebuilding issues

Indicator 2.1a. # of events held 6 months after program starts

Activity 2.1.1: CtC facilitators organize after school club meetings with children to identify context-specific peacebuilding issues to address (for example violence in schools, access issues, etc.), and the platform for addressing these (poetry, literature, arts, etc.)

Indicator 2.1.1a. # of after-school club meetings after 4 months after program starts

Activity 2.1.2: CtC facilitators organize after school club meetings with children to develop chosen platform for addressing peacebuilding issues

Indicator 2.1.2. # of after-school club meetings after 6 months after program start

Activity 2.1.3: CtC facilitators lead children through evaluative exercise

Indicator 2.1.3a. # of assessment findings documented

Activity 2.1.4: Showcasing event organized, where children present their art or drama outreach work addressing peacebuilding issues to the community and local education officials

Indicator 2.1.4a. # of community members attending showcasing event after 6 months after program start

Outcome 3: Ministry of Education officials develop more positive attitudes regarding the role of children in addressing peacebuilding issues affecting their schools and communities.

Indicator 3a: # of Ministry officials indicating that children are important contributors to peacebuilding in their communities by the end of the program

Output 3.1: Children conduct peacebuilding outreach to other schools, communities, and Ministry officials

Indicator 3.1a. # of community members and Ministry officials attending the regional peace day event after 8 months after program start

Indicator 3.1b. # of community members and Ministry officials receiving delegation of children after 8 months after program start

Activity 3.1.1: Regional peace day: Presentation of peacebuilding art/drama outreach activities brings together youth and Ministry officials

Indicator 3.1.1a: # of regional peace day events held after 6 months

Activity 3.1.2: Delegation of children participating in peacebuilding outreach activities and presenting to Ministry of Education officials in Garowe

Indicator 3.1.2a. # of children participating in delegation after 8 months

Justification for Entering into a Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the Partner

Puntland Student Consultancy Association (PSCA) is a local NGO working in the area of Youth Participation and

Development. PSCA has an HQ office in Bosaso and a sub-office in Garowe. In the past, UNICEF and PSCA

worked through Partnership (2009-2011) in the Child- to- Child Program (CtC). PSCA has also worked with

47

UNICEF in the Child Photography Project in Puntland, as well as CEC training on Peacebuilding in Education.

PSCA has a successful record of working with CtC clubs in Puntland. Despite the CtC program being

institutionalized in MOE, the Ministry of Education (MoE) proposed and endorsed PSCA to work closely in the

implementation of the CtC program until such time the Ministry regional and district level systems were able to fully

grasp and manage the program independently. An independent evaluation conducted by DFID at the end of the

2009-2011project period found the program implementation and the set objectives were successfully met under

the UNICEF/PSCA partnership.

In close collaboration with UNICEF and the MoE, PSCA will provide the overall technical operational and

management of the CtC clubs in developing and subsequently implementing the action plans, monitoring, reporting

and documenting the process.

48

3. List of Child to Child Clubs in Puntland

50

4. List of Guiding Questions for Interviews

1. When did you first hear of the new CtC clubs? How did you get involved?

2. How do you feel about the CtC club?

3. What have you been doing in the club since Eid?

4. Can you describe a club meeting to me?

5. Do you have a favorite event or activity that you’ve done with the club? What is it? And why did

you like it?

6. Are there lessons or activities in the club that you think are less useful (or not fun)?

7. What do you think of the catalyst? Are there qualities he/she has or things he/she does that

make them a good catalyst?

8. How was the catalyst chosen?

9. How were the students chosen for the club?

10. Have you seen any changes in the school since Eid? If so, can you describe a few?

11. Have you seen any changes in the community since Eid? If so, can you describe a few?

12. How involved are the parents with the school? Have there been any changes over the past few

months?

13. What do children fight about in this school? Who usually initiates the fighting?

14. Has the fighting changed in any way in the school in the past few months? If so, how?

15. Who resolves the fights in this school? What is the process?

16. Does the MOE/UNICEF/PSCA visit the school? The club? If so, how often? What do they do on

their visits?

17. Do you feel like you can share problems or needs with the MOE/UNICEF/PSCA? Do you feel like

they listen and respond? Can you give an example?

18. Does the MOE/UNICEF/PSCA attend any of the peace day events? If so, how often?

19. (Children) Do you feel like you can speak up in the community? Do elders (your teachers,

parents, etc.) listen to what you have to say?

20. What would improve the CtC club?

Additional Comments/Suggestions/Questions

unicef somalia schools as zones of peace programme...teachers, and ministry officials to see the...

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