The construction of our new Girls Leadership Academy in Mogadishu is going well, and we are so excited to share an update with you! It is on track to be finished by the end of summer, and as soon as it is safe, we will open our doors to our first class of students!
With the help of incredible friends and partners, we are trying a new model with a goal to make this school self sustainable within two years. In addition to a special focus in leadership and peace building, we will have pilot programs in entrepreneurship. Our students will run small business to not only serve needs in the community and empower these young women, but also to bring in funding for the school operations. We will continue to grow this model until our school is financially self-sustainable, and has the capability to serve for generations to come!
Our vision in building this school is to provide an opportunity for every girl who has been part of our safe house or experienced gender based violence to get an incredible education focused on leadership, empowerment and peace building. In addition, we will have capacity to also enroll girls who have been displaced by conflict or cannot financially afford to attend school. Our goal is to reach a cross section of our friends in Somalia who have experienced setbacks but are determined to change their lives and build peace in Somalia.
We cannot wait to cheer these girls on in all they do!