How free language App is transforming learning in Somalia

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: A new App developed by Sahamiye Foundation, a charity founded by Ismail Ahmed, a Somaliland-born business mogul is transforming learning in Somalia and other parts of the Horn of Africa.

Ahmed says the App has lived to the standards of his organization’s goal which he says is to transform lives through the promotion of literacy and education.

Daariz, is a free language App according to a statement has helped over 300,000 people to develop Somali language literacy skills since 2021.

“This literacy app, we think, would really make a difference in terms of learning the mother tongue, because currently it takes up to 450 to 500 hours for someone to become functionally literate in their own mother tongue, but based on the hard data we have been able to collect, the app has reduced that to just 50 hours,” Ahmed told said.

He argues that the challenges bedeviling the region- which encompasses Somaliland, Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya, has led to “low school enrollment and limited access to quality education.

Ahmed further notes that as a result, over 70% of late primary school students in the region cannot read and understand a simple story in Somali and therefore the app is specifically designed to offer offline accessibility to users has empowered particularly women and girls to overcome “significant educational barriers.

He adds that the Sahamiye Foundation has a vision to add other subjects like mathematics and science for those who could not get the chance at an education early in life.

“We are partnering with local education authorities, schools, Koranic schools and adding other subjects like Arabic, because we want children who go to Koranic schools to learn Somali,” Ahmed said.

“We’re adding math and science as well so those who have missed schools can at least get basic education.”