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THE STORY OF NAJMA AND HER FAMILY
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IRI radio programs changing
family lives in Mogadishu.
Najmo is an eight year old girl. She
lives with her parents in the Hodan district
in Mogadishu and goes to Al Imra School.
She is in her first grade of schooling.
Najmo’s parents were very worried about
their situation and their relatives living
close to the battle field. Najmo’s father
said:
“Many people have been killed and
hundreds wounded, most of
them civilians in the latest round of
fighting whereby thousands
fled their homes. We have nowhere to go…we
don’t have enough food…
May Allah help us…” |
“I have fled
from northern Mogadishu. Now the fighting
has affected me in the south. So I would
prefer to go back home since there is no
safe place in the city. We are confused!.
This area is like a hell. I used to sell
fuel for cars, but my heart is shaky because
of what I saw and happened to my son" , said
Mariam Najmo’s aunt whose youngest child was
killed Thursday by mortar fire. She added
“Now I want to check whether our house was
looted or not or was destroyed by stray
mortars or artillery. Dying is really better
than this awful life!!.
Najmo is among those fortunate few Somali
students who had access to school but, since
last week when fighting erupted in
Mogadishu, she hasn’t had the chance to
attend her school for studying because all
schools were shut down and children were not
allowed to go out due to the fighting.
Fortunately, Najmo’s family has a radio at
home.
Najmo knew the broadcasting hours at her
school and started asking her mum and dad to
tune in to the IRI radio lessons for her
every morning, so she was able to listen to
her lessons at home.
Najmo says: “I like the radio lessons too
much because I learnt many lessons without
going to school. I am happy now, but I truly
hate the fighting. I am scared about the
bullets…it is not getting stopped”
Her mum says: “my daughter is all morning
busy with the radio programs. She has great
enthusiasm for these radio programs and made
us also love the program, I really wondered
how fast she memorized the lesson stories
and songs, my daughter is intelligent!.”
Her dad also says: “She asks me questions
about her lessons and she required us to
listen to the radio programs with her every
day and answer her questions. We all thank
to those who prepared these effective radio
programs for our kids. In fact these
programs don’t only influence the children
in class but also their families and the
whole community in general, great
opportunity IRI!!!.” |
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