Somaliland : Sonyo Hosts Annual Interface Meeting Between Youth and Duty Bearers

By: Staff writer

An annual interface meeting between duty bearers and youth organized by SONYO Umbrella has taken place at Mansoor Hotel earlier today.

The event focused on the employment opportunities for TVET trainees and graduates.

Diverse guests from different governmental entities, private companies, and international organizations have all attended the event. This interface meeting aimed to raise issues related to the challenges and opportunities of TVET skill hiring and strategies for promoting TVET as well as addressing the existing challenges in the market that come before TVET trainees. Among the guests were the Minister of Employment and Social Affairs, Hinda Ghani, Chairman of SONYO, Abdiaziz Mohamed, Executive Director of SONYO, Abdihamid Omer, Director General of the Ministry of Education and Higher Studies, Mr Ahmed Abokor, and other dignitaries.

In the beginning, the executive director of Somaliland youth organisation SONYO Umbrella, Mr Abdihamid Omer, has delivered the official opening statement and welcomed the distinguished guests to the event. Mr Abdihamid has emphasized the role of SONYO in reducing the high unemployment rate among the youth and equipping them with the necessary skills in demand at the market.

“On behalf of SONYO, I welcome the duty bearers of TVET education as well as youth to the event. This event aims to amplify the efforts made concerning TVET education in Somaliland. As of SONYO, we are very committed to supporting youth and their efforts towards getting the employable skills needed in the market.” Said Mr Abdihamid

Somaliland Minister of Employment and Social Affairs, Hinda Ghani, has also spoken at the event. The minister signified the nationwide efforts led by MESAF to tackle the unemployment obstacles among the youth and citizens in general. She has also mentioned the conduction of two surveys concerning unemployment and loss of jobs as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“As of MESAF, we have conducted two surveys on existing unemployment nationwide and the loss of jobs resulting from Caronavirus pandemic. These are part of governmental efforts to ensure addressing factors in play that result in the high unemployment rate and, consequently, putting more people at work. I express my gratitude to our partners for their developmental interventions, particularly that of TVET.” Said Minister Hinda
The minister has also shared a recent book prepared by the Ministry of Employment with the attendees to contribute in the efforts to consolidate vocational education in Somaliland.
“In addition to that, we have issued a research book concerning the needed skills in demand at the market and how to tailor them with the type of education we provide. To that effect, we have distributed the book to universities and educational institutions, requesting them to facilitate such skills.” Concluded
Moreover, many TVET graduates have communicated their experience as TVET success tellers and enlightened the attendees on how acquiring these skills transformed their lives and made them self-reliant.
At last, the event was concluded with a panel discussion on TVET employment opportunities and challenges.

The panellists received questions from the audience, which made the discussion fruit-bearing.