Think Creative Fall 2023

Creative Life

a mission-driven community

walk this way A day in the life of a Creative team member

Alinor Osman Outreach and Communications Manager USAID Bar ama Baro (BAB)

I was born in Somalia two years before the 1991 government collapse. The prolonged civil war that followed created chaos and destroyed most of Somalia’s public sectors, including education. As a child, my only path for education was to study the Quran at aMadrasa. Private primary and secondary schools were eventually formed, but the school fees were expensive for many families, including mine. I still vividly remember howmy aunt struggled to paymy tuition fees. These experiences shaped my thinking

we created a student enrollment campaign where we broadcast recorded radio dramas that explained what the project is, how students could enroll, and answered other questions parents might have. Since this was the second year of BAB classes, we included testimonials from students, teachers, parents and community members so they could explain in their own words how they were benefiting from the program. Between the radio campaign and door-to-door visits, we enrolled more than 100,000 students!

Osman maintains close community relationships to keep an eye out for stories that showcase BAB’s successes.

Every day, I’m inspired by seeing a happy parent whose child is in school for the first time.” “

Osman has always valued education and can relate to students who struggled to afford tuition.

Every day, I’m inspired by seeing a happy parent whose child is in school for the first time or the euphoria of a student whose dream of attending a school has just come true. I take a lot of pride in discovering and disseminating the individual stories of these students, depicting their hope, aspiration, and dedication to continue their education despite conflict, the shocks of climate change and other livelihood crises. I am also inspired by my colleagues with their relentless commitment and dedication to provide education to Somali children and youth. Despite working in a difficult environment and under extreme pressures, I have not seen any of them complaining. n

about the need and importance of everyone having access to quality, effective and accredited education. As the Outreach and Communications Manager for Bar ama Baro (BAB), I get to help support education every day. On a typical day, I keep an eye out for potential stories by talking to my colleagues in the field, partners, education officials, community members, teachers, students and parents. When I find something interesting, I work with my team to turn it into an article or video so more people can learn about the project and what it is achieving. I also help get out the word about BAB locally by promoting the project in Somali media and running campaigns. Recently,

Osman and fellow communications colleagues capturing drone video footage.

Photos provided by Alinor Osman (top/center); JimHuylebroek (bottom)

30 | Think Creative | Fall 2023