Think Creative Fall 2024

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Two girls play basketball in Somalia. The USAID Bar ama Baro accelerated education program used recreation to engage young people.

Somalia USAID Bar ama Baro By Jim Huylebroek, Photographer & Videographer

Girls in Mogadishu are pushing ahead, defying societal norms and challenging long-standing traditions in Somalia. I had the incredible opportunity to capture these young women during a sports tournament supported by the USAID Bar ama Baro project. Set against the backdrop of a city known more for its challenges than its triumphs, these student athletes pioneer a new era of empowerment and change. It was inspiring to see how here, as in many other places, sports can serve as a catalyst for change, fostering unity in the process. During the last four years, Bar ama Baro has worked with the Somali Ministry of Education, Culture, and

Higher Education and other partners to enroll more than 116,000 out-of school children in accelerated basic education. The project created a path to build foundational reading and math skills in a shorter time frame, enabling students to re-enter the formal school system. Tomorrow’s students require good teachers today. Bar ama Baro trained teachers, developed teaching and learning materials and supported events like this sports tournament to provide positive outlets for young people. These girls are not just playing basketball; they are forging a path for future generations. n

In this Issue

Our Impact 10 p.

07 Dispatches

Updates from around our world

08 // Intersectional Insights on Irregular Migration 09 // • Runner Up: Thinking and Working Politically • Field Notes 10 // Our Impact: Explore results from four projects in Africa and Central America. 12 // In Focus: West Bank Basic Education Activity

Intersectional Insights 11 p.

Building Futures 14 p.

14 Cover Package Building Futures: Youth transforming communities from the ground up

ON THE COVER: Leticia Torres, a Maya K’iche from an Indigenous community in Guatemala, is using her voice to create change in her community. Photo by Benjamin Lezama for Creative Associates International.

Photos by Jim Huylebroek

4 | Think Creative | Fall 2024