By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Mogadishu, 9 September 2026 - Somalia’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education has launched a training programme targeting 2,000 women as part of efforts to strengthen women’s employment, entrepreneurship and leadership skills, the ministry said on Wednesday.
The programme will provide training in business, finance, digital technology, entrepreneurship and leadership. It will target women who already run businesses as well as those seeking to start businesses, the ministry said.
Participants will be divided into two groups focused on leadership and employability skills, and small businesses and emerging entrepreneurs.
The training will be delivered through a combination of in-person and online sessions to reach women in different parts of Somalia. Participants who successfully complete the programme will receive certificates and also mentorship and guidance.
Applicants must be Somali women aged between 22 and 45, hold valid identification documents and live in one of Somalia’s federal member states or the Banadir administration, according to the ministry. Priority will be given to women with disabilities.
The training is part of the Somalia Empowering Women through Education and Skills Project, known as Rajo Kaaba, which is implemented by the education ministry with financing from the World Bank. The project was established to expand women’s access to education, skills for income generation and leadership opportunities.
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Rajo Kaaba has previously provided university scholarships to 3,000 Somali girls, supporting studies in fields including nursing, midwifery and education at universities across several federal member states and the Banadir region, the World Bank said in December 2025. The wider project aims to equip more than 40,000 women, girls and young people with technical and vocational skills to improve employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
The latest training opportunity also follows a 2026 procurement process for women’s leadership and employability skills training under Rajo Kaaba. The assignment was designed to provide training, mentorship and certification for female employees, job seekers and recent graduates across Somalia.
The World Bank said in 2022 that Rajo Kaaba was backed by $52 million in additional financing, comprising a $25 million International Development Association grant, a $25 million grant from the Somalia Multi-Partner Fund and a $2 million grant from the Early Learning Partnership Multi-Donor Trust Fund.
Applications for the latest training opportunity are being accepted through the ministry’s online platform.