MOGADISHU, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- For Farxiyo Ali Mohamed, football is more than a sport. It is a pathway to opportunity, confidence, and empowerment.
As a midfielder for Elman women's football club in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, Mohamed has set her sights on ambitious goals: winning the Somali Women's League title and ultimately representing her country on the global stage.
To realize these goals, she sharpens her skills at the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center in Mogadishu, where young people have access not only to sports but also to vocational training and career opportunities.
The center offers free sports facilities, including football and basketball courts, giving talented young people, particularly women, a safe and supportive environment to develop their skills.
For Mohamed and her peers, the opportunities extend far beyond the playing field.
By integrating sports with vocational training and livelihood development, the center, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has launched a holistic program to create pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and personal empowerment.
Through technical and vocational education and training, participants acquire practical skills across diverse fields, including solar installation and mechanics, electrical work, business management, and fashion and beauty services.
Among the program's success stories is Maryam Omar Ali, who, after completing training in henna application and makeup artistry, joined the center's beauty department, where she puts her newly acquired skills into practice every day.
"I am grateful to the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center and UNDP for allowing us to work here for free and for the skills I learned at this center. It was truly a life-changing skill. I now have much more confidence in myself," Maryam told Xinhua.
Highlighting the program's impact, Fartun Abdisalan Adan, executive director of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center, noted that youth comprise approximately 70 percent of Somalia's population, making their active inclusion and economic empowerment essential to the nation's future.
She emphasized that supporting young people should continue even after individual projects come to an end.
"We have provided free spaces where they can continue their businesses, develop their skills and earn an income," Adan added.
The UNDP-supported program aims to reach 1,000 marginalized youth and women by integrating vocational training with psychosocial support and direct connections to employers.
According to UNDP data, as of April, nearly 1,000 participants had completed the six-month training courses, with more than 200 securing employment.
Christophoros Politis, UNDP Somalia's resident representative, said that sustainable youth empowerment depends on strong collaboration across government, civil society, the private sector, and local communities.
"The integration is going to be the slogan or the way forward for UNDP and Somalia as we move forward, with a solid emphasis on community development, inclusion, youth empowerment, and definitely breaking silos and making sure that we're moving ahead with economic opportunities for them," Politis added. ■