Roho Mohamud Ahmed, a 13-year-old girl from Ifaa Primary School in Babile woreda, Oromia Region, Ethiopia, is a shining example of resilience and hope. Raised by a single mother after being abandoned by her father, Roho was forced to forego her education due to financial hardships. For years, she supported her mother with household chores and fieldwork, while only one of her brothers attended school, thanks to the support of an uncle. However, Roho’s life took a turn when she joined the Speed School program, an accelerated learning initiative for children aged 9-14 who have missed out on education.
The program, which offers the first three years of primary education in just ten months, is funded by Education Cannot Wait and implemented by UNICEF, with the goal of helping children like Roho catch up on lost education. Since joining, Roho has thrived, enjoying the student-centered teaching methodology and improving her skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. Motivated by her success, she is now determined to continue her education and pursue her dream of becoming an engineer, ensuring that future generations in her family can benefit from uninterrupted education.