Abass Hassan Mohamed, Somalia "I started my studies in a small school in Ifo refugee camp"

"My name is Abass Hassan Mohamed. I was born in Bu'ale, in the Middle Juba region of southern Somalia, and I am one of six children. I was 10 years old when the war broke out in Somalia early in 1991. My whole family fled from Juba up to the Kenyan border: my father and mother, six children, and my grandmother. There we were received by the UNHCR and we were brought by truck here to Ifo refugee camp in northeastern Kenya.

"Since then our whole family has been living in this refugee camp. Life is difficult in a way, as we depend entirely on food aid. We can't grow our own food. Opportunities for employment are very limited, so people just rely on the donors. That means that if the food handed out by donors stops today, it's a disaster.

"I started my studies in a small school in Ifo refugee camp, where we followed the Somali curriculum. In 1998 I was transferred to Midnimo ("Unity") Primary School where students follow the Kenyan curriculum. I had to repeat classes seven and eight to catch up with the others.

"In 1999, I sat for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and came second best in Midnimo Primary School. I was enrolled at Ifo Secondary School, the first secondary school to open in the camps, in February 2000. There I studied eight subjects and sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in 2003. When the results came out, I was so happy to find I had an overall grade of A. In fact, I came top in the whole North-Eastern Province, and eighth best in all of Kenya. Not bad for a refugee!

"I am now a teacher at Midnimo Primary School. If peace comes to Somalia, my hope is to return home to use my skills and education to help my people back home."