A partnership teaching and learning experience with:

In  May, 2024 we were invited by Black Mountains College (Wales), to participate in developing and teaching a module on Climate Change, Gender and Mobility, a project held together with the Rift Valley Institute, based in Kenya and The Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Hargeisa. 

Mama D worked with Emma Cardwell of the University of Lancaster and a team at the IPCS and RVI to support the module development and then the teaching of the one-month module, for Early Career Researchers. Students were drawn from across Somaliland and the teaching took place at the IPCS, with field work conducted within Hargeisa and selected rural communities beyond Hargeisa. Inputs from Mama D and selected guest lecturers were made mainly remotely.

It was a very intense and instructional experience, with students being drawn from across various Somaliland’s actors in the domain of environmental management, social work and conflict studies and practice. Participating students and partners were from both government and civil society organisations and involved a range of communities, NGOs and different government facilities in both its practice and application. The course title, after some discussion changed to Climate Justice, Social Differentiation and Mobilities to reflect emerging issues more effectively.

Students presented in a variety of drama-influenced ways at the Hargeisa Cultural Centre in October of 2024 and were awarded certificates for completing the module successfully.

Also in October a conference was held in which the outcomes of the student experiences were reflected upon together with a selection of the Somaliland public and participating organisations.

Highlights of the course included challenging pre-existing ideas about what constituted ‘climate-change’ as a concept applicable to diverse aspects of Somaliland Society, as well as witnessing student capacities to produce innovative and relatable communications on their field research processes and outcomes which helped to broaden reflections on the state of climate crisis in Somaliland and possible alternative approaches to teaching, learning and activism in the field of practice.

Graphic Images of three of the student groups. Field experiences and presentations by Paola Rozo