As part of its activities aimed at ensuring that children are protected and prevented from involving harmful practices during school holidays while being prevented to engage in violence which in an environment like Somalia children are highly exposed to be tempted and enticed in engaging in violence, Action for Child Care and Development (ACCD) NGO in close collaboration with its schools and target community, managed to organize non formal activities for children so as to avert them from being influenced primarily in violence and exploited as soldiers.
According to the initial plan, Action for Child Care and Development (ACCD) NGO had to organize two separate activities with the same purpose. The initially planned activities included:
a) football tournament/competition
b) fine arts competition
For the football activity, ACCD organized the competitions and run it successfully but considering the sensitivity fine arts competition may lead to, it was changed from fine arts competition to inter house knowledge competition which students had actively participated. With this regard, students were grouped from different schools and classes so as to strengthen coexistence and familiarize them while also ensuring to share their experiences and stories from their respective communities. Each group has been given a respective name to participate the competition.







Students from respective competing groups queuing up for football tournament
Referees and a panel of judges (comprising teachers of different subjects) were appointed for the smooth implementation of the activities and a panel has been set up for the follow up of weaknesses of any encounter so as to rectify pitfalls observed so that they do not poise challenge for the games supposed to follow the particular encounter.
In the meantime, it was the responsibility of this panel to be present at all competitions and closely watching the competition as it proceeds. Also the panel was responsible drafting and adoption of questions /quizzes for the knowledge competition which mainly comprised scientific, English religion, general knowledge quizzes as well as other cross cutting themes.









Male and female students separated participating the conclusion of the competitions event
Towards the end of the competition, planning awards and prizes for the winners and runners up were made and different people from the community were invited to participate the closing of the events (competitions) which were aimed at preventing children from being exposed to harmful practices and engaging them in violence i.e. being conscripted or recruited as child soldier while also promoting harmonization and coexistence of the communities.