Farhiya Farah Omar Ijal outperforms more than 40,000 students, bringing her ambition of studying medicine a step closer
Farhiya Farah Omar Ijal, a beneficiary of Qatar Charity’s Sponsorship and Social Welfare Programme under the Rofaqa initiative, has secured second placenationwide in Somalia’s secondary school examinations for the 2025–2026 academic year, outperforming more than 40,000 students who sat the federal national examinations.
Her remarkable result crowns a journey defined by loss, perseverance and sustained support. After losing her father at an early age, Farhiya remained determined to pursue her education. Her national distinction now places her among Somalia’s top-performing students and illustrates how opportunity and focused support can unlock young people’s potential.
A Phone Call That Changed Everything
On the morning the results were announced, Farhiya waited at her family home in Kismayo, Jubaland State, alongside thousands of students across Somalia. The news arrived in an extraordinary way: Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, called her personally to congratulate her on securing second place nationwide.
Farhiya recalls needing a moment to absorb what she had heard. She had never imagined receiving the result in such a way. After praising God, she rushed to share the news with her mother, whose tears reflected years of care, prayer and hope.
“I always prayed that God would grant her success, comfort her after the loss of her father and allow her to see the reward of her hard work,” her mother said. “When I heard the result, I knew that the years of patience had not been in vain and that God had rewarded us with something better than we could have imagined.”
A Journey of Perseverance
One of five children, Farhiya grew up in a modest household in Kismayo. The family relied on the limited and often unpredictable income from a small shop selling grains and spices in the local market. Following her father’s death, financial pressures intensified, but the family remained resolute in keeping itschildren in school.
From an early age, Farhiya saw education as the means to transform both her own future and that of her family. She set her sights on academic excellence, community service and one day giving back to those who had supported her.
Sponsorship That Opened the Door to Opportunity
Farhiya joined the Sponsorship and Social Welfare Programme in 2018, receiving the support she needed to continue her education without interruption. She matched that opportunity with discipline: following a consistent study routine, reviewing her lessons every day and keeping her goal of academic excellence firm in view.
She attributes her achievement to years of hard work and academic discipline, her mother’s prayers, the encouragement of her teachers and the timely support her family received when it was needed most.
At Ahmad ibn Hanbal School, Farhiya earned a reputation for discipline, commitment and consistently strong academic performance. Principal Badr al-Din Shukri Abdullah said she had stood out from her earliest school years through her effective time management and structured study routine beyond the classroom.
He noted that the school’s evening revision sessions helped reinforce her learning and contributed to her exceptional result. Farhiya’s success, he added, is a source of pride for the school and a powerful encouragement for other students and their families.
A National Achievement
Farhiya’s achievement reached far beyond her school and hometown. Competing against more than 40,000 candidates in Somalia’s general secondary school examinations, she secured second place nationally—a distinction built on years of perseverance and her determination to make the most of everyeducational opportunity.
For Farhiya, however, the most enduring memory was not the public celebration that followed, but the sight of her mother overcome with joy. Her mother was the first person with whom she shared the achievement—and the one who had witnessed every step of her educational journey.
Medicine: A Dream with a Purpose
Farhiya now plans to study medicine at university. Her ambition is rooted in a desire to serve others and ease the suffering of people in need through a profession that brings scientific knowledge and humanitarian service together.
For her, becoming a doctor is more than a personal aspiration. It is an opportunity to serve her community and give back to everyone who helped her remain on the path to success.
Impact Beyond a Single Success Story
Farhiya’s story is part of a wider record of educational achievement among beneficiaries of Qatar Charity’s Sponsorship and Social Welfare Programme in Somalia. In the 2025–2026 academic year, 364 orphaned students completed secondary school, 789 graduated from intermediate school and 162 completed university studies.
The figures underline the growing role of educational sponsorship in helping orphaned and vulnerable students remain in education and build better futures for themselves, their families and their communities.
Farhiya expressed her gratitude to her sponsor, saying the support had been instrumental in enabling her to continue her education and reach this milestone.
She also thanked Qatar Charity and its staff for the care and assistance they provide to orphans, students and vulnerable groups, and prayed that everyone who had supported her would be rewarded.
Addressing orphans and students facing difficult circumstances, Farhiya said: “Never lose faith in yourselves, whatever the challenges. The road may be long, but education, hard work and patience can make an extraordinary difference. Hold on to your dreams, give them your best effort and never give up.”
Today, Farhiya stands as a compelling example of what determination, education and timely support can achieve. Having earned one of Somalia’s highest national rankings, she is now preparing for the next chapter of her journey: studying medicine and turning her success into service for her community.
Quick Facts
- Name: Farhiya Farah Omar Ijal
- Country: Somalia
- City: Kismayo, Jubaland State
- Achievement: Second place nationwide in Somalia’s secondary school examinations
- Number of examination candidates: More than 40,000 students
- Programme: Sponsorship and Social Welfare Programme
- Supporting organisation: Qatar Charity
- Year sponsorship began: 2018
- Intended field of study: Medicine
- Message: Education, hard work and patience can change the future.
About the Rofaqaa Initiative
Rofaqaa is Qatar Charity’s specialised umbrella initiative for sponsorship and social welfare. It delivers comprehensive support spanning education, healthcare, rehabilitation and development to orphans and other sponsored beneficiaries. Across dozens of countries, its programmes reach more than 225,000 sponsored individuals, including orphans, families in need, persons with disabilities, students and teachers.
Qatar Charity is Somalia’s largest sponsor of orphans, supporting approximately 22,000 orphaned children nationwide.
