In Mogadishu, young Yemeni refugees are living side by side with Somali residents, but they often don't get a chance to get to know each other, to hear about each other's lives and experiences. If they did, thought our Alight Somalia team, they might realize they have more in common than they think...

When Salim Mohamed, a Yemeni refugee living in Mogadishu, Somalia, was asked what he missed the most about his old school in Yemen, he talked about the trees. "We had five huge trees in my old school in Yemen," he said, "and during break time we would gather under the tree chit chat, rest and climb. We only have one baby tree in my school in Mogadishu.”

We wanted to give the Yemeni refugee students we work with an opportunity to do something outside of the classroom, something that might be different than their normal day to day. Learning to hone their painting skills is something that most students don't really get an opportunity to do - but it's a great creative outlet. And, it could serve them well in the future too.

In Mogadishu, Alight teams have been working to do what they can for the thousands of Yemeni refugees now living in the city. Many of them are young people, desperately trying to keep their education alive and opportunities open.