Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops working under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has handed over four newly built classrooms and a sports stadium to the local administration in Ras Kamboni, Somalia.

Sector 2 Deputy Commander Colonel Pascal Kitiro while presiding over the handover ceremony said, ‘‘education is a critical ingredient for the growth of a country. We, in AMISOM, are looking forward to this facility enabling people boost their educational system.”

Colonel Kitiro also noted that the project was aimed at providing quality education in the region for the overall development and stability of Somalia.

In his speech, the Southern Sector District Commissioner General Mohammed Ibrahim emphasized on the importance of education and thanked KDF for supporting locals in the area.

He promised that his administration was making all efforts to ensure adequate and quality educational facilities were available to students.

“The future of our country lies with our children. It is our duty to nurture and educate them in the right ways,” he added.

Ras Kamboni Primary School Head Teacher Mr. Abdi Harun thanked KDF for the development noting that pupils were excited to be inside a classroom with desks.

He said, “these classrooms will provide a conducive environment for learning. Our teachers are happy that this development will assist our pupils to learn like the rest of their counterparts all over the world.”

Col Kitiro also handed over the Ras Kamboni sports grounds to the local administration and donated football jerseys, balls and goal post nets to four local teams.

After the commissioning of the grounds, envisaged to be patronized by ten local football teams, the officials were treated to a football match.

“Sports is a useful activity in keeping the youth busy and away from joining dangerous groups. With high unemployment rate and nothing else to do, our youth will be easily sucked into dangerous groups,” noted Salim Goni a youth leader.

The grounds together with the four classrooms were built by KDF troops under its Civil Military Cooperation obligations to improve the livelihoods of locals in the area.

Local youths welcomed the gesture promising to work hand in hand with both the local security agencies and KDF under AMISOM in combating criminal and terror activities.