Who we are

Somali Canadian Education & Rural Development Organization (SCERDO):

• Is a non-profit and registered charity organization under paragraph 149(1)(f) of the Income Tax Act (The Act), which started its formal operations on November 1999 in Canada.

We are:

• People who are interested in promoting and improving the quality of life for Somali Canadians through education and community based projects.
• Social activists, Computer programmers, pharmacist, economists, administrators, educators, house wives, students and elders, who all share one common bond; a sincere desire to make a difference to the lives of marginalized immigrant communities, particularly Somali-Canadians in Edmonton and elsewhere.

Volunteers provide the majority of SCERDO’s work. This includes professional training at each project site, mentorship of the local project partners, participating in community events, assisting with the building projects, and gathering resources in Canada and in the Somali communities around the world.

SCERDO main objectives are:

 To advocate for the advancement of education (formal and informal) of all Somalis and Canadians. Special emphasis will be given to the rural population in terms of access to primary and vocational education in a manner that contribute to quality of life.

 To promote sustainable economic development through environmental education, enhancement of scarce resources, improvement of health and hygiene, and effective use of available resources.

 To promote national and international community development programs, through community-based projects, which would provide basic education services, skill development, women’s literacy support, and other educational services.

 To assist educational institutions in Somalia to design, develop, and distribute educational curriculum, programs, and materials.

 To promote greater participation of parents and community leaders in the children’s education and development through parents’ education and awareness programs.

To provide humanitarian education and assistance to encourage young people to take action through various educational programs about the necessity of humanitarian aid, particularly in areas affected by war or stricken by poverty.

To co-operate and work closely with other agencies and individuals having complementary interests.