During the 2025-26 school year, Eloquence Academy partnered with the Rural Debate Initiative (RuDI). We hosted a year-round, in-school coaching program at Kaabe Schools in rural Somaliland. The program was an extension of our previous Intro to Debate Seminars that we hosted for Kaabe.

Since emerging from civil war and state collapse more than three decades ago, Somaliland has made strides toward stability, yet significant challenges persist. There is a desperate need to rebuild infrastructure and extend learning opportunities to the next generation of Somalilanders. Founded in 2019 and supported by Horn of Africa Education Development Fund, an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Kaabe is a scaling system of schools across Somaliland dedicated to student-centered, community-oriented, and inclusive education. Through a Montessori pedagogical approach, students participate in a comprehensive curriculum integrating modern academics, national education standards, English immersion, and Islamic teachings, including Quran, Hadith, and Arabic language. With dozens of campuses, Kaabe is staffed with Barwaqqo-trained teachers and managed by graduates who returned from top universities abroad, having created over 100 teaching careers.

Seattle Regional Director Amina Abedi worked with a cohort of students drawn from two campuses: Jigjiga Yar and New Hargeisa. Over five coachings, students formed transnational relationships while learning about confidence in public speaking, argumentation, and Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle. Next year, we plan to formalize a speech and debate club at Kaabe, expanding participation across campuses and deepening the curriculum. Furthermore, we intend to strengthen a broader culture of student-driven civil discourse on campus.

Based on responses collected by RuDI through their post-program survey, the results were energizing. Across over a dozen testimonials, participants consistently identified increased comfort and ability in public speaking, critical thinking, and self-expression—all in English. Indeed, in the words of members from the Kaabe team, “every Saturday, when it is debate time, there is a lot of excitement, especially from some students who would not normally contribute. More than ever, students are proactively requesting opportunities to continue debating.”

We are grateful to the Kaabe and RuDI teams and are proud of what their students accomplished.

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Eloquence Academy, Inc. is the world’s largest youth-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and 509(a)(2) public charity dedicated to increasing equitable academic debate opportunities for rural and historically underserved students. The Academy has offered live debate programs for 3,600 students, partnerships with 122 schools and nonprofit organizations, and online debate resources for 16,084 students. EA has prepared students across 50 states and 102 countries for college readiness, career engagement, and community impact. Follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Rural Debate Initiative (RuDI) is a nationally focused 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides free debate education to students in rural areas. Supported by a group of experienced educators and passionate debaters, RuDI programs serve as a one-stop solution for all debate-related resources, providing everything a school needs to build a successful debate program. RuDI champions and leverages the assets unique to rural communities and rural individuals, equipping students with a variety of skills such as communication, critical thinking, leadership, and teamwork that prepares them for any educational or career path of their choosing.