July 5, 2026 - Bareedo Platform Somalia

Bareedo Platform Somalia successfully conducted an Induction Training on Civic Education, Electoral Participation, and Digital Engagement for Digital Civic Ambassadors under the DoorashoKaab Program in Baidoa, Southwest State of Somalia, on June 29, 2026. The one-day training brought together 25 young leaders from Southwest State committed to promoting informed civic participation, democratic governance, electoral transparency, and responsible digital engagement within their communities.

The training formed part of a nationwide capacity-building initiative aimed at equipping Digital Civic Ambassadors with the knowledge, practical skills, and digital tools needed to educate communities, promote democratic values, encourage meaningful citizen participation, and strengthen electoral integrity through technology.

Building the Next Generation of Civic Leaders

The training provided participants with practical knowledge of civic education, elections, democratic participation, community engagement, digital literacy, and the prevention of misinformation. Through interactive presentations, group discussions, practical exercises, quizzes, election simulations, and live demonstrations, participants strengthened their understanding of their roles as trusted civic educators, digital advocates, and community mobilizers.

The training covered five key modules:

Module 1: Civic Education and Community Engagement
Module 2: Understanding Elections in Somalia and Southwest State
Module 3: Introduction to the DoorashoKaab Platform and Mobile Application
Module 4: Digital Literacy, Digital Safety, and Combating Misinformation
Module 5: Community Mobilization, Democratic Participation, and the Role of Digital Civic Ambassadors

Participants also completed practical exercises, platform demonstrations, election simulations, and knowledge assessments designed to reinforce their learning and prepare them to undertake community outreach activities.

Learning to Use the DoorashoKaab Platform

A major highlight of the training was the live demonstration of the DoorashoKaab Platform and Mobile Application. Participants received practical guidance on navigating the platform and using its various civic and electoral information features.

The Digital Civic Ambassadors explored how to access:

Civic education courses
Verified voter and election information
Electoral laws, policies, and procedures
Election resources and updates
Electoral incident-reporting tools
Community engagement resources

Participants were encouraged to become champions of the DoorashoKaab platform by promoting its use among schools, universities, youth networks, civil society organisations, community groups, and other local stakeholders across Southwest State.

Promoting Safe and Responsible Digital Engagement

Recognising the growing influence of digital platforms on civic and democratic participation, the training also placed strong emphasis on digital literacy, online safety, and responsible digital citizenship.

Participants learned how to:

Identify and verify misinformation and disinformation
Recognise manipulated and AI-generated content
Use fact-checking tools and reliable information sources
Protect online accounts through strong passwords and Two-Factor Authentication
Identify phishing attempts, impersonation, and online scams
Report harmful and misleading content on social media platforms
Communicate responsibly and respectfully in digital spaces

These skills will enable the ambassadors to promote safer online environments, reduce the spread of misleading information, and strengthen public trust in civic and electoral information.

Digital Civic Ambassadors as Community Leaders

Following the training, the participants will serve as Digital Civic Ambassadors within their respective communities in Southwest State. They will support grassroots civic education, voter awareness, digital engagement, and inclusive democratic participation.

Their responsibilities will include:

Delivering civic education within their communities
Promoting informed and peaceful electoral participation
Raising awareness of democratic rights and civic responsibilities
Encouraging citizens to use the DoorashoKaab platform
Supporting community efforts to identify and combat misinformation
Promoting inclusive, transparent, and peaceful democratic processes
Connecting young people and communities with verified civic and electoral information

The ambassadors will also participate in continued mentoring, networking, refresher training, and community engagement activities under the DoorashoKaab Program.

Strengthening Democracy Through Civic Technology

The Baidoa training forms part of Bareedo Platform Somalia’s broader efforts to use civic technology to strengthen democratic governance, electoral awareness, and citizen participation across Somalia. Through DoorashoKaab, citizens can access reliable civic education, verified election information, electoral laws and resources, and secure digital tools that enable them to participate meaningfully in democratic processes.

Bareedo Platform Somalia believes that informed, engaged, and digitally empowered citizens are essential to building transparent, accountable, peaceful, and inclusive democratic institutions. The organisation extends its sincere appreciation to all participants, facilitators, partners, and stakeholders who contributed to the successful delivery of the training in Baidoa.

The DoorashoKaab Program is implemented by Bareedo Platform Somalia with the support of AfricTivistes under the AHEAD Africa and Digitalise Youth projects, led by the Digital Democracy Initiative.