It is said that dreams are valid when one lives to the expectations. This is has been the propelling factor for the 44-year-old Samow Aden Jelle, a form one student at Tawakal high school in Dagahaley refugee camps in Dadaab constituency.
Jelle is now the oldest student in Garissa County who says is used to being teased by his classmates, the age of his potential first born.
Raised in a pastoralist community, Jelle notes that he wants to train as a veterinary officer once he completes his form four studies so he can oversee his country's significant livestock sector in future.
The refugee student has lived in Dadaab camps for the past 24 years, and grew in Kulbiyow in the smaller Badhadhe district of Somalia’s Lower Juba, where he apparently missed out on primary education as his childhood village had no learning institutions.
However, he says people are surprised to see him in school uniform each day and carrying books, but to him he knows what he is up to.
“People are usually surprised to see me at this age wearing a school uniform and carrying several books. I believe it is never too late to get education," he says with a glimmer of hope.
He also says school life is not such easy to him as it is quite humiliating to get punishment for disciplinary offences committed in school.
“One of my very worst days was when I was told to come with my parents after I missed lessons the previous day. I had missed school to sort out an important issue. I had no option but to bring my elderly mother as directed by the school management,” he says.
However, what remains the biggest concern to him now is that fact the refugee camps in Dadaab may soon be closed before he completes his education.