The Somali Bantu youths are the daughters and sons of illiterate parents who can't even read and write in their own language. Many parents don't know his or her child's birth date, nor their own. Both the Somali Bantu youths and their parents faced many hardships before coming to the United States, with the former government of Somalia. The problems they faced included torture, rape, killing and discrimination.

The Somali Bantu youths and their parents were either tortured, raped, discriminated or they were  present when one of their family  member is being tortured, raped or killed. That is why some of the Somali Bantu youths who attend schools in America have post-traumatic stress disorder which hinders their ability to learn.The Somali Bantu Youth Association of Maine works with Somali Bantu youths who have this problem. We talk to them one-on-one and provide them with counseling about the traditions of their culture.

Having witnessed these types of problems, Somali Bantu youths want to change the cycle. Before Somali Bantus went to Kenya, 99% of the Somali Bantu could not read or write their names. After 10 years in the refugee camps in Kenya and prior to coming to the United States, the amount of people who could read and write increased to 5%, according to International Organization for Migration (IOM) officials.

When Somali Bantus came to the United States, everything changed. Today in the United States, every Somali Bantu family has at least one person who speaks English. The Somali Bantu youths have received a chance their parents didn't have. The question is "What hinders most Somali Bantu youths when it comes to education?" Having a parent that is not educated, a parent who can't read for his child, a parent who can't help with their child's homework, and also a parent who doesn't know when his child was born ~ all of these issues cause a lot of the Somali Bantu youths being given the wrong date of birth and being sent out from high school because of their age which was not correctly documented.

Having such problems as post traumatic stress disorder and the wrong dates of birth has led some Somali Bantu youths not to graduate from high school. The Somali Bantu Youth Association of Maine wants to help. We work with the youths to provide guidance and services they need to achieve academic and social goals.