Our Story

Six years ago, we began with one conviction: to put the law into action to get imprisoned children home in Somaliland.

In November 2020 — as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world — our co-founders rented a desk near the courthouse in Hargeisa and began taking cases of imprisoned children. At that moment, the future was uncertain. But from that uncertainty, the Children’s Legal Defense Center was born.

Since then, our team has defended thousands of imprisoned children. Behind each number lies a child’s story: a wrongful detention reversed, a young person given a second chance, a family reunited.

Over time, we have seen more than individual outcomes. We have seen attitudes begin to shift. Courts are increasingly grounding their decisions in principles of fairness and the law. And communities are recognizing that protecting children’s rights is not abstract—it shapes their future.

None of this would have been possible without the support of our community. Partners, donors, and friends helped turn an idea into action. Together, we have made justice possible for children who might otherwise have been forgotten.

At this moment, we also face a changing reality. The funding landscape is shifting, and justice work is often among the first to feel it. But CLDC was built in uncertainty—and it grew through conviction. What sustains this work is not only funding, but a belief: that when the law is applied, it can transform lives.

So we do not only reflect on what has been done. We renew our promise: to continue standing with children, with dignity and resolve, for as long as they need us.