Blogging Somalia's Untold Stories with One Blog at a Time

Youth are undeniably vital to the future of society and every nation's success, prosperity and stability depends on its youngsters. Unfortunately, Somali youth have been misused and misguided by their own clan elders and used to fuel Somalia’s elongated civil war that has taken lives of half million people over the last two and half decades. Their loyalty to the armed rebels and warlords is beyond measurable.  They are committed and determined to fight in the name and for the honor of their clans/groups. However, like other youth across the world, Somali youth have pivotal role of shaping the future of this country and making Somalia a flourishing and thriving nation. The question is how? Youth can use culture to promote peace Somalia’s once vibrant cultural landscape, which comprises both traditional and modern forms of expression in poetry, music, architecture, pottery and sculptures, has been devastated by more than twenty years of armed conflict and civil strife. Bui...

Marriage is a fundamental part of Somali culture and it considered to be the most important occasion in one’s lifetime, it is also considered to be a hallowed and blessed event as it takes place only once in an individual’s life although one can have multiple marriages after the first one. Traditionally, the nature of the wedding depends on the financial status of the bridegroom or the would-be husband. Most of marriages are long planned out and organized with huge feasts, celebrations and with budgets in the thousands of U.S. dollars. Some, however, are organized in a more informal, less costly way, known as “elopement” or what Somalis call “La Tagis”. For centuries, couples running away to get married has been part of the Somali culture and tradition despite its controversy among Somali communities and its Islamic scholars. Elopement is often referred to as a marriage that is conducted in sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving a hurried run away from one's place of...

Pictured here myself with Mohamed (left)  People with disabilities in Somalia are often overlooked by their own families because they are considered to be a terrible burden. In a country that has been affected by two decades of civil war, one can think of the situation of normally abled people but there are victims who pay a much worse price of the conflicts in Somalia. They are the disabled or physically impaired people, also known as ‘people with special needs’. The majority of disabled people in Somalia suffer from extreme poverty, inadequate health services and, worse of all, lack of accessibility to public and private buildings such as hospitals, hotels, restaurants, schools and even universities. The lack of an accessible transport system and poor technical aid equipment makes their situation even more miserable and forces them to stay at home. However, there is one man on a mission to change the attitude of a whole society toward disabled people. Mohamed Ali Farah ...

Refugee crisis has recently become global epidemic issue making 2016 the deadliest year on record in history as thousands of migrants drowned in the Mediterranean Sea while trying desperately to reach Europe. However, when the news of the refugees is covered in various media outlets around the world, my country (Somalia) is more often mentioned in the headlines and the victims are always included if they are not the most in number.Somali migrants (mainly the youth) have always been taking this illegal catastrophic trip since the fall of the former central government in 1991 due to insecurity, better education and lack of employment opportunities. This has became a route for a generation, some made it calling it “the unguaranteed fantasy” after they met results which was extremely below their expectation when they have reached their final destination, some never made it because their fate was over before reaching their destination.  There are central players that play pivotal r...