Maendeleo Nyumbani

Mental Health in Somalia: An Ignored Issue Among Many

2009-11-06T03:28:00.004-05:00

Below is a story from Somalia reported by Paul Salopek and his photographer Kuni Takahashi of Chicago tribune. Paul had the below question in mind when he went to Mogadishu of Somalia. And what he found is too painful but important to watch.

"How does chronic war affect societies? Tribune correspondent Paul Salopek and photographer Kuni Takahashi visited Somalia to explore this question. After more than a decade of chronic war, Somalis are tumbling into mental illness. The Habeb Mental Health Clinic, the only mental health facility in Mogadishu, provided a glimpse of the struggle that lies ahead."

The humanitarian situation in Somalia is largely ignored by the media, but as someone that actively seeks out information on this crisis, I was very surprised to see or even consider the mental health issues that are affecting so many Somalis. In a country where having a place to sleep and food to eat dominate people's lives the mental health of the people is so much lower of a consideration on their priority risk. However, Paul Salopek and Kuni Takahashi do a great job in this piece to highlight one issue that adds to the struggles of the Somali people. Please check out the link below

Mogadishu: The Mental Cost of Chronic War

Defense of a Nobel Peace Prize Winner

2009-10-11T16:52:00.004-04:00

I want to preface these comments by saying I was rather confused and surprised when I heard that President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. Obama’s being awarded this coveted prize so early into his presidency, and with still so little policy implementation, the awarding of this prize seemed to me a very odd choice by the selection committee. However, since the announcement of the peace prize I have heard more than enough debate over the legitimacy of Obama’s award and the politicization of the Nobel Peace Prize. I think he deserves some defending.

First off, I have to question the significance this award has in the eyes of so many across the world. To many, this award holds a place that it is far greater than it is deserving. The laureate for the prize is chosen by a selection committee appointed by the Norwegian Parliament. This selection committee is not representative of the whole international community, nor is it a search panel thoroughly scouring the planet, looking for the most peaceful and enlightened individuals. Furthermore, the history of the Nobel Peace Prize is one of controversy. These controversies include the awarding of the prize to Henry Kissinger and Lê Ðức Thọ in 1973 for their efforts in ending the conflict in Vietnam with the Paris Peace Accords. Tho declined the award stating that there was no peace in his country, and there wouldn’t be for a further two years. (Presumably, Kissinger accepted it, grinning) Among the various controversies throughout the history of the peace prize, are the omissions of some notably worthy candidates. The most notable of these is, of course, Mahatma Gandhi, who was nominated on several occasions without ever receiving the award. Below is a link to an article from Foreign Policy magazine on some more notable omissions.

Forgetting the questionable significance of the Nobel Peace Prize, the choice of Obama is a choice that has merit. Alfred Nobel’s will states that the Peace Prize shall be awarded to “the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” However, the history of the award shows that it is the first part of this phrase that carries the most weight. While the award bears the title of peace prize, winners have been those that have had the greatest social impact on humanity. Some of the more recent winners have included Al Gore (along with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) in 2007, who were awarded the prize "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change", and Muhammad Yunus (and Grameen Bank) in 2006 for pioneering the concept of microcredit work. No one would argue that these two men’s achievements have brought about great social improvement to the world population (unless you work for Fox News). However, neither of these men’s efforts (nor those of their organizations) can be rightly considered peace efforts. This precedent is not new for the Nobel Peace Prize. The first peace prize was awarded to Henry Dunant, for the founding of an organization that has had a tremendous social impact, the Red Cross.

With these few laureates in mind, it seems that the Nobel Peace Prize is more than anything, an award for the individual or organization that has the greatest positive social impact over the course of the previous year. Looking at the past year, Barack Obama has not accomplished a hell of a lot as far as policy is concerned. However, he has had a huge social impact in rekindling the “fraternity between nations”. In the span of one year, the United States has gone from one of the most poorly thought of countries, to one of the most endeared. So much of this is due to the message and the image that Barack Obama has brought back to the United States. Furthermore, his efforts at international diplomacy and strengthening relationships within the international community have been “extraordinary”, according to the Nobel Selection Committee.

As a president, Obama has a long way to go before he earns the recognition that history can only give. However, the award of this peace prize is a merit that he may actually desire more than most would think, myself included. As an American student studying abroad, I am very grateful for the image Obama has restored to the United States. As an optimistic American, I am hopeful that this peace prize will be a catalyst for change so many voters were promised.

Foreign Policy article, “Nobel Peace Prize Also Rans”
Excerpt from the Will of Alfred Nobel
BBC News: Nobel Prize ‘humbles’ Obama

Save Somalia Slideshow

2009-07-01T12:33:00.001-04:00

Bananas and The Save Somalia Campaign

2009-06-30T16:21:00.010-04:00

Last Saturday, I attended the 6th Annual SACA Community Event. While the members of the Somali community have welcomed this event as a fixture in their summer activities for the past six years, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. The event was held at the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, which is pretty metro inaccessible. (Thank you again Ahmed for both rides.) This coupled with my experiences at the Saturday program and the Cafe Nema event in March, gave me a rather conservative estimate of the crowd that would be attracted.

I was completely and pleasantly surprised when I arrived a few minutes after five to find the community center full. Dispersed within the crowd were several friends of Somalia, to complement the Somali-Americans. In the wait for the ceremonies to begin, community members were occupying themselves by socializing and taking advantage of the several free booths. Students from Howard University School of Dentistry were on hand to give free check-ups and the booth for free glaucoma screenings were crowded throughout the evening.

By the time the event officially got under way, the seats were packed, with men on the left and women on the right. Proceedings began with a prayer and words from the imam. A few other speakers were followed by the student essay contest that I had the enjoyment of being involved in.

Students had been asked to write short essays on what life is like as a Somali-American youth living in the United States. On the day, they overcame nerves to present their essays to the audience and five judges, one of whom was me. Essays covered everything from listening to K'naan, and wearing the hajib, to living in bi-lingual households and compromising over traditional rice and American hamburgers. The number of essays submitted fell short of what us judges hoped to see, but the students that did submit won anywhere between $25 and $100. Congratulations to them all!

After a pause in the proceedings for prayer at the adjoining mosque, I enjoyed another traditional Somali meal. Food included chicken, rice, and chickpeas, and what was for me an interesting dinner treat, bananas. As I was told, the true Somali man enjoys a banana with just about every meal; an interesting, but tasty tradition.

Waiting in line for dinner, I ran into quite a few people that remembered "Nick" from the presentation on humanitarian issues in Somalia at Cafe Nema in March. That welcome that the Somali community gives to all its visitors is something I have felt every time I spend time in the community. I felt like a true member of the community as people still thanked me for that short presentation, and it made me wish I had the good memory of a Somali to remember the names of all these well-wishers.

This SACA event was very significant for another reason. It was the official launch of "Save Somalia: Humanitarian and Refugee Awareness Campaign". Ahmed, Ashley Murphy, my wonderful girlfriend and fellow SACA volunteer, and myself discussed the campaign with much interest from those in attendance. The campaign is an initiative of over 15 Somali-owned nonprofit organizations and a number of concerned citizens . The campaign is an extension of the awareness work SACA has been doing over the past few months.

Save Somalia will launch its first student-led branch in the fall at American University with other college campuses targeted for involvement as well. The model is based on the Save Darfur campaign, which attracted media attention to the situation there by an awareness campaign that began on college campuses. I have been working on the new Facebook page, and while it is not the easiest thing to coordinate, it is a center to gather followers and spread information about events and ways people can help. It should be up and running soon, and I will keep you up to date.

The Harwood Institute: An Introduction

2009-06-09T11:08:00.011-04:00

I am not sure if I made the meaning of this blog's title clear when I first created it. I wanted a name that was cool and unique without sounding overly corny. I had also just begun my second semester of Swahili at American University, so after way too much thought, I figured I would take advantage of this language skill. It certainly fulfills the cool and unique that I was looking for and because it is indecipherable to most, the title avoids becoming corny.* So I named this blog Maendeleo Nyumbani, which translates to "Development at Home."

The idea that I had in my head for the blog was to be more than a summary of my experiences with SACA for a grade in a Civilizations of Africa class. I hoped to continue writing after the class ended. I also hoped to make the title hold. Development is what I study and it is what I want to do. And this blog can follow me wherever I call 'home' and wherever I am witnessing or involved in development.

I am still working with SACA, so it is still a part of my own development sphere, but this summer I have an internship/job with another organization that lives and breathes development. This organization that I currently find myself at from 9 to 5, Monday to Friday (full time job???) is The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation.

The Harwood Institute aims "to spark fundamental change and authentic hope in American public life."** Reading the job description, I instantly made a link between the work of this organization and that of Amatrya Sen. His participatory approach is centered around the idea of the community's power. The community knows what is best for itself and the goal of development is to facilitate these goals.

This is something that The Harwood Institute takes to heart. From my brief experiences working at the institute, I have formulated a brief description of its work. The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation supplies community development organizations with the tools and ideas to innovatively and effectively serve their communities.

Some of the literature that has been produced helps clarify that aim. Organization First emphasizes the story of many community organizations, where the health and success of the organization itself becomes more important than the health and sustainability of the community.

Change and Hope are two premises that have also been reflected in some of the literature and they are ideas that have defined the organization for over 20 years, long before the words became the platform of Barack Obama.

I will be spending the rest of the summer here at the Harwood Institute, so that should mean more updates on the workings of the organization as I get more involved. Until then, explore the website by clicking here. The website also offers free online copies of some of the literature, including "Make Hope Real" and "Organization First", both interesting pieces of literature for those interested in development. They are also very brief. Feel free to use my name as the source of your copy.

* At least that is the goal
** For those who know me and my international development bend, they may be confused. But, development carries the same principles whether it is in Bethesda, Maryland or Burkina Faso. The institute works closely with groups that understand the local aspect of development.

SACA Update - June 8, 2009

2009-06-08T09:45:00.008-04:00

Assalam Alaikum!

My last post briefly mentioned an event to be held on June 27th. This yearly event is the 6th of its kind. The annual SACA community event brings together members of the Somali community along with friends of the community. The event draws the community together, partially thanks to the the health screenings and other services that are available at the event.

Many of the Somalis I have met and worked with are well aware of the deteriorating situation in their home country. However, they are just a part of the Somali community. This event is also an opportunity to educate the community about the humanitarian issues their homeland is facing. Speakers will include a member from the Islamic Relief.

Many members of the community SACA serves are immigrants that speak very little English and understand their rights as Americans even less. SACA hopes to provide some idea of the rights and privileges of Somali people in the United States. This event is one opportunity to do so.

There is guaranteed to be plenty of good food and good people. The invitation certainly extends to the friends of Somalia as well. Chances are if you are reading this blog, you share an interest and SACA and the Somali community would happily accept you as a friend. Join us for what I think will be a fun cultural experience.

The event is at the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, MD. Information is in my last post, and if you have any questions you can contact Amina Salad, who is organizing the event, at aminasalad2@hotmail.com.

6th Annual SACA Community Event

2009-05-29T13:08:00.000-04:00

Somali American Community Association

6th Annual Community Health and Information Event

JUNE 27, 2009, 3:30 P.M.

Muslim Community Center (MCC Masjid)

15200 New Hampshire Avenue

Silver Spring, Maryland

Community information, health screening, and more!

Food, friends, and fun activities for kids!

(More Information will be available soon)

For questions, please contact Amina Salad, Program Coordinator at 301.565.0320 or at aminasalad2@hotmail.com

New Issues for the Same Places

2009-05-13T12:45:00.003-04:00

The situation in Somalia has not improved significantly in the past few months. It's sometimes easy to think everything is better because their is less news coverage, but this is often not the case. Here is an article from the BBC on the latest situation in Mogadishu.

Expanding Media For Spreading Awareness

2009-04-27T22:14:00.005-04:00

One of the biggest issues that SACA and its members are working on is spreading awareness about the humanitarian situation in Somalia. We are always trying to get new people involved and aware of this situation. Getting the message out through as many media outlets as possible is one of the little things that we are trying to do.

Last week, after tutoring on Saturday, a few of us at SACA took a step in this direction. Humanitarian awareness for the Somali crisis is now a presence on one of the world's most used social networking sites... Facebook.

The Facebook page, Somalia Humanitarian Awareness, is a gathering place for people interested in learning more about and spreading awareness for the situation in Somalia. The page is also a place to post the latest news on the crisis and ways that people can get involved, including sending form letters to Congressmen and information on events. The page will also be important in spreading the word about Somalia Awareness Week.

SACA and other NGOs concerned with the situation in Somalia are hoping to host an annual week to spread awareness on the humanitarian crisis in Somalia. The week will include various events and activities people can participate in. There is no confirmed week, but sometime this summer is the goal.

If you are interested in learning more about the crisis in Somalia or are interested in supporting our cause, please join the Facebook page at Somalia Humanitarian Awareness.

Despite Piracy, Humanitarian Crisis Must Remain Focus

2009-04-24T12:49:00.003-04:00

Take a look at these two press releases by humanitarian organizations urging the United States and President Obama to not allow the response to piracy to eclipse the dire humanitarian situation in Somalia. They urge that US policy toward Somalia should focus on the humanitarian problem.

1) From Refugees International, U.S. Must Respond to Humanitarian Crisis in Somalia

2) From International Rescue Committee, Focus on Piracy Must Not Divert Attention

The Conflict in Somalia Event

2009-04-22T16:51:00.003-04:00

Just heard about an event tomorrow. I won't be able to make it, but definitely check it out if you are interested.

The Conflict in Somalia

A Special Event with Conflict Solutions International

THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2009, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

The Charles Sumner School

1201 17th Street

(corner of M Street) N.W., Washington, DC

Nearest metro stops: DuPont and Farragut West (Red line).

As the conflict rages on, the entire region remains in turmoil. Various factions are fighting for control of Somalia while pirates capture large foreign commercial ships and take hostages.

Among our panelists are: Somali economist Abdirahman Abdi, Conflict Resolution expert and native Somali Hussein Yusuf, Co-founder of the Somali Diaspora Network and expert on the new unity government Hassan Warsame, and Refugee International Advocate Patrick Duplat.

A reception will follow the program.

Cost: Voluntary Donation

All proceeds will go to CSI, a 501(C)(3) non-profit. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by law.

For more information on the foundation please visit our website at WWW.CSIORG.ORG

Dress code: Business attire or dignified casual

Event Speakers

Hussein Yusuf

A native Somali, Mr. Yusuf is currently a PhD student at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University. He holds a Master’s in Management of Human Services and Social Systems from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and a Bachelor’s in Communication and Political Science from Goshen College in Indiana. An expert on East Africa, Mr. Yusuf studies Conflict Analyses and Resolution at ICAR with a focus on state collapse, ethnic conflict and the deeply rooted age-old grievances that shape the ongoing conflicts in the Horn of Africa. As a humanitarian worker, Mr. Yusuf worked in Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya on United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ Projects and Partners for Development and International Rescue Committee.

Abdirahman M. Abdi

An economist by profession, Mr. Abdi worked on Wall Street for Coopers and Lybrand, Citibank and Solomon Brothers. He also worked as a financial officer for the World Bank in Washington, D.C. He holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in accounting from Pace University, a Masters of Science in Finance and a Masters of Arts in Applied Economics from John Hopkins University. He is currently a PhD candidate in economics at George Washington University.

Patrick Duplat

Patrick Duplat joined Refugees International as advocate in September 2007. His work focuses on displacement issues in Somalia and Afghanistan. He has also conducted missions and follow-up advocacy in the Central African Republic, Zimbabwe and Southern Africa . Previously, Mr. Duplat’s worked with Médecins Sans Frontières MSF (Doctors Without Borders), in Indonesia, Somalia and Chad, where he worked with refugees from Darfur . Prior to working with MSF, he spent three years in China where he worked on investor relations with a large international public relations firm. Mr. Duplat has a Bachelor’s degree from McGill University in Commerce and a Master’s degree in Global Politics from the London School of Economics.

Hassan Warsame

Mr.Warsame is a seasoned leader and manager. He possesses 24 years of experience in management, business, technology, telecommunications, consulting, banking, and compliance. In addition, Mr. Warsame has been community leader and organizer for over 20 years. He is co-founder and former Vice President.of Somali Diaspora Network (SDN). He is also a founding member of Somali Cause. Mr. Warsame holds Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Master of Science in Business Technologies, and two Graduate Level Certificates in Management and Leadership.

A Few Interesting Articles

2009-04-22T14:15:00.003-04:00

A few interesting articles to check out.

First, an article concerning the refugee crisis along the Kenya-Somalia border. Britain's failure to respond to UN calls for aid to this region have been described as 'shameful' by Human Rights Watch. Read the full Independent article here. Also, here is a slide show with pictures from some of the refugee camps in Kenya.

How Somalia's Fishermen Became Pirates discusses how the illegal fishing off the coast of Somalia has devastated the livelihoods of Somalia's fisherman and forced them to defend their coast through piracy.

Finally, on a brighter note the European Union pledged at least 60 million euros ($77.54 million) on Wednesday to support security forces in Somalia and African Union peacekeepers based in the conflict ridden region. Read the full Reuters story here.

An Interlude

2009-04-15T22:56:00.008-04:00

It is nearly the end of the semester here at American University. This means that my course on Civilizations of Africa is nearing an end. While the course I am writing this blog for is coming to a close, this does not spell the end of my blog. SACA is very much continuing on, as is my involvement with it.

Right now, I am going to take the opportunity to quickly discuss the future SACA has ahead of it. Unfortunately last week, the Saturday Schooling Program had to take an unexpected break. An important conference in Richmond brought too many instructors away from the program to run it. The good news is the program will be back strong this weekend and continuing into the unforeseeable future.

SACA is still working very hard on multiple fronts. The bone marrow initiative is still underway, and in a matter of weeks several SACA volunteers, including myself, will be trained as representatives of the National Marrow Donor Program. The association is also still pushing for more US acknowledgement of the problems facing Somalia. The events of the last week or so, however bad, may end up having a positive effect in bringing the world's attention to the country.

As part of the initiative to spread awareness on Somalia, I am working with Ahmed to establish a Facebook page on Somali Humanitarian Awareness. It is only one minor step, but getting the word out in any medium possible is also a step forward. The organization is continuing to work on spreading awareness through all kinds of channels and networking sites. Facebook is just one example.

SACA still has plenty more to offer. While my assignment for my Civilizations of Africa course may end with this post, the work of the organization will continue on. This blog will still be an opportunity to inform about SACA and other development efforts with which I am involved. The continuation of this blog is important in informing the world about local work towards development, wherever the locale may be. I named this blog Maendeleo Nyumbani. This is Swahili for "Development at Home". Whoever reads this blog, anywhere in the world, should consider these words. The best place to start development is right where you are, at home.

Links of Interest (Expanded)

2009-04-15T15:39:00.012-04:00

Here is just a brief overview of the links of interest that I have posted.

Islamic Relief USA

Islamic Relief was originally established in Birmingham, UK in 1984 by an Egyptian doctor, in response to the famine in Africa. In 1993, Islamic Relief USA was founded in California and incorporated into Islamic Relief Worldwide.

According to its website, Islamic Relief strives to alleviate the suffering, hunger, illiteracy and diseases worldwide without regard to color, race or creed and to provide rapid relief in a compassionate and dignified manner. In addition to relief in the event of man-made or natural disasters, Islamic Relief has established development projects in needy areas to help tackle poverty, illiteracy and disease at a local level.

Islamic Relief does its work worldwide, and operates development projects in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Balkans. These operations also include humanitarian efforts in Somalia. IR has been working in Somalia since May 2006. Most of its operations have been in the northern region of Puntland, although they have recently been setting up an office in Kismayo, following the recent fighting in Mogadishu. The current focus of IR in Somalia includes Health, Water and Sanitation, Education, Assistance to IDPs, Orphan Support, and Seasonal and Emergency Projects.

Refugees International

Refugees International was started as a citizens' movement in 1979 to protect Indochinese refugees. The organization has since become one of the leading international advocacy groups on refugee crises. The group's mission is to advocate for lifesaving assistance and protection for displaced people and to promote solutions to displacement crises.

Somalia has been described as "the world's worst humanitarian disaster" by Refugees International. The organization has called for a complete overhaul of US policy toward Somalia. An overhaul would include a comprehensive regional approach, prioritizing the provision of humanitarian assistance and calling for an inclusive political process. RI is also concerned with Somali refugee populations in neighboring countries including Yemen and Djibouti.

SACA (Somali American Community Association)

SACA, or the Somali American Community Association, was established in May 2004 to serve the needs of Somali Americans and immigrants while understanding their culture and language. The mission of SACA is "to promote the well being of Somali Americans and Somali immigrants through proactive services and support."

The group also aims to help its population identify and access opportunities to become self-sufficient and adjust to life in the United States. SACA also works to educate the American public about the history and conditions of Somali people in the US and Somalia.

Somali Cause

Somali Cause seeks to promote attention and action on Somalia in Washington DC, especially through media outlets. The organization produces press releases, newsletters, and news coverage on Somali issues for access by the general public.

Somalia in Picture - Yahoo! Photos

Yahoo! Photos is a photo sharing service created in 2000 by Yahoo. Somalia in Picture is a collection of over 150 photos relating to Somalia. These pictures include some of Somali pirates, who have been dominating the news of late, pictures of the humanitarian crisis in Somalia, as well as, some pictures of Somali immigrants worldwide.

Mosaics? Something A Little Different On Saturdays

2009-04-10T15:45:00.004-04:00

Last week, the Saturday Schooling Program took a different approach from the usual class work. Week after week of drilling the children on spelling and other homework is fine for me, but I am sure that the kids would enjoy something a bit more entertaining. Last week, we took the opportunity to give this to the children.

For the past few weeks, a woman by the name of Fritzy has been working with children and other interested people to create mosaics for the townships. These flower mosaics will eventually be hung up in the halls of the Takoma Park Community Center. Last Saturday, SACA offered the help of the children in the Saturday Schooling Program.

Despite the fact that we ourselves were newcomers, a few SACA volunteers, with the help of Fritzy and a few of her assistants, taught the children the art of making mosaics. It was a great time for all involved, both old and young. Once the children got the hang of it, figuring out how to use the glue to stick the broken pieces of tile to the board, they were having a really great time. A few were even instructed on how to make clay tablets.

The activity was a fun change for the students. The core focus of the Program is still on tutoring the children. However, a week's diversion acted to re-energize both the students and us teachers. Yes, teachers. For the first time since I started tutoring at SACA, I was referred to as the teacher. It is not a title I am familiar with in anyway, but coming from these children, it is one I could get used to.

New Report on Somalia from Refugees International

2009-04-03T15:30:00.004-04:00

Refugees International has just released a new report on Somalia, titled Somalia:
Political Progress, Humanitarian Stalemate

Below is a brief summary of the report and some of the policy recommendations from Refugees International. A link to the full report can also be found below.

Somalia: Political Progress, Humanitarian Stalemate

Somalia remains the site of the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with regional consequences that require greater international attention. The formation of a new government has so far meant little to the more than three million Somalis in need of emergency assistance inside the country. Aid agencies are struggling to respond to the needs of more than 500,000 refugees in neighboring countries. Donor governments need to be more generous in responding to refugee needs, especially in the Dadaab camps in Kenya, while also strengthening the African
Union peacekeeping mission, AMISOM, to perform its limited mandate inside the country.

Policy Recommendations

* UNHCR and donor governments should mount a full-scale diplomatic effort, including reaching out to Kenyan refugee and human rights NGOs, to gain Kenyan government permission to expand Dadaab refugee camp to a fourth site.
* UNHCR should develop and present a revised proposal for needs in Dadaab, with costs for improving existing infrastructure and camp expansion clearly delineated, and donor governments, especially the U.S., should provide generous support to this revised proposal.
* The United States should prioritize a broad diplomatic agenda and significant humanitarian assistance to Somalia over a narrow security agenda.
* Donor governments in cooperation with the United Nations and the African Union should bolster AMISOM capacity to carry out its current mandate, but not expand it or seek to deploy a larger UN force.
* Donor governments and members of the UN Security Council should focus on security sector reform with a view to strengthening the government and creating conditions that would allow for the withdrawal of AMISOM.

To view the full report, click here.

End of March Progress Report

2009-03-29T19:02:00.004-04:00

This Saturday was the last of March. This means the end of a month of spelling. The lesson plan for the month of March was focused on spelling units for the children. While some other work was done by the students during these classes, spelling is what we worked on most. Each grade level had a list of about a page and a half of words to learn.

Learning implied more than just memorizing the spelling of the words, however. The children also learned how to look up the words in the dictionary and how to use these words in sentences. One of the key lessons that I imparted on two of the children yesterday, was word meaning. The difference between "there" and "their" was a bit of a struggle to teach these two first graders, but it is certainly an important lesson. One that many of my academic papers can still attest to.

The spelling lesson was very successful. Almost every student completed their level of words and the ones for the grade above them. This means not only did the first graders complete the first grade list, but the second grade list as well. Even the pre-K children who are too young to be spelling words improved greatly on their writing of the alphabet. Spelling is now off of the agenda for the next months. It still remains very important, but there are new lessons that we will impart on the children. Stay tuned for more on what these lessons will be.

Working with the National Marrow Donor Program

2009-03-29T18:51:00.006-04:00

The work of SACA is to serve the Somali Community in the DC Metropolitan area. The organization is ever expanding the ways that it can serve the community. One of the newest initiatives that SACA is preparing to launch is in conjunction with the National Marrow Donor Program, the largest database for bone marrow donors in the country.

Several members of the local Somali community have been diagnosed with blood diseases, including Leukemia. With this in mind, SACA is planning to inform the community on these diseases and recruit them to help in the fight against these diseases among the community and in the larger world community.

Members of SACA, under the leadership of Haamid Ali, recently met with a representative from the National Marrow Donor Program. The representative gave us an overview of their program and advised on ways that SACA can become a partner.

Once the organization registers, which it is in the process of doing, the National Marrow Donor Program sends a representative to instruct volunteers at a workshop. After training, the volunteers will be able to conduct events. The goal of these events is, first, to inform the Somali community on blood diseases and the work that the National Marrow Donor Program does. The events will also get members of the Somali community to register as donors and submit saliva samples to be added to a large DNA database.

The sample can stay in the database for years, until a match with a person suffering from a blood disease is found. When a “match” is found, the donor is contacted to get a physical checkup. Those deemed healthy enough to donate are then asked to participate in the program. All of their expenses are paid, and the majority of the time all that is required is a donation of blood from the donor. However, about 20% of the time, the donor is asked to donate marrow, which is removed from their hip bone through an injection.

This new initiative from the Somali American Community Association is one more example of the initiatives that the group are launching so that they best serve the community that they represent.

For more information on the National Marrow Donor Program, click here.

If you are interested in becoming an Ambassador Volunteer for the Marrow Program with SACA contact Haamid Ali at haamidmali@gmail.com.

"In Somalia, An Exodus of the Educated"

2009-03-16T17:55:00.002-04:00

The Washington Post had a very good article today on the exodus from Somalia.

Over the last year, more than 100,000 Somalis have fled the conflict in the Horn of Africa nation, many of them members of the professional classes.

A very interesting article. For the full article click here.

New Month, New Lesson Plan

2009-03-10T11:07:00.002-04:00

This Saturday began the month of March at SACA's Saturday Schooling Program. In last week's post I said that I expected to be working with the computer tutoring program again this week. However, I was back with the children this week. However, this is not a complaint in anyway, just a statement.

With the month of March, a new lesson plan was started for the children. The focus for this month's lesson is on spelling and vocabulary. The children were broken up into groups by grade, and I worked with the 1st graders. Each group was taught by a different volunteer, and we were given a list of words that the children should become familiar with. In addition to working on spelling of these words, I also taught use of the dictionary. This turned out to the more productive of the two lessons because, to a little surprise, the four children I was working with had no problem spelling almost all of the words on our list.

After giving them a few lessons on looking up words in the dictionary, including using the guide words up top and that the book also offers definitions in addition to words' spellings, we worked on practical use of these words. I did this by making them write sentences using the words.
The children took these sentences as an opportunity to write about what they are excited about. One wrote a sentence about going to North Carolina, where she will go later this spring. Another, wrote about going to Canada in the summer to see family. The sentences were an opportunity to help teach the children, but also to learn a little about them. I even got in the mood, writing a few sentences of my own. My favorite being, "If you do not write your sentences, you will not get to play games."

The best part about working in these such small groups is the individual attention we can afford to the students. I noticed this myself, as the teacher. I have struggled to pick up many names the first few weeks because there are so many children that I have been working with. In the smaller group of four students, I was able to learn and remember all of their names much better. Taking tiny steps, and learning a few names well each time will be much more effective for my memory.

An Evening on Somalia Press Release

2009-03-10T10:45:00.004-04:00

Here is the official press release from SACA for "An Evening on Somalia" event:

AN EVENING ON SOMALIA:

HUMANITARIAN AND HUMAN RIGHTS AWARENESS EVENT

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Contact: Ahmed Elmi, M.P.H., Chairman

Office: 301.565.0320

Email: chairman@sacausa.org

Website: www.sacausa.org

The Somali American Community Association (SACA), a nonprofit 501C (3) organization in the Washington, D.C. area, held An Evening on Somalia: Humanitarian and Human Rights Awareness on March 4, 2009 in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison, representing the fifth district in Minnesota, gave a brief presentation and stressed the importance of mobilizing Somalis and non-Somalis alike to address the humanitarian crisis in Somalia. Congressman Ellison suggested the need to have a forum on this crisis in the halls of the U.S. Capitol with other representatives.

Other presenters included Nick Dreher of American University on the humanitarian crisis in Somalia and Amina Salad, SACA Program Coordinator, on Islamic Relief USA projects in Somalia. Somali Americans in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Somali NGOs, and partner agencies also attended the event.

· According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s most recent report, 3.2 million people, or 43% of the entire population of Somalia, are suffering from hunger and malnutrition and are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

· The United States Agency for International Development also reported earlier this year that Somalia is in a major humanitarian crisis caused by drought, endemic poverty, and violence with inter-clan conflicts.

SACA will collaborate with Somali Americans, non-Somalis, and organizations to advocate for the humanitarian needs of Somali people in Somalia and in refugees camps in neighboring countries. SACA and its partners will ask the U.S. Congress to consider the following urgent steps to improve the situation in Somalia:

1. Provide immediate assistance and increase emergency food aid to enable the World Food Program and other food-aid programs to provide emergency food assistance.

2. Provide protection and assistance to refugees.

3. Develop a much needed comprehensive strategy that deals with the full range of humanitarian challenges facing Somalia.

4. Engage Somali-Americans who are ready and willing to provide any assistance to the U.S. government to end the plight of millions of Somalis and bring about a peaceful and stable Somalia.

SACA will be partnering with Somalis and non-Somalis in order to dedicate one week each year as the Somali Humanitarian Awareness Week. This entails, among other things, advocacy and public education. Organizations interested in being a partner should contact SACA for details.

A Very Successful Evening For Somalia

2009-03-06T23:27:00.012-05:00

Wednesday Night, SACA hosted a networking event on humanitarian issues. The event was held at Cafe Nema on U Street and turned out very well. A number of organization came to support SACA; a full list of organizations represented can be found below.* The groups were brought together by their support of SACA and their determination to work on the situation in Somalia. When the greetings finally subsided and the evening officially got underway, I gave a brief presentation overviewing the humanitarian situation in the country.

It is well known that Somalia has existed in security vacuum since 1991. There has been little improvement in the country since that date. Refugees International describes Somalia as the "worst humanitarian crisis in Africa' and 'more tragic than Darfur', a crisis that has garnered far more attention.

Between December 2006 and December 2008, the Ethiopian military was intervening in support of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG). The past two years in Mogadishu have been characterized by urban firefights and mortar shelling, without regard for the lives of civilians.

The results of this conflict has been a country a swath with displaced people in serious need of aid. Over 1.3 million Somalis are now displaced within the country, while over 400,000 people have sought refuge in neighboring countries. In addition, more than 3.2 million Somalis, 40% of the population, are dependent on external assistance. One in six children under the age of five are malnourished in the southern part of the country. The road to Afgooye has become known around the world for its densely packed settlements of internally displaced people (IDPs). Over 200,000 people have settled along the road between Mogadishu and this town 30km away, making the area the most densely populated settlement of IDPs in the world. These settlements are almost entirely dependent on aid, a demand that UN agencies and humanitarian organizations are failing to keep up with.

I was followed by a brief presentation for Islamic Relief, followed by a show of appreciation to some SACA volunteers. This presentation was followed by the main attraction of the evening, a brief speech by Minnesota congressman Keith Ellison. Ellison is the first Muslim member of Congress and he is a strong supporter of Somalia. He spoke on the importance of Somalis becoming involved here in the United States. The best thing they could do for Somalia was to become strong, significant voting blocks in the United States. He also is pushing a piece of legislation to increase US aid to Somalia. While Ellison officially represents far of Minnesota, Somali American's in the Washington DC metropolitan area see him as one of their strongest representatives.

When the trays were uncovered and food was served,** I had the opportunity to speak to the representative briefly. He mentioned the Darfur campaign, and how it originated on Georgetown's campus thanks to a few activist students. He and I seemed equally interested in the potential of a similar movement for Somalia.

This event brought together a number of different groups concerned with the situation of Somalis both here and abroad. This event shows hope for Somalia. If organizations like these work together like was evident Wednesday, and awareness can continue to spread, people will realize the situation in Somalia. Awareness will lead to action.

*Below are the names of the organizations represented at "An Evening for Somalia":

Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs

Islamic Relief USA

Office for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, US Department of Homeland Security

Office of Congressman Keith Ellison

Somali American Peace Council

Somali Diaspora Network

Somali Cause

** The food served included some traditional Somali dishes including samosas, rice, fish, and chicken. Other not as traditional foods were served, like homemade macaroni and cheese and salad, but the meal as a whole was delicious.

New Somali President introduces Sharia

2009-02-28T23:32:00.004-05:00

Just posting a new piece of news out of Somalia. Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Somalia's new president, has agreed to a truce with tribal opponents and has introduced Sharia law. These actions are a sign of hope for Somalia. However, only time will tell whether these are just words.

Check out the BBC article.

Another Perspective, A Door Away

2009-02-28T16:29:00.008-05:00

Today I got a slightly different perspective of SACA's Saturday Program. My first two experiences at this program, I helped with tutoring children. Today, I worked with the other part of the Saturday Program. The computer classes for women are designed to give Somali women an opportunity to learn important computer skills. The organization has a number of laptops that it loans out for about 6 months. Every week at the Saturday Schooling session, the women can bring their laptops in for training and practice.

The training is nothing groundbreaking, mostly use of Microsoft Office and the internet, however it provides a rare opportunity for these women. Without the program, they may have no access to computers at all and no knowledge of computers. I was drafted into the computer class for the first time because a regular volunteer will unfortunately not be able to help out with the organization for a while. Despite this temporary loss, the organization has a very strong volunteer base. Two other volunteers and myself helped today's computer class consisting of only five women. The intimacy it provides is a major plus point for SACA. We have enough support to deal on a very individual level with anyone that seeks the help of the organization.

As I mentioned, the lessons being taught in the computer class are nothing mindblowing. A good thing because I wasn't given any training of any kind. Today, I taught two women about using text boxes and columns in Microsoft Word. The final hour of the session is spent in typing class. The computers have several typing tutors on them, including Mavis Beacon typing tutor. Seeing this program was very reminiscent of middle school computer class. Clearly the program is geared towards younger students, as was apparent by the childish games that are a part of the typing tutorial. I doubt there are many typing programs not designed for youth, so the organization uses what it can get. Regardless of the program used, the typing practice is so important to making these women technologically self-sufficient.

Working with the other side of the Saturday Program is a very worthwhile experience. While I missed working with the children, the computer tutoring is just as rewarding. It is important to become familiar with the other programs that SACA offers. It seems that I have been recruited to help with the computer program for a while now, so I will be continuing to enjoy this slightly different experience that is only a classroom away.

In other news, I mentioned in my last post how Somali immigrants sometimes disappear and find their way back to Somalia. One example of this occured in October when a Somali man from Minnesota carried out a suicide bomb attack in Somalia. The FBI have been investigating situations like this, hoping to try to prevent them from occuring in the future. Somali community associations are important in the FBI's efforts. Ahmed Elmi, the chairman of the DC's SACA, was interviewed by the Washington Times earlier this week about the role of these Somali groups. Here is the article.

Finally the "Evening on Somalia" event will be this Wednesday at 6:30 at Cafe Nema on U Street. I will be attending and will fill you readers in on how it goes.

This Week's News: Febraury 22, 2009

2009-02-22T13:21:00.001-05:00

Recently, I posted regarding a missing boy that was found thanks to SACA’s network. The significance of this event to the Somali community was much greater than I had first realized. Yesterday, at this week’s Saturday Schooling Program, I was informed of some of the difficulties that Somali immigrants face unnoticed by the rest of the DC community. The Somali community is not unaccustomed to the disappearances of its young men. Quite a few of these men end up in Somalia, fighting the Ethiopian occupation for example. The fact that this young man from Reston was found, alive and in the United States, is a very positive piece of news for DC’s Somali community.

I also learned of the significant effect of the press release itself. The missing boy’s father is currently living abroad. The information that his son had been missing and was now found was relayed to this man through the network of Somali websites that posted the press release. It is remarkable that even a small community organization like SACA has a global reach through the Internet.

The organization’s Saturday Schooling Program has remained very similar to my first experience. The group are still tabling about lung cancer and smoking. There were still three classrooms dedicated to the program: one for computer training and two for homework tutoring. A second week of working has revealed to me the voluntary aspect of the program. The overall group of children was smaller even after accounting for a few new faces. Regardless of the faces, the attitude of the children and their exuberance for the program remains.

Clearly, two weeks out of the program has had a worse effect on my memory than on the rest of the volunteers, as well as the children. I had to relearn most names all over again, while to most everyone I encountered I was a familiar face and name. It is really easy to appreciate the welcoming atmosphere offered by everyone involved with the organization. Despite the fact that I am new and one of the few volunteers that is not Somali, it is very hard to feel out of place.

Ahmed also informed me of an event hosted by SACA next Wednesday: An Evening on Somalia: Humanitarian and Human Rights. The event, to be hosted at Café Nema, an Authentic Somali restaurant on U Street, is intended to encourage dialogue and networking between human rights groups, humanitarian organizations, and the legislative branch to address the issues Somalia faces. Somalia is almost a forgotten country on the international stage. Even the situation in Darfur, which is considered to be ignored by many, has attracted far more attention than Somalia. And the situation in Somalia has been constant since the early 1990s. Invited guests to this event include Somali Americans from the DC area, members of the US Congress, Human Rights Watch, as well as a number of Somali and Islamic NGOs and international humanitarian organizations.

The event is March 4th, from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM. Tickets are $20 and cover the cost of food. Anyone interested should contact Ahmed Elmi at chairman@sacausa.org by Wednesday, February 25.

This Week's Update - February 13, 2009

2009-02-13T11:47:00.000-05:00

This weekend, there is no Saturday Schooling Program at SACA because of President’s Day weekend. So, unfortunately, there will be no update on my working at the Program until next week. However, I found an interesting article regarding Somali’s new president, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. Ahmed was elected in January by Somalia’s Parliament, which is in exile in Djibouti. Take a look at this short commentary from the International Crisis Group, regarding the prospects of Ahmed and Somalia.

Somalia’s Slim Hope by Daniela Kroslak and Andrew Stroehlein in Reuters: The Great Debate.

SACA Finds Missing Teen from Reston, Virgina

2009-02-02T16:39:00.000-05:00

Today, the Somali American Community Association released a press statement regarding a missing teen from Reston, Virginia. The teen had been missing for about a week and Fairfax County Police and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) had been searching since Monday. When the family turned to the SACA to help find the boy, the group organized and forced the teen to come home within an hour of the start of the campaign. This situation is just a little evidence of the range and organization of SACA. Through its networks of local Somalis, it found a missing person that police had been looking for all week. The incident is also a statement of how close-knit the Somali community is in the DC area. Below is the full text of the press release. (Originally a draft of the release was posted. This is the official press release.)

SOMALI AMERICAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION AND THEIR VOLUNTEERS FIND A MISSING TEEN FROM RESTON, VIRGINIA

Zakaria Ahmed Ali, a 15-year old from Somalia and living in Reston, Virginia, had been missing since Monday, January 25, 2009. The Fairfax County Police and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children had been searching for Ali since Monday.

Ali was found alive and well yesterday, Sunday, February 1, 2009, by volunteers led by the Somali American Community Association (SACA), a nonprofit, 501 C (3) organization, in Maryland. Members of SACA and 18 dedicated volunteers conducted a campaign that canvassed several neighborhoods in the Reston area looking for the missing child.

This could be an example of a run away youth. According to the National Runaway switchboard, between 1.6 and 2.8 million youth run away from their home in a year. Free curriculum on preventing it is available at www.1800runaway.org. Youth who run away have an impact on their immediate families and communities.
SACA is thanking the individuals and businesses who eagerly took the fliers in order to find Ali and the dedicated volunteers for helping find the teen and supporting the family during the crisis.

Welcome to SACA

2009-02-02T02:04:00.002-05:00

Welcome! My name is Nick Dreher and I am a sophomore studying International Development at American University. As part of my Civilizations of Africa course, I am blogging about a volunteer project related to Africa that I will be working with throughout the semester, and hopefully I will continue over the summer. The organization is called the Somali American Community Association (SACA). I apologize in advance if this first post is a little boring. I just have to get a few of the logistical things down. Hopefully, after this one the posts will have a little more color to them. Enjoy!

I recently started volunteering with the Somali American Community Association (SACA). SACA is a small non-profit organization based in Montgomery County, Maryland. Its mission is “to promote the well-being of the Somali refugees and Somalia Americans by providing a range of supportive services.” While the organization is based in Montgomery County, it serves a sizeable Somali community throughout the Washington area. You can check out their website at www.sacausa.org. You can also see their latest newspaper article here.

The particular aspect that I am helping out with is the Saturday Schooling Program. This program provides children with an environment to work on homework and any other studying they may need to do. Volunteers, like myself, are there to help the students with any difficulties they are having. The program also has a class for women to learn computer skills. SACA loans laptops to women for six months and gives these women instruction to use a number of different programs including Microsoft Office to typing skills.

The beauty of this Saturday Schooling Program, as Ahmed Elmi, the chairman of the organization, described to me, is how well it works for everyone involved. The mothers have the time to go to the computer tutoring courses because they can bring their children to the homework sessions. And while the mothers are learning useful skills, their children are getting just as much use out of the program. On the subject of Ahmed Elmi, he is truly a remarkable man. Not only does he act as chairman of the SACA, he himself is an immigrant from Somali, having left Mogadishu in the early 1980s. He has a tremendous load on his shoulders running this small organization. And because of budgetary constraints, he relies almost entirely on the help of volunteers to run the organization.

My first day was truly an introduction into how small NGOs work. Immediately after arriving at the Takoma Park community center and a brief introduction from Ahmed, I was put to work setting up a display on lung health. However after this first task was out of the way, I was allowed a little time to settle into my position. Ahmed showed me around the community center where the SACA’s Saturday Schooling Program is housed. The organization utilizes three classrooms: one for the computer education class and two for the children who are split by age groups. The oldest children were only 2nd and 3rd graders.

Ahmed introduced me to a number of other volunteers, some of whom are older Somalis who do not speak English very well. I also had the opportunity to sample some Somali tea and a traditional Somali food that closely resembled a crepe. It was really remarkable and pleasing how quickly I was accepted into this community of volunteers. This was especially true of Ahmed. Despite the fact that I was a first day volunteer and a young college student, he took the opportunity to explain nearly every aspect of the organization and the community center to me. I was made to truly feel like an equal. The cultural nuances are really interesting to observe.

After my introductions to the organization and its volunteers, Ahmed sent me into the classroom. The kids all had the eager looks on their faces that you see whenever children meet a new older figure of “authority.” They are like young children everywhere. They do their work, but in a very roundabout and playful way. I was surprised at how quickly I was given responsibility. The other tutor, Omar, who is also of college student with a Somali background, had no qualms about leaving me alone to supervise while he went to get the kids’ snack. Again, another cultural difference I suppose.

The rest of the program elapsed quickly. Between supervising recess in the game room and administering heart pressure screenings to anyone that was interested, my first day of volunteering flew by. I will update again after my second visit on Saturday, February 14.