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Somaliland: Abdi – A Serious Boy: Mark Kaye

October 9, 2012 · 3585916 Comments2012-10-09+16%3A39%3A55SomalilandPress

Tuesday, 9 October 2012

Abdi is one of the most serious boys I’ve ever met. In fact, in the hour we spend together talking, I only see him smile once – when I take his picture.

Abdi is 14 years old and lives near the village of Boodhlay; a small pastoral community we’re supporting in the eastern regions of Somaliland.

Like most people in this village his family is dependent on their livestock to provide them with food, milk and income.

He is one of ten children and the only of his brothers and sisters to go to school. All the rest stay at home and help to look after the family’s animals.

Every day he walks for an hour and a half to get to school and then the same again to come home. He has an appreciation of the power of education that would have shamed my 14-year-old self.

“My education is very important to me,” he tells me. “I don’t think that anything else would matter to me so much that I would make this journey over and over. Nothing is more important. I need to be able to help my family. When I grow up and finish my education I can do this.”

Struggling to recover

Abdi’s village is currently suffering the effects of poor seasonal April to June rains. Pasture for animals to graze on is extremely limited and water for both livestock and human consumption is scarce.

Already vulnerable as a result of last year’s drought, villages like this all over eastern Somaliland are struggling to recover and return to normal life.

“When there is no rain we move a lot,” Abdi says. “We move to different places in search of food for our animals. I worry a lot about having to drop out of school. If my family moves again we might not come back and I will have no chance of finishing my studies.

“One day I hope to be a teacher myself. But if the rains do not come again my family will move and I will have to follow them.

“Things are hard now. It is difficult to get food and sometimes our water is dirty. I never have any food during break time at school and so concentrating in class is hard. Sometimes when I get home there is nothing to eat either so I try to go to sleep so that breakfast comes sooner.

“There is no one else to look after me if my family has to leave. I would have to go with them and drop out of school. I wish we had a school where I could eat and stay. That way no one could ever take me away.”

Little to smile about

Abdi is one of the most serious boys I have ever met, and not without good reason. A 14-year-old shouldn’t have to worry about being able to complete his primary education. This is his right.

We’re already on the ground, working in a total of 21 villages across eastern Somaliland where we currently support schools.

We’re trucking in water and rehabilitating local water sources so that families, like Abdi’s, have immediate access to safe water in these difficult times.

If you would like to support our work in emergencies, please donate to Save the Children’s Emergency Fund, which allows us to respond quickly when disaster strikes.

Source:Save the Children

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By SomalilandPress

Tags: foreign aid, Save the children, Somaliland

@Buuxiye says:

Recognition would avert such disastrous dependency on seasonal rainfalls. The entire Country functions on the $500million remittance received from the diaspora with those who have family outside the country in the best chance of survival.

It is no surprise many family sell all their land and live stock to at least Migrate 1 young family member into the Western world to also have their share of remittance. If the trend of declining rain falls continues there will certainly be a proportional rise in economic migrants North into Europe.

De Jure Recognition of the Somaliland Republic is the quickest method to resolve the phenomenon of economic migration of it's Citizens. Until that occurs this young nation of 4Million with 70% under 25 will continue to loose many young lives searching for an opportunity for employment and better economic conditions.

1:03 pm on October 9, 2012

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- MarcusAure1ius says:
  
  Recognition will not solve all of our problems; chances are what we do not solve without recognition probably won’t be solved with it. There are many recognised nations in worse state than we are. Our problems arise from corruption, nepotism and lack of patriotism, chances are with recognition we may be worse off as corruption and it associated ills are likely to increase.
  
  All of our parties are based on clans and almost all politicians only care about self-enrichment and helping their fellow clansmen make short cuts to state assets.
  
  3:15 pm on October 9, 2012
  
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  - osman Qaal says:
    
    MarcusAure1ius/Dhuguse
    You both made good points. So, instead of replying to you separately, here's my take in brief to respect your time..I don't think a recognition is the only answer to combat poverty. I realized it could be very hard and sometimes difficult but we should try to educate our people, specially the next generation.
    
    How? if each one of us volunteers 2-3 hrs/wk in his/her respective local communities in helping kids with after school sports and also teach them basic leadership techniques. You're shaking your and wondering why I'm making a link between politics and helping kids…well, a journey of thousand miles begins a single step. our kids in N. America and Europe are lagging behind, because, primarily, we don't value the importance of volunteering activities in the communities…
    
    8:57 pm on October 9, 2012
    
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    - @Buuxiye says:
      
      I have entertained the potential LOSS&GAIN of recognition and although i respect the alternative views you guys present RE~COGNITION is our current HOLLY GRAIL. It is our awakening, it is our political apex.
      
      21 years we have not surrendered DeJure Recognition and i am conscious of the GRAND benefit of our population deriving MOTIVATION from this. We may not have needed it however we are not in a position to grasp the potential NEW trajectories that recognition presents.
      
      Until Somaliland republic achieves De Jure Recognition the burden lies not with the feeble government but in the Hands of it's countless entrepreneurs. Rather then Worry about political insignificance those who wish to help Somaliland must empower the entrepreneur community.
      
      - Somaliland Development FUND is a start. with a bot of $3.5Million in grants.
      
      Similar initiatives are required and if the somewhat 2million Somalilanders in the Diaspora each donate $10/year we can generate an entrepreneur LOAN scheme that can give the 5000 Somaliland graduates each year the Micro loans required to create the Future industries of Somaliland.
      
      We Neither need recognition nor foreign aid to build a super economy in the HORN of Africa!
      
      - Example Xalimo Farax receives a Micro Loan after graduation to setup an Ice-cream business and SOMALILAND MICRO LOAN initiative provides her the required loan in exchange for "%" of her profits each year.
      
      The potential opportunities in a virgin country like Somaliland are endless…
      
      7:15 am on October 10, 2012
      
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- Dhuguse says:
  
  I strongly believe, our diaspora could help our nomads in many ways if we have the will and unity to do so. At least, we can initiate to build a number of boarding schools in every region which could help kids like Abdi and other thousands in similar circumstances.
  
  3:31 pm on October 9, 2012
  
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  - amal says:
    
    All comments above provide good ideas. We can do so much if we put our heads and minds to it. Most people only focus on recognition but not what we can actually achieve now. Personally I don't believe in basing our foreign policy on hate and negative perception either but on personal interest and a one that we believe can help solve issues and not a one that might possibly make it worse. putting that aside, we should all unite patriotically to invest back home. We can do a lot.
    
    I like the diaspora donating idea. We can have a special and properly managed account where money collected from the diaspora is used to invest on critical areas that will better the living standard of our community. Also investing on long-term projects like education in rural areas, boarding schools and health etc is important too.
    
    8:03 pm on October 10, 2012
    
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    - osman Qaal says:
      
      I really admire your ideas because you always have a big heart for your homeland. We, the Somalilander diasporas might have the capability a swell as the means for tangible contributions in the areas you've mentioned, however, it gets a bit complex as one puts objectives in a broader base. If you do have very defined ways of putting donated money from the diaspora where is needed the most, other will wholeheartedly support you in in anyway they can. I definitely will.
      
      9:20 pm on October 10, 2012
      
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mohamed cheers says:

de jure Somaliland Republic Govt under the wise leadership of half habashi Ato Silaanyo
and his grand Kulmiye party Govt are doing all that's possible to bring about real peace,
stability and progress throughout all the Somaliland Regions. In the two years in power,
already much progress took place, there's no doubt about it. Whatever, the NGOs are engaged in
is okay, but make no mistake, Ato Silaanyo's Governance is no jokes much to the dismays of
Kayse and Puntlandgeezer(PIS) conspiracy theories lol. Their public desturbance noises would
not bluff and/or beleaguer the hard core of Garadag hq tested waters.lol.
Cheers.

2:21 pm on October 9, 2012

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Dhuguse says:

This is a good piece which could help our diaspora kids to learn this valuable lesson from Abdi, and at the same time, they could understand how the real lives of their kith and kin back at home look like.

3:01 pm on October 9, 2012

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hodan says:

Somaliland needs creative people , recognition can come now or later time . but we realy need visionary folks who can come uu with home grown solutions. did we ever asked ourself why people use qabiil. or why they need it .? we all saying the same answer whish we never analysed.

;
;

5:01 pm on October 9, 2012

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PuntlandGeezer (PIS) says:

eastern regions of Somaliland???? this is puntland territories the Land of Punt. we are the people of these lands, we are the owners of this land. PIS is ready to defend its people and their land from the Ethiopian stooge (SNM)

9:05 am on October 10, 2012

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- @Buuxiye says:
  
  There is no such thing as Putulaan :) Sheikh Hassan will make sure to dismantle you from village to village.
  
  How the Grieving going?
  
  There will never be Federalism it was a trick to keep you busy and away from moqadishu's TOP seat
  
  :) Xaarti is finished the next 10 years belong to SADE. Without piracy those used to easy money are cheap guns for hire and Somaliland and Sheikh Hassan must exploit every opportunity to provide alternative Roles for the 1000pirates trained by SARACEN who have not been paid for over 12months.
  
  10:39 am on October 10, 2012
  
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  - PuntlandGeezer (PIS) says:
    
    im not grieving but you still are since 91. the somali constitution aka the road map which was signed in garowe by Puntland, Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamma, TFG led by Sheikh Sharif and galmudug clearly states under article one that Somalia is a federal state with democratic structure.
    Article one of the somali consitiution cannot and will not be removed from the road map.
    Sheikh Hassan is a sitting duck whos afraid of even talking to somaliland without Puntland blessing.
    
    11:26 am on October 10, 2012
    
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    - Buuxiye says:
      
      LOL
      
      Your entire Federalism falls apart as soon as you begin to address the federal borders you claim :)
      
      MareegLand
      KarKarland
      Leelkaseland
      Makhiir
      Khaatumo
      Galmudug with galkaciyo as capital
      
      Believe me Federalism is a make believe concept with temporary objectives to keep the peace. Until 2020 Abgaal/Marehaan/Rahanweyn will hold the top 3-seats of SOMALIA… Somaliland is not even in the equation.
      
      Are you going to commit suicide when somaliland is recognised?
      
      :) Federalism makes Faroole accept the Government in Moqadishu and sidelines him as Governor of a province.
      
      4:39 am on October 11, 2012
      
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      - nuur says:
        
        All These state,khatumo,galmudug, makhiir,are all under The banner of somali republic.today in somalia They have very good chance creating one federal system, but The sometime semi-autonomous will run Their own local affairs without any interference from The central goverment.
        
        The president/PM/speaker of The house,They have to get Throught The pallet-box after four years,This time direct election from The people,no one knows what will happen it’s election The outcome could go either direction.
        
        The one cent question is,will somaliland region get recognition? The answer is NO,even The CATS in hargiesa streets know That.
        
        7:59 am on October 11, 2012
      - Buuxiye says:
        
        LOL
        
        Today Caydh and Dhudubley sub-clans closed the roads to Moqadishu airport all because they had a disagreement on a WATER well…
        
        How do you intend to police the 9-Federal STATES if Moqadishu state airport is not safe in day light? with 20,000 Amisom troops with 25,000 ASWJ+Gov troops…
        
        Delusional Zombie
        
        12:43 pm on October 11, 2012