Arawelo
@SagalAbas
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Specialist working on fragile, conflict-affected situations and post-recovery. All about localisation, and decolonising the humanitarian-development-peace nexus
Somalia/Yemen/UK
Joined September 2011
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I wrote this piece about Mogadishu’s new urban development and its implications for social equality, inspired by my own personal experience as part of the Somali diaspora returning and navigating this evolving city.
A creeping gentrification is underway in Mogadishu as wealthy business elites – including returning diaspora Somalis – take advantage of the slowly improving security to invest in new apartments and shopping malls: ⬇️
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Somalia is experiencing one of its worst drought crisises in 40 years, and Pakistan is dealing with its most destructive flooding. Both are examples of the unequal impact of climate change; poorer countries contribute little to global emissions but suffer the most.
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I met a Somali aunty who has a stall in Crater market (Aden) selling baatis, every weekend I visit her, we drink tea, talk about life. One time I told her that I miss my mother's canjeero, and she offered to make it and bring it to my apartment. This is why I love Somalinimo
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Graduated with an MSc in Conflict, Rights and Justice from SOAS University. I dedicated my masters to my hoyoo. It was her storytelling of Mogadishu pre-civil war that ignited my passion for post-conflict peace-building and reconciliation. 🎓🎓🎓💃🏽💃🏽
#soasgrad
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I get excited seeing a Sudanese person in Mogadishu. Now I have a habit that anytime I meet a Sudanese whether in the supermarket or my apartment block, I start a friendly conversation to welcome and remind them that Somalia is their new home.
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I love this photo I took yesterday. Two generations of Somalis walking in their own different paths.
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Just look at how free spirited Somali women were prior to the civil war and spread of Wahhabism. Back when it was much safer for women to explore their femininity through dance and music.
Somalis in their own culture and identity before the infection of puritanical religious dogma from the Mideast which was nominally about Islam - but was at its root aimed at Arabisation of the Horn
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The number of young Somalis going ‘missing’ in London is increasing and needs to be taken seriously!
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I had the privilege to visit the ruins of Mogadishu’s Cathedral, which was destroyed during the civil war. Imagine if Somalia invested in transitional justice, turning these spaces into memorial sites to teach us the lessons of the past and the importance of peace over violence?
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The first time I ever came across a mailbox in Mogadishu, located in ‘via Roma street’ Who knows some of our relatives might’ve sent love letters through this box.
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On my way to Lido Beach, I came across this elder man at 7 am roaming the city with our beautiful flag, I felt so proud. Happy Independence Day 🇸🇴
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Yesterday I was walking around Mogadishu, and six different random men tell me to cover pieces of my hair. They looked so confused when I said; it’s ok, I don’t have to. Since when did ordinary men become Islamic street police? Plus, why are they looking at me? It’s Ramadan
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Why are Somalis more willing to talk about Somalia’s golden era but not the atrocities and human rights violations that came with it? It is just another form of selective amnesia.
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The view of the ocean when you land in Mogadishu is incredible. 🇸🇴
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@PhilipProudfoot
Absolutely amazing. Kudos to the women for taking up that space and shouting free Palestine in the end👏🏽
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My makeshift desk is very comfortable plus I get to look at Mogadishu's green view
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It's my birthday and Hoyoo said to me when I was your age I already had 4 kids (I’m 27) 😅😅
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A few years ago I started to document and take photos/videos of both my grandmothers in Somalia/Kenya. Till now they both think I’m crazy but I keep reminding them that this is the only way the next generation will remember y’all
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Imagine that over the last few years, Lido Beach has been slowly recovering from previous attacks; people returned in numbers and would stay out until midnight. This attack is truly a reminder of the fragile peace in Mogadishu.
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What happens when social grievances mix with ignorance. I will never understand the logic of xenophobia in South Africa, hating your average Nigerian/Somali street vendors when you have Dutch descendants of colonialists still benefiting from the wealth that was accumulated.
🇿🇦 "I hate foreigners and the government is doing nothing."
#BBCAfricaEye
investigates the rise of xenophobia in South Africa and the violent targeting of migrants.
🎥 Watch the full film, "Fear and Loathing in South Africa" here:
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Since I moved to 🇸🇴 I have been trying to understand where the money allocated through taxes is going. The government performance report is unclear, and it's impossible to know where these taxes are spent in the public realm. No actual infrastructure or services
#Somalia
launches new taxation system for transactions conducted via mobile money transfers, e-wallets, and other electronic payments.
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When I just thought Mogadishu was becoming a little safer, innocent people were shot to death at Lido Beach on a Friday evening.
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My favourite thing in Mogadishu is the 5 am trip to Lido Beach. You can the sunrise, drink Somali tea and also watch the local fishermen organise their catch of the day that will be taken to the local market.
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Walking through the back alleys of Xamar Wayne and as I waited for my clothes to be sewed, a local tells me that the building in front used to be a gold market before the civil war and the area itself used to be a busy square, so I googled and found an old photo of it.
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At least two checkpoints exist just before reaching Lido Beach, which makes us wonder about this so-called effort to rebuild 🇸🇴 security. From the time these checkpoints are run by young boys asking passengers for ‘lunch money,’ we should not be shocked.
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Happy Independence Day 🇸🇴 🇸🇴 🇸🇴 Last year I did it for the culture and wore guuntiino for my graduation.
#Somalia
#SomaliaAt60
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I told my little cousin to buy some sweets from the local shop, and he returned with this USAID supplement, which was designed for the humanitarian response to treat malnutrition. A perfect example of aid diversion in Somalia.
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Late night Eid celebration in Mogadishu Lido beach. Seeing this many people out enjoying the peaceful space was so beautiful.
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My first safari trip, and I saw the big five animals. It was one of the best experience I have had. My guide (Ramadan) made sure that we explored Maasai Mara in very interesting way.
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I spent a wonderful week in Somaliland, Hargeisa. I genuinely admire their collective effort to remember the past through monuments; it signifies hope and a lesson to the next generation on why peace is essential.
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The Sudanese community in Mogadishu is growing. It warms my heart to see how quickly they have felt at home.
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7,000 years ago, our ancestors documented their nomadic culture so that we could learn something about preservation. As Somalia continues to experience a climate crisis that is threatening the traditional way of living, Laas Geel's crave painting teaches us the hope of continuity
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Working from home in Somali style. Inspired by the African vintage studios of the past.
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I can’t forget the first time I visited a Somali/Yemeni organisation to conduct a workshop, and one of the staff invited me the next day to her home and cooked me this feast! 🇸🇴
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I was going though my family suitcase of photos from the 1990s and found these pictures of a protest organised by supporters of the United Somali congress against Siad Barre regime.
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What I love about working for local organisations in Yemen is the freedom to visit and explore beautiful cities and countryside. (Lahij)
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I had a wonderful trip to South Italy for my birthday, I am so happy to have amazing sisters. ❤️
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Despite the narrative portrayed through Somalia’s humanitarian sector, this county is filled with farming produce. We just need a functioning system that could support farmers and pastoralists who fled into urban cities like Mogadishu.
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The irony: Plays r&b music and Afrobeats, invites famous black celebrities, but refuses to let black girls in. OK
#dstrkt
@dstrktlondon
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Their mothers used to rock Afro’s back in the day before the war, and now they want to patrol women in the streets.
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Western humanitarian workers in Somalia will say, ‘we are saving lives,’ while earning salaries between $8-10K per month, enjoying paid holidays from the duty station every 4 weeks, hardship funds, and many other benefits. Of course, the solutions won’t come from them.
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The NGOisation of the localisation agenda is so interesting to analyse. The same with the discussion on decolonisation in the aid sector; folks do not want to see radical change if it challenges the status quo and calls into question the power dynamics of funding, decision making
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Gender Based Violence is a serious issue within the Somali community across the World. I am calling on everyone to reflect on different forms of violence against Somali Women and Girls. To also share ideas+practices on eliminating Gender Based Violence.
#EndGBVSomalia
#16days
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I went live on Al-Jazeera to discuss Somalia's drought, emphasising that famine conditions already exist in displaced camps. We don't need to wait for the declaration; what needs to happen is humanitarian funding going straight to local communities affected.
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Last week it was a 19 year Somali girl who was raped by 11 men and thrown out from a building, and then another case of a young boy who was raped by Somali soldiers and today we have a young girl aged 5 who was raped. Somalia has a national pandemic of sexual violence
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Iftar in a traditional Harari home in the old city. When visiting Harar in Ethiopia, stay with a local family guest house; you will feel the warmth of their hospitality and see the beauty of their culture/home.
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It's racism at its finest. First of all, Mogadishu is not under siege and slowly recovering from the civil war destruction. Secondly, how can he compare this city to an occupied territory that is currently being wiped out? Foolishness.
Just prior to the 162nd Session of the Arab League Council hosted in Cairo
Josep Borrell Fontelles
@JosepBorrellF
Vice-President of the
@EU_Commission
just described Mogadishu, Somalia as being worse off than Gaza, Palestine
Can this statement be corroborated with any evidence?
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Changing the pronunciation of your name just to make white ppl feel comfortable.
#GrowingUpWithMyName
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Can we stop calling any project ‘localisation’ just because a local partner is involved in the implementation? Too many Western NGOs are quick to use that word but reluctant to address the aid system's structural inequalities and power imbalances.
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Yesterday I walked away from a family Eid lunch with a misogynistic uncle who uses religion as a way to control women and at one point called me a prostitute because I don’t wear abaya. It felt so good having power to take myself out from those situations.
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I promised myself this year If I worked hard to finish off my masters I’ll come to India 🇮🇳💃🏾
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Just like Sudan I really hope one day the Somali population (Somali women in particular) come together to stand up against corrupted government officials. We can longer accept poor governance on the basis of ’transitioning’ we must hold our political leaders accountable.
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The weekend before Ramadan. I spent a morning at this quiet beach, a beautiful hidden gem. I then visited my local tailor to prepare my garments. It was also a perfect reason to sit and wait in an outdoor cafe (I always wanted to do this for a while but did not have the courage)
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My Saturday morning exploring Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest lake, and its nearby island that has the most beautiful historical monasteries.
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Racist academics no longer hide their unhinged opinions. Someone explain to me why Max is even trying to compete with us Muslim girls, which one of our sisters broke your heart?
The other reason so many Muslim girls are bitter is that white guys like me can speak *much* better Arabic than they do. Orientalism is a powerful force
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Thank you for all the unsolicited advice, but unfortunately, due to my ‘liberal western ideology’, I must kindly reject but who knows, maybe I will use your tweets for an art exhibition on feminism/religion self-agency/sexuality.
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I really hope that we don’t forget the role that people like Monica played in spreading these racialised claims, only yesterday she was tweeting exaggerated misinformation, it’s very telling how easy it was for some people to want to believe in such narratives.
Updated fact-check on claims re: Hamas violence (new evidence is fast emerging, so check back for updates).
As of Oct 11 at 5:30am GMT, the most hotly debated claims involve:
🔴rape
🔴beheading babies (disgusting, I know)
Neither has been fully verified—or debunked—yet 🧵⬇️
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@geekinthejungle
Somali men are just threatened by the idea of a strong women leader. Regardless the story of Queen Arawelo is remembered throughout generations and we will continue to celebrate her legacy 🇸🇴 ✊🏾
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How is it even possible to talk about Somalia’s educational system and access issues without having a women on the table to share the gendered perspective on the experiences and barriers for Somali girls? The EU alignes itself with gender equality but expects little from 🇸🇴
Today,
@EU_in_Somalia
hosted a steering committee meeting of the
@GPforEducation
funded education programme. Progress has been made in improving access, quality of education, and system strengthening.
#SDG4
@Godahbarre
@NBerlangaEU
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There is nothing feminist nor empowering about this statement. All you did was, 1) Feed into Islamophobia, through creating a generalised assumption.2) Further exclude Muslim Women and girls. So please next time don’t use Muslim girls for your Liberal propaganda stunt.
@NimkoAli
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Happy Somali Independence Day; here’s me wearing the hido iyo dhaqan that my mother taught me how to wrap. We must persevere and celebrate our rich culture.
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I finally got to see Dur Dur band last night! The vibe and energy was amazing! I ended up doing the niiko like I was in a wedding. 😂
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Nostalgic of Mogadishu pre-civil war and the culture that faded away. So I turned my living room into a local African photography studio where our parents would’ve visited and taken those infamous photos before migrating to the West.
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Hahaha, the irony I tweeted this to complain about men telling me to cover up, and now an influx of online misogynistic men who feel entitled to advise me what I do with my body.
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Let us return to our traditional ways of sitting under the tree to negotiate, discuss issues and find peaceful solutions—rag tashaday cir waa toli karaa taako labadeede.
When people come together, they can even mend a crack in the sky.
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I never imagined that I would be denied to visit US despite being born & raised in London. Heart broken to see such policy exist.
#MuslimBan
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Exploring your own country is truly one of the best feelings ever. We have so many unique beautiful coastal towns to visit and enjoy the view of the Indian Ocean.📍🇸🇴 Jazeera beach
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So my hoyoo returned back to Mogadishu after 28 years. I was so worried in how she will cope seeing the city completely different to 1989 but instead she’s calls to say that she doesn’t want to come back to London. 🇸🇴🇸🇴🇸🇴🇸🇴
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There are privileged Somalis/Arab philanthropists who are spending $$$ in building large mosques near IDP camps in Somalia, where people are living in inhumane conditions and struggling to recover from the drought. Not only is it selfish, but also delusional.
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@AlinorAbdi
Absolutely!! I feel somewhat protective
of the Sudanese because we know how much they opened the doors to everyone before the civil war. Now we have the same responsibility. I can’t wait to see the first 🇸🇩 restaurant here in Mogadishu, I will be at the frontline of it.
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Mogadishu lighthouse, like many other historical heritage sites in the city is decaying. Sadly, the next generation will have no reference point to the past.
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Exploring the backstreets of Mogadishu oldest district; Xamar Weyne 🇸🇴
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Finally, my mentions are no longer being bombarded by Somali men who use religion to assert their controlling behaviour and anti-women views. We have serious issues of sexual violence, trauma and mental health within our community, so please re-divert your focus and energy.
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So I graduated today!!! Bachelor with Honours in Development and International Relations!!!! 💃🏽🎓✊🏾
#BlackGirlMagic
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Alhamdulilah! I finally submitted my masters thesis on the topic of; Human rights violations, the culture of impunity and the failures of peace-building in Somalia. 🙏🏾 💃🏾
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@themrise
Perhaps it would’ve been good to use an alternative cover for the book. If we are talking about exposing the system, why use the same imagery tactics?
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What is he going to do when he finds out that you shared your name with male doctors, teachers and job recruiters? 🤔
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Aswan, Egypt. It is another place in Africa where I feel like one of my ancestors deep down in my generational line passed through even as a visitor in their lifetime.
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One of the reasons why I love the work I do is because of the inclusive spaces that I facilitate. Many long-term solutions to Somalia’s humanitarian crisis can come from the local community. All we need to do is create spaces for participation, listen and share information.
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This is toxic masculinity. My Somali father also banned crying not only for himself but for his children. All his emotions were instead channelled through daily violent beating as an outlet. So please, let’s undo this and teach young boys that it’s healthy to cry.
Don’t ever cry in front of your wife
The only exception is if it’s during salah / Dua due to khushoo
Any other situation, be strong and masculine , if you have to, shed a tear, but never cry bawl like a boy
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REMAINDER- The protest against the inhumane killings of Somali refugees is tomorrow outside the Saudi embassy at 6PM.
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‘Freedom is a not something you can reach but it’s something you can fight for’
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I feel so blessed to live in a city where my parents grew up before leaving. I get a regular dose of the Indian Ocean and our beautiful sunset views while also learning more about the history of our beloved Mogadishu.
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Ending the long month of November with a family wedding. It’s not every day that I can dress up and enjoy the moment.
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I never imagined that I would be turning a chapter in my life in a city where I grew up imagining how it used to look before the war. What an exciting experience it has been to move back to 🌍 I want the next few years to bring more decolonisation and radical changes.
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Activism is so tiring because I spent most of my 20s dedicating my time and mental health to working in these environments. In contrast, my peers lived normal lives, developed relationships, married, and had children. Here I am complaining about crisis and neocolonialism.
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After a week of long car journeys and back-to-back community meetings, finding a moment to watch the Berbera sunset was just what I needed.
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Every morning I wake up and still can’t believe that the UN envoy to Yemen has facilitated a peace process that failed to include women at the ‘table’ and worst supported a peace agreement with zero gendered references. In a war that created the worst environment for women/girls
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Who would’ve thought that countries like Somalia and Yemen would be considered as a place of refugee for those fleeing violence/instability? I was surprised with the number of Ethiopian Oromo’s in Aden, But now I’m seeing many Syrian refugees in Mogadishu.
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It's my last evening of being in my 20s, and I’m spending it massaging my grandmother's back and putting oil in her hair. It is so special to have this moment and time with her. I often catch her randomly staring at me, and I do the same thing because it’s a unique experience.
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In an IDP camp in Garowe, I sat with a group of displaced women, both old and young, who said that men with guns would creep into their tent, each night they could hear screams of violence, and only a few brave women would run out to rescue the other but it would be too late.
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It feels so gratifying to visit places that were part of my master's research on the prospect of transitional justice in Somalia. Here are a few chapters 👇🏽👇🏽
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