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Dare to Dream: Future of Somalia through the eyes of Students
Thursday, October 15, 2009
This week Malaysian universities are hosting their annual convocation ceremony for student graduating from various degrees and studies. These graduation days represent the highlight of the student’s achievement. The occasion enables universities to publicly recognize and reward student achievement. It is also intended for graduates to receive their well-earned praise from parents, partners and friends.
This year marks the largest Somali students to graduate from Malaysia’s universities across Malaysia. Over 35 Somali student will be awarded degrees in different fields. Yaasir Mohamed, a student activist who has been in Malaysia over the past four years could not hide his excitements “despite of incremental challenges facing Somali students, they are showing serious commitment to education, we are competing and often exceeding students from more stable environment”
Center for Research and Dialogue - Somalia (CRD), a Somali research institution based in Somali was invited by the Somali student for a public forum. The intent of the forum was to exchange research findings and engage public dialogue. The session also provided research data and first hand analysis of the current dynamics on the ground from across Somalia and the Horn of Africa region in general. The CRD team engaged the students over 4 hour intensive discussion regarding the role of the students in rebuilding the Somalia nation. Abdullahi Egal, Secretary General of Somali students Association point out that “Fora of such level allows students to creatively discuss on a contemporarily issues pertaining to Somali people, in a university setting students can generate new ideas to help Somalia but also learn from each other”
Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, Director of CRD, presented a comprehensive analysis of the current socio-economic realities of Somalia, its internal and external dimensions, the foundations of the dynamics that lead to the current unacceptable situation of the country. Using facts and figures compiled by many institutions and the contribution of the CRD researchers and other independent analyst, Jabril managed to deliver a detailed background and research findings in his presentation. This presentation grabbed the student’s attention and it has generated a lengthy discussion that challenged the thinking of many of the students. Abdulkadir Mohamed, one the students who attended the session indicated that in many times students lack any relevant and up-to date information from Somalia “It is hard to do comprehensive research on Somalia as there is no contemporary data, this kind of engagement provide us with an intellectual and critical thinking on our approach to the Somali crisis”
Mohamed Ibrahim, research fellow at Melbourne University and CRD Chairman, covered the role of education and Media /IT in achieving peaceful resolution to the Somali conflict and achieving a fast-tracked sustainable economic development. The discussions focused on the source of the information Somalis received and how world media portrays Somalis and Somalia conflict. Mohamed emphasized the need to acquire knowledge and applied in a meaningful way. He pointed out that” We will not be able to recover from the mess we are in without educated generation taking over”
Learning from others
Refereeing to the role of education in state building process – Mohamed Ibrahim reminded the students that When Singapore was rejected by Malaysia in 1965, the founder of Singapore Mr. Lee Kuan Yew could not contain his fear, wiping tears from his eye he said “ The entire of my adult life, I have believed in Malaysian Merger and united two territories” Few weeks letter he told his young country “that Singapore will survive”…the rest as they say is history. What made Singapore to succeed is its people; Mr. Lee Kwan Yew invested in educating his people. Education is the key pillar of nation-building without an educated population; a country cannot recover nor build a solid foundation for development. Somali students can see what is possible in countries in Malaysia and Singapore and the experiences they gain in this region will enhance their leadership skills.
The most successful states in Africa has a large educated citizens, Kenya alone produces over 40,000 graduates each year while Somalia had produced less than 8,000 graduates over the past 20 years? Somalia is in short of educated people who can take Somalia out of the current crisis. “State building is creating and strengthening the institutions necessary to support long-term economic, social, and political development through which education is the foundation” said Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle
Rwanda has experienced one of the genocides in recent history. In a span of 90 days, over one million people were killed but it has recovered very fast – last year the country has seen 11% economic growth the highest in all Africa. when asked President Paul Kigami Rwandan success, he said ’”We have invested in our future through education!” Education also creates future leaders of a country. In Somalia, there are no viable institutions that exist to produce a new leadership that can face these challenges and come up with solutions for the country.
Many Somalis scholars made an effort to help rebuild the educational institutions, and there are many who have the vision to maintain the value of education and invested personal fortune, some of them even lost their lives. What have sustained Somalia’s meager institutions are brave Somalis who went beyond the call of duty. In across Somalia, there are community universities, colleges attended by Somalis funded and managed by Somalis.
Uplifting and inspiring environment
One of the reasons that CRD has been emphasizing and continually engaging with Somalis students in Malaysia and other south-East Asia and Africa is that Somalia’s future largely depends on these students who will most likely return to Somalia. “The old Somali generation who are currently in the Diaspora (Europe, Americas and south pacific) are unlikely to return to Somalia due to various reasons; while the second generation who are born and educated in these countries have very little commonalities with the NEW Somalia, very few of them will ever return to Somalia” said jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, some of the recent graduates from Asia and Africa have already returned to Somalia particularly areas that are relatively safe and stable. Some of these students are already holding government positions, leading and teaching higher learning institutions and managing business et.
Malaysia not only offers good education but it also provides uplifting experience for the Somali students who recently arrived from war-torn areas of Somalia. Many of the students show signs of trauma and violence fatigue. “Coming into such modern Islamic countries, uplifts their moral, allows creativity and show what is possible” said Abdiaziz Hersi, a retired Professor in Kuala Lumpur “it provides students with opportunity to combine Islamic studies with other discipline” the environment allows the young students to observe link between modernization and Islam merging together in a positive, natural and constructive way.
Abdurrahman Odowaa, one of the graduate students in Malaysia said, “everyday that I travel through Malaysia, I am challenged by the extraordinary achievement of Malaysian people, a country with relatively the same age as of Somalia and yet we Somali are far, far behind! ! I am inspired! Only committed educated Somali can lift Somalia from the current mayhem”
Malaysia is also a window to another world, a window to higher level of Islamic culture and tradition and appreciation of Muslim tolerance. There are mosques and other Islamic buildings through which enables students to understand and appreciate the golden history Islam society.
Welcome home
Malaysia is the one of the few countries that seems to help the Somali students without any hidden agenda. Malaysia provides a lot of help to the Somali students, providing heavily subsidized education and living allowance. Somali students using Somali passports can arrive and are welcome to Malaysia without complex entry VISA condition. Anyone with Somali passport who arrives in Malaysia legally receives highest respect unlike many Arab and African countries. Government officials even come to the defense of the Somali cause; recently other government expresses concerns over Somalis in Malaysia, Malaysia government issues statement defending Somalis in Malaysia.
This link with Malaysia needs to be acknowledged by Somali authorities and all who are involved in helping the reconstruction of Somalia.
Engaging with future leaders
Over the past four years CRD has visited Somali students a number of times engaging the students as well as other members of the Somali community in the region with the sole purpose of informing the students on what is going in Somalia. Challenging them to think ahead and prepare themselves to lead Somalia from the current uncertain times. This is an extension of CRD’s effort in ‘engaging with wider Somali Diaspora to actively participate in the rebuilding of Somalia.
At the end of the session, one student asked serious questions that forced many in the audience to reflect and think deeply. “How many more people must be killed, before we realize enough is enough?’ she asked. How do we create new dynamic leadership who understands our problem and ready to act on it? Another student emotionally pointed out that “What has prolonged our crisis is a lack of proper research and Somali input, until such time that we Somalis take critical inward look at ourselves, crisis will continue”
Many of the students were very grateful that they were given an opportunity to hear the latest development from home, watched documentary films produced by CRD, presented a selected award winning photographs and suggestion on how they can participate and contribute to the reconstruction of the country.
The future of Somalis looks pride in the eyes of Somali students; the best is yet to come!