Hiiraan Online
After watching the news and hearing about the catastrophe occurring in the Horn of Africa, a group of Somali youth both men and women in San Diego, California got together and decided to take action in order to help our dying people. The Somali Youth League of San Diego started out with one aim, to help the refugees in the camps who are dying due to a lack of basic human needs. The group immediately brainstormed quick and simple ways to raise funds for the poor and less fortunate people.
Somali youth league came up with two great projects. Firstly they organized a car wash which took place over two weekends. The results of the car wash was astonishing as many people came and donated. This also generated more awareness and more youth joined the group and wanted to get involved and volunteer their time. The second event involved a banquet dinner, whereby 350 guests attended. This again gave the youth an opportunity to address the action they had taken and to invite more people to donate generously and make pledges to help our brothers and sisters. Again the Somali Youth did an excellent job hosting the event. They invited a number of organizations and inspirational speakers who had mentored them and gave them support to carry on with their magnificent endeavor.
Within a short time frame of just three weeks, the Somali Youth of San Diego has managed to raise $24,660 which was donated to the American Relief Agency in Horn of Africa (ARAHA) www.araha.org. This success has motivated the youth and they are still determined to carry on. Their mission is to continue to raise aid and awareness about the tragedy in the Horn of Africa. Their motto is simple, children should not die of thirst and hunger when we can make a difference. The group of youth also hope that their actions will acts as an inspiration to all the Somali people living in the west who can make a difference. We all know by now how desperately our brothers and sisters are in need. The youth of today is the future generation of Somalia. We hope you have been inspired by this story and that you too will carry out your part in reviving the Horn of Africa. Jazzakallaah.
Especial thanks to:
Dr: Aaron Bruce Prof at San Diego State University
Dr: Jesse Mills Prof at University of San Diego
Dr Adam Jeffers
Dr: Ismael Moalim, a Medical Doctor at Veterans Affairs in San Diego
Mr: Asad Abdi Community Police Officer
Mr: Abdulmalik Buul Somali Youth League Chairman
Mr: Abdikarim Tukri Youth Speaker
Mr: Ibrahim Ainab Youth speaker
Mr: Abdullahi Arab Youth Speaker
Scripps Hospital
Iftin Charter school
Immigration Law Office of Mariana Hanna
Horn Africa
Somali Family Service and all Somali Restaurants in San Diego.
Especial thanks to all San Diego Somali Youth League, we couldn't do it without you guys. Much Love!!.
By: Ladane Hassan Ali
San Diego, CA
Human Concern International responds to the Somali famine
For several months, a relentless drought has plagued Somalia and the Somali people. The prolonged drought has already killed thousands, and has left millions in search of relief. Malnourished, hundreds of thousands are fleeing Somalia in hopes of reaching refugee camps in Kenya in hopes of getting much-needed food and water. Others are seeking help closer to home, walking hundred of kilometers to lesser affected areas of Somalia. Some make it, many do not. The ones who make it, the “lucky” ones, still do not have access to the necessities of life, and aid organizations fear a death toll of thousands.
Human Concern International (HCI), in partnership with HIMILO International Civic Development Agency (HICDA), was among the first aid organizations distributing food in and around Mogadishu. HICDA partnered with the Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation and ISHARDO in Somalia to deliver aid.
A total of 800 families were provided with a month’s worth of food (click here for pictures) and at Dr. Hawa’s feeding centre 27,000 meals were prepared for the new influx of the drought affected people. HCI also delivered a new water pump motor that will drastically improve the water supply system in the camp for over 100,000 people.
Every day, more families arrive in Mogadishu seeking help. The local hospital is becoming overwhelmed by the steady stream of sick children and elderly. In addition to medical attention, the severely malnourished patients need a special diet to regain their health, which their families often cannot afford.
The Somali community has really come together, responding immediately to our people’s call for help, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the region. The Somali-Canadian/ Muslim and the larger Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa, Windsor and Kitchener communities are holding frequent fundraisers across these communities to scrape together as much money as possible to send to the drought affected people in Somalia.
The work is not done. We need your help to continue our good work in Somalia. Please give generously by donating online. Or contact Mohamed Ali Aden (416)885-5997 in Toronto.
Please click below links to some of the media coverage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w15kkBO6GJQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o7NhLzmIcY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmQ95DMrrfI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZv9lg_TkE8&feature=related
Fundraising Dinner Vancouver BC.Canada
A fundraising dinner organized by the Somali Students Society of BC (SSSBC) took place in Vancouver, Canada last night. Formed by a group of students that study at Colleges and Universities across the greater Vancouver area, SSSBC aims to mentor and provide assistance to the Somali youth and community in the region.
The dinner was attended by the youth and community elders among others. Speeches were given by representatives of SSSBC and the religious leaders. Attendees were also addressed by the director of Human Concern International in the province. In his presentation, the director spoke about the role of HCI in addressing the situation in East Africa. Little more than 11,000.00 Dollars was raised and all donations will go to Somali relief campaign of Human Concern International. For more information about HCI work in Somalia and their urgent appeals please check out:
http://humanconcern.org/urgent_somalia_drought.php.
Somalia is experiencing the worst famine the world has witnessed in a generation, the result of the region's worst drought in 60 years. The UN estimates that a quarter of the Somali population is now displaced some 1.5 million people and more than 10 million are in immediate need of food assistance or face starvation. The U.N. says 640,000 Somali children are acutely malnourished; a statistic that suggests the death toll of small children will rise. Tens of thousands of refugees have fled south-central Somalia in hopes of finding food at camps in Ethiopia, Kenya and in Mogadishu, the Somali capital.
Kaamil A. Olol
Hiiraan Online Vancouver