Monday July 26, 2021
By Jared Dean
Mohamed Abdulkadir is a MCRI employment specialist who is a former refugee who has recently been awarded for his efforts.
SAINT PETER, Minn. (KEYC) - Mohamed Abdulkadir, who is originally from Somalia, came to the United States in 1994 as a refugee. He came looking for a new life, and now he is using what he has learned over the years to help others through MRCI as a job consultant and coach.
Mohamed works to help people find employment and change their lives, and his efforts have not gone unnoticed. He was recently awarded the Outstanding Refugee Award from the Resettlement Programs office of the Department of Human Services.
“When they say I know a person go to Mohamed he will help you out and a person will come to me and say I know you helped so and so and I want the same thing,” Abdulkadir said. “That is what always pushes me to continue what I am doing.”
As a former teacher, Abdulkadir wanted to make an impact in the area in schools to help bring change, something that he has seen in Saint Peter over the years.
Abdulkadir started his own foundation, Hikmah, which assists the Somali community in Saint Peter and serves as an after school program for kids.
“When I ask them about how they are doing they say I am doing great and they start telling me about so many things that they are doing. Yeah I cannot imagine how much I enjoy it,” Abdulkadir said.
Through it all, Abdulkadir can relate to the community on a personal level, having shared the experiences that the Somali community has had.
“I see what is important to me, is that if they get a job, they will feed here and they will feed back home both for the children and their parents,” Abdulkadir said. “So that is why it is important to me, I want to see that happen.”