A Somali woman arrives at the Dadaab camp in northeastern Kenya walks with her child to the world's largest refugee settlement. Photo: Paul Jeffrey, ACT Aliance
by Liban Obsiye
Friday, March 07, 2014
In the dark London morning
She rises before the irate sound of the alarm
In between the howling wind and angry rain
She delivers her children to the warmth of their classrooms
In the pitch black evening she waits for them to finish malcamad
The wind still howls wildly as if baffled with a mother’s defiance
It asks, “What are you doing?”
To which she responds silently
“Rebuilding my nation.”
The dust of the refugee camp in the unforgiving dessert blinds her sight
Yet she is alert to her family’s needs
Awake early to line up for their daily meal,
She screams, shouts, shoves and pushes her way to the front of the snake like queue
Dignity has no place in times of difficulty
Bringing back the meal, she always eats last
Her belly churns and grumbles angrily as if to ask,
“What are you doing?”
To which she calmly replies,
“Rebuilding my nation.”
Before the sun she arranges her stool on the side of the dusty road
Tomatoes, Cabbages, milk, corn, maize and a steaming tea pot
All the fuel a city needs to run
The dust from the passing cars covers her clothes
Her voice hoarse from battling shoppers over prices
Her mind divided between home and the her profit
The deviant tomatoes roll on to the road
She sprints to collect them
Why think the tomatoes
To which she replies,
“I am rebuilding my nation.”
“Vote for me” screams her banner
Go back to your husband is the reply
“Vote for me” she repeats
Go back to your kitchen is laughed out loud
“Vote for me,” blasts the radio
Turn it off say the elders
“Vote for me,” pleads the female candidate
Why asks the audience,
“I want to rebuild my nation.”
International Women’s day is more than just another UN, soft Left-Liberal ideologically inspired day. It is a day to recognize the successes of women globally and to confront the challenges that hold them back in all spheres of public and private life. Somali women have much to be proud of. They are rebuilding their nation socially, economically and politically. They are visible. They are on the agenda. This poem clearly shows this. However, it also illustrates that not all of them enjoy this privilege and as such this poem is to inspire action towards supporting all women in Somalia to achieve, engage and to matter at every level and every stage. Somali women, in many ways, are rebuilding their families after the tragedy of war and displacement, the national and local economies as well as edging their way more and more into the political limelight to increase their influence and reach. This can only lead to the obvious conclusion that they are rebuilding their nation in their different ways. Somali women are not just victims of Western defined oppression, but leaders in their own right. It is unfortunate that there is only one day the World has designated to celebrate women and their global achievement. However, Somali women, like their sisters across the world, deserve praise every day.
The author welcomes comment and feedback. Please do this via the below means:
[email protected]
@LibanObsiye (Twitter).