Alpha Blondy;982045 wrote: another mashruuc to create dependency. Why would you say that? To the contrary; this is a Somali led and owned initiative which aims to create self sufficiency rather than dependency.

250m USD - stabilisation and development fund I need some input and ideas from SOL's creative, innovatitive, experienced, opinionated and intelligent people. If say (hypothetically of course ) you were on a committee of a 'Somali Stabilisation and Development Fund' and had to decide how to invest 250m USD in projects and initiatives intended to set in motion a momentum towards political stabilisation, economic development and job creation, what sort of projects would you invest in? How would you influence the regional governments, elders and the local community and get their support? How would you encourage economic development, job creation and at the same time create new income streams for the fund wich could be re-invested? How would you encourage political stability, accountability and good governance? How would you reform, to make more effective and strengthen, the education, health and justice sectors and establish sustainable sources of funding for them? Because 250m USD is a small amount of money in the larger picture and because your funds are finite, how would you seek to maximise the return on your investment and to maintain the sustainability and viability of the fund? Clearly, if you spend the entire fund on 2 power stations or 2 roads - which are investments from which you would not see an immediate return - you would limit your ability to have a large impact by implementing a variety of projects and the fund would not be viable in the short term.

Mad_Mullah;981488 wrote: You have to understand that people like Oday don''t care about political stances but only about tribe, it so happens that the president belongs to his click so he can't be wrong. Oh snap, you figured me out.

Nin Yaaban, did this story make your day?

Mooge, what has he done wrong according to you? What are your grievances? Adigoo abroad jooga adiguna ma wax ayaad ka sheegan?

He started his article off with a tone that is very gloomy and dreary - perhaps he thought he was setting the scene for another one of his novels (after all this is a man that has made writing stories about Somalia his career). If we don't have hope, if we don't ever support any 'government' or leader that we have, then how are we going to come out of this quagmire, this mess? If we in the diaspora (and mr. Farah), who do not directly contribute to the restoration of peace and governance in the country, sit here and belittle, delegitimise and make allegations against every people who are genuinly trying to make a difference, then who do we expect to bring our country out of this situation? He says: One can’t talk about recent news from Somalia — the deadly attack by Shabab militants on a U.N. compound in June, the decision in August by Doctors Without Borders to pull out of the country, the massacre last month at a shopping mall in Kenya, for which Al Shabab took responsibility — without in some way speaking about Somalia’s president, Hassan Sheik Mohamud. This is such a frustrating comment. This guy revels and hides behind ambiguity. Does he mean to suggest that the president is to blame or is directly responsible for the above things occuring? Is he suggesting that the president had a hand in the massacre in Kenya or the attack on the compound? Why not make clear and state unequivocally what exactly he means. Arghhh. He then says: But when I last visited Somalia, in April, my friends thought that Mr. Mohamud didn’t have the determination to lead the country, nor the hardiness to stand up to clan elders who have contributed so much to the two-decade-plus civil war and still dominate the country. A former prime minister, Ali Mohamed Gedi, has called him an incompetent novice. ....Ali Khalif Gallaydh, a member of Parliament and a former prime minister, has alleged (citing unnamed British and American intelligence sources) that Mr. Mohamud has contacts with Al Shabab, the Islamist affiliate of Al Qaeda in East Africa. His little references to stories he was told by his "friends"; references to comments from Ali Mohamed Gedi & Ali Khalif Gallaydh (two disgruntled former "PMs"); and also his ambiguous comment that "the president has contacts with Al-shabab" are as JB would say just 'bacaac' or as Norf would say: "stuff and nonsense". Again he hides behind other peoples words. He does not make clear what he means but he insinuates something. I get his message and the points he is putting across (namely those listed below). But I do not think that the NYT is the best platform to reach the SFG (if he genuinly wants the issues he has raised to be resolved) nor can I see why he seeks to dismiss any positive [media] coverage credit that the government has received. His valid substantive points have been drowned out by the negativity, dismisiveness and the hearsay he has included in his article. - The need to bolster the rule of law and reform the justice sector - The need for the FSG to be more shrewd i.e. not hire the companies involved in oil deals and engaged in managing the governments finances and then present their opinion as objective and fair - The need to hold Dahir Caweys to account and to use this opportunity to re-inforce the rule of law and thereby gain international legitimacy

Thread backfire miyaa?

I didnt know what to make of this... http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/15/opinion/somalias-leader-look-past-the-hype.html?_r=0

this is what I said in another thread OdaySomali;932653 wrote: The villages Travelling between the major cities you will drive through a number of small villages, usually one every few KM's or so. There are a lot of very small villages between Hargeisa and Berbera, very few villages (less than you can count on one hand) between Berbera and Burao and a greater number (larger too in size) between Burao-Las Anod-Garowe. The rampant poverty and underdevelopment are evident as you drive through these villages which consist of nothing more than houses that are buulal, dergado or the typical African slum-house made of metal sheeting. There are brick and mortar houses to be found in these villages, but this type of housing is almost exclusive to the larger villages and are even then few in number. As one drives through these villages, it becomes clear that an overwhelming majority of the villages are severely malnurished. Their bodies are lean, their faces look gaunt, their clothes are in many cases tattered. Of course these villages do not have any modern infrastructure and though I did not explore, probably very few public amenities such as healthcare, education. Because these villages have extremely limited purchasing power, there are very few business or private enterprises offering products or services in these villages. Most of the villagers are in someway engaged in the livestock trade. The little trade that is conducted in these villages is supplementary to their livestock rearing and this trade consists entirely of selling milk, and in some cases meat, by the road-side. Some villages will have a small shack that serves as an eatery for traffic that passes through. The recurring pattern is once-again of, god bless them, Somali women almost exclusively forming the petty traders and being the small business owners. The Pothole Kids & Crazy Men Driving between the cities and through the villages you will find come across many surprises. Some of these surprises will be the surprise of seeing a camel or sheep laying in the middle of or suddely running across the road. Certainly not something that you will be accustomed to if you've come from abroad. Other surprises will be the mentally ill men you will see along the highway, especially as you travel between the cities. These men (I did not see a woman in such a state in all my time there, makes you wonder why) who just wonder along the road or the side of it; their appearance is schocking: their clothes are ripped, they are malnurished, they have unkempt and overgrown hair. These men are known as the crazy men. They are clearly disoriented, dazed, seemingly unaware of their state and location and not even remotely lucid. Some are entirely naked, walking or sitting by the road. Having experiences just how underdeveloped and impoverished the homeland is, having seen the extent of lack of opportunities, education, health, jobs - all hings that we take for granted - I had indeed learnt a big lesson even though I might not have known it then. I was simply shocked at the number of mentally ill people - in every street there were at least several houses with mentally ill people either chained in front of them or screaming from the inside them. It seemed everywhere I looked there was a huge challenge waiting to be resolved. Lastly you will find what I've termed "the pot-hole kids". I call them "kids", but really I ought to say boys. These are boys who stand in the middle of or the side of the road near their village with a shovel adn fill the potholes with sand to smoothen the drive for those who are driving through. At the first sight of them I wondered what they were doing on the road or at the side of the road when they could see a car approaching. Then, when I saw them filling the potholes on the paved road, I naively thought and said out loud: "how good and charitable of them". I was immediately told: "they are doing it in hope to get some money!". The boy finished filling the potholes with the small shovel and they stood at the side of the road. Slowly the car drove further along and the the boy stood at the side of the road, arms stretched before them and their hand extended towards the window of the car. These boys are to be found on the outskirts of most villages and in many instances we threw them some money from the window, as is the norm for those who choose to reward their effort. At least those boys do not ask something for nothing, unlike the next group of people I am about to discuss. Isbaaroyinka Duceysan - The Blessed Checkpoints Driving between the cities, you will find yourself stopped at roadblocks/checkpoints at every few KM (maybe every 20KM or so), from Hargeisa to Garowe (probably from Boorama to beyond Garowe). These roadblocks are "official government checkpoints" and consist of a square small mortar and brick structure that perhaps is 1.5m wide and the same in hight to indicate that this is a roadblock/checkpoint. At those checkpoints the road is blocked, often they use a rope extended across the width of the road and in other cases they use a hand operated traffic barrier. These barriers were apparently introduced after the 2008 Alshabab bombings and are used to check the contect of vehicles travelling between the cities and the road-humps at these check-points are used to slow traffic "in-case al-shabab operatives try to 'escape' or drive off after doing some malicious act. The police officers at these checkpoints will note down the registration number of the car, the name of the driver, ask that the windows be lowered and check the content and passengers on the car (I am told they keep a look out for big-beard types, foreigners and excessive baggage). The checks are as strict when you are driving "out" of Somaliland as when you are driving into it. To the nuxur of mentioning these checkpoints and where the pun in the subtitle ("isbaaroyinka duceysan ") is. After these police officers complete their checks and questions, they turn to personal profiteering. They will harangue you incessantly to give them "duco" and in quite an aggressive manner, ak47 slung on their shoulder on in their hand: "ducada keen", "ducada keena". I was perplexed and wondered what on earth they were talking about. Again I was told, they want money, "duco" is a euphemism for money. The peculiar choice of words is inspired by the job-roles and their official capacity as public-servants. The "duco" then, is a supposed show of grattitude from you the [returnee/qurbojoog] civilliant, to thank them for their public service. In many cases we gave them money to save us the hearache and any possible negative consequences of not doing so. In other cases we did not and they let us pass. It all determines on how determined those particular police officers are to get money out of you. You will experience the same with traffice police within the cities who will forcibly stop you, look at who is in the car and demand money: "waryaa, jooji gaadhiga. Haye, gaadhigani ma cashuuran yahay? Yaa leh gaadhiga? Gaadhigani ma casuurna (waa ka marmarsiinyo). Waa qurbojooga, war lacag keen waryaahee hadii kale gaadhiga ma sii daynayno. We had to drive off because the situation was becoming quite hostile.

230+ people, mainly Somalis, die in trying to get into Europe. Trying to escape our native Somalia. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24436779

Tallaabo;981075 wrote: I don't think he attacked the system itself but just disapproved of the way irresponsible mothers siphon off a large chunk of the family income to pay for hagbad mashruuc. Thats a strange way of looking at it. Whats wrong with saving money so the family can invest in long term items... you make it sound as if Somali mothers trying to save a small proportion of their income is something malicious and sinister.

fdama;980456 wrote: I only have 2 kids Alhamdullilah. Two boys and that is it. I am a Software Consultant, the wife is currently a housewife getting back to work soon. We have a nice house in a nice neighbourhood, a Mercedes for me and recently a VW for the wife. I send the boys to private, fee paying schools. I also pay for private tuition to ensure their success. We go for holidays abroad twice a year,most recently to Malaysia. I buy for them, what they need, but make sure never to spoil them. You may think we are your typical Western family. This is the life. You generally cannot have this lifestyle with 5, 6,7+ children. You'll have to buy a bigger house and put them into state schools. Not to mention the headache of running a large household. For get about the holidays too. It's just a holiday, but it adds to the well-being and the bonding of the family The family will generally be happier and the kids will have more of a chance in life than their counterparts who have numerous siblings. Personally, I detest those men who use their wives as baby-making machines. And worst of all, when they are needed, they are nowhere to be found. And I hate those women who starve their households for the monthly Ayuuto/Hagbad. This is why a lot of Somalis are in the shit here in the UK. Large families, living in inner city ghettos with kids attending some of the worst schools. Its a cruel vicious cycle. Look, I am a proponent of small families but lets not muddy the waters here... dont attack the ingenious ayuuto/hagbad system. You may be well off enough to not need to use thr ayuuto/hagbad system but it is an effective and rational way for families to save and invest in their future. Other than that I agree with your sentiment.

You beoble are hiding behind religion. Yacni, if you have something to say, say it. If you are against women rights, just say it. If you are threatened by the empowering women and giving them opportunities in life, just say it.

lol

Khayr;980766 wrote: When did Islam have to be measured by everything other than it? This liberal myopic vision of how the world should be is utterly false and promotes an identity crisis in most of you. Admit it to yourselves that your identity is not muslim. You are a product of your western chicken fed eduction and google searches. How could I forget about facebook and twitter educating people? Tell us what the the correct path is, o' wise one... what is it that is so unislamic that you see here

Hobbesian_Brute;980444 wrote: no sympathy from me. they got what they deserved. they is no war in somalia nor eritrea, so why are these skinny monkies going on suicide missions trying to reach bankrupt europe ? cajiib Habar roob hayo, ta kalena inuu hayay mooday. Not everyone is as well off as you are. War, poverty, disease and lack of opportunities persist in dalkeena hooyo, and hearing of folks like yourself oo uu roob hayo, is what motivates people to seek opportunities elsewhere.

AUN

In the face of adversity, fight and fight and fight. Even when the battle seems unwinnable, perservere. For if you do not even attempt to fight and do not perservere, you shall never overcome. And if you do not fight for yourself and for others in the persuance of justice, who will? If you lose - and sometimes you will lose - do not let the defeat define you. Instead, let the defeat wash over you. Learn from it, grow from it and then move on from it.

Learn to not worry about and have a nonchelant attitude to those things you cannot control.

Wadani;980073 wrote: It's worth it in the end if you raise them right. bye bye quality of life more like. You need to have the patience for it, thats for sure.

Why would anyone in their right mind do that to themselves :eek: they are such hard work. I see some peole with 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 kids like its no big deal. They are such strong people.

Is there anywhere we can vote for him? If so link pleaese thanks in advance

The 1st of Jan 2016 which is just over two years away, will be the day that the Somali Republic has been without an effective government for 25 years or a quarter of a century. A quarter of a century. Such a sad prospect. Imagine if in 50 years time the current situation is still the same. :eek:

Health service providers in Somalia: their readiness to provide malaria case-management http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1475-2875-8-100.pdf Abstract Background: Studies have highlighted the inadequacies of the public health sector in sub-Saharan African countries in providing appropriate malaria case management. The readiness of the public health sector to provide malaria casemanagement in Somalia, a country where there has been no functioning central government for almost two decades, was investigated. Methods: Three districts were purposively sampled in each of the two self-declared states of Puntland and Somaliland and the south-central region of Somalia, in April-November 2007. A survey and mapping of all public and private health service providers was undertaken. Information was recorded on services provided, types of anti-malarial drugs used and stock, numbers and qualifications of staff, sources of financial support and presence of malaria diagnostic services, new treatment guidelines and job aides for malaria case-management. All settlements were mapped and a semi-quantitative approach was used to estimate their population size. Distances from settlements to public health services were computed. Results: There were 45 public health facilities, 227 public health professionals, and 194 private pharmacies for approximately 0.6 million people in the three districts. The median distance to public health facilities was 6 km. 62.3% of public health facilities prescribed the nationally recommended anti-malarial drug and 37.7% prescribed chloroquine as first-line therapy. 66.7% of public facilities did not have in stock the recommended first-line malaria therapy. Diagnosis of malaria using rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) or microscopy was performed routinely in over 90% of the recommended public facilities but only 50% of these had RDT in stock at the time of survey. National treatment guidelines were available in 31.3% of public health facilities recommended by the national strategy. Only 8.8% of the private pharmacies prescribed artesunate plus sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine, while 53.1% prescribed chloroquine as first-line therapy. 31.4% of private pharmacies also provided malaria diagnosis using RDT or microscopy. Conclusion: Geographic access to public health sector is relatively low and there were major shortages of appropriate guidelines, anti-malarials and diagnostic tests required for appropriate malaria case management. Efforts to strengthen the readiness of the health sector in Somalia to provide malaria case management should improve availability of drugs and diagnostic kits; provide appropriate information and training; and engage and regulate the private sector to scale up malaria control.

From diagnosis to health: a cross-cultural interview study with immigrants from Somalia SOURCE: WILEY online library Objective:  Being diagnosed as having a chronic disease gives rise to emotions. Beliefs about health are culturally constructed and affect people’s decisions regarding treatment. No studies have been reported that focus on the health beliefs of immigrants of Somalian origin with diabetes and how these people experiences the diagnosis. Therefore the aim of the present study was to investigate how immigrants from Somalia living in Sweden experienced receiving the diagnosis and describe their beliefs about health. Method:  The sample consisted of 19 adults with diabetes born in Somalia and now living in Sweden who were interviewed with the aid of an interpreter. The interviews were subjected to qualitative content analysis. Results:  From the analysis of what the participants said about their experiences of the diagnosis there emerged three themes: ‘Existential brooding’, ‘Avoiding the diagnosis’ and ‘Accepting what is fated’. Three themes also emerged from the analysis of what they said about beliefs about health: ‘Health as absence of disease’, ‘Health as general well-being’ and ‘Fated by a higher power’. A major finding was that women when they communicated their experiences regarding the diagnosis and health beliefs made more use of supernatural beliefs than men did. The participants, irrespective of gender, did not immediately respond with shock or other strong emotion when they received the diagnosis. Conclusions:  The study provides health-care staff with knowledge concerning a minority group’s experiences of being diagnosed as having diabetes and their beliefs about health. The findings indicate that men and women differ in how they experiences the diagnosis and how they described their health beliefs. The quality improvement of health education and nursing for patients with diabetes calls for consideration of the variation of beliefs related to cultural background and gender.