^thank you so much for the clearifaction(being sarcastic).Anyway, your mentality towards some regions is what will make someone to believe that you are not even Muslim,let alone Somali.

Grassroots Community Leaders To Receive $25,000 Cash Awards for Violence Prevention Work Sahra Abdi - one of three winners of the 2006 California Peace Prize -------- Los Angeles —Sahra Abdi teaches Somali and African refugees and immigrants who have fled their violent homelands how to control anger and manage stress. Margaret Diaz, a former victim of domestic violence, established a shelter and a pioneering transitional housing program for women and children. Anthony Thigpenn helps train people in African-American and Latino communities to understand and participate in public policy decision-making to prevent violence. On Nov. 14, The California Wellness Foundation (TCWF) will honor these three grassroots activists with its 14th annual California Peace Prize at a ceremony in Los Angeles. In recognition of their efforts to prevent violence and promote peace, the honorees will each receive a cash award of $25,000. [Profiles and photographs of the honorees can be accessed at www.tcwf.org; video profiles are available on request.] “The honorees are representative of thousands of other unsung heroes working to make our state healthier and safer,” said Gary L. Yates, TCWF president and CEO. “This year’s honorees also reflect the diversity of California and the sad truth that no community is immune from the effects of violence.” Sahra Abdi Abdi is program coordinator at the City Heights Wellness Center in San Diego, a partnership between Children's Hospital and Scripps Health. She oversees the Hooyo Health program, which provides education and support for Somali and East African mothers. In her previous position, at Social Advocates for Youth San Diego, Abdi was involved in parenting classes and youth groups that taught anger and stress management to parents and children. A decade ago, when Abdi arrived in the United States, she realized that the Somali community needed help in adapting to their new environment. The immigrants and their children had left a country embroiled in civil war, where constant violence was the usual way of life. “It is important to have different ethnic groups participating in the planning and implementation of new policies and programs,” Abdi said. “As advocates of positive change, we should always engage community members in solving problems that concern them.” Margaret Diaz Diaz, founder of the Victor Valley Domestic Violence, Inc./“A Better Way” Shelter in Victorville, Calif., has worked in domestic violence prevention for more than 18 years. Among the services offered by “A Better Way” are professional counseling, parenting classes and assistance with restraining orders. The shelter’s teen awareness program, Y.O.U.T.H. L.I.F.E., educates at-risk youth about domestic violence, relationship abuse and anger management. Diaz’s organization also founded the first transitional housing program in the High Desert region of San Bernardino County for women transitioning from the shelter who need support to begin a self-sufficient lifestyle. Having endured 16 years of spousal abuse before fleeing to California, Diaz is motivated by her firsthand experience of being forced out of her home to escape violence. “I believe that violence is preventable and that education is the key,” Diaz said. “If we can reach them [the children] in elementary school, we can decrease violence. If we don't stop violence, the cycle will continue.” Anthony Thigpenn Thigpenn, founder of Strategic Concepts in Organizing & Policy Education (SCOPE), a social justice organization based in South Los Angeles, has more than 30 years of experience in neighborhood organizing, public policy advocacy and community organizing training. A component of SCOPE is Action for Grassroots Empowerment and Neighborhood Development Alternatives (AGENDA), a membership organization that trains African-American and Latino community members to understand and participate in public policy formulation and decision-making. Thigpenn has also been involved in job training programs, livable wage campaigns, and the King/Drew campaign to save King Drew Medical Center to address the public health crisis in South Los Angeles. His efforts to help people positively express their frustrations and create economic opportunities have advanced violence prevention work in his community. “When you think about young people who are involved in gangs or other kinds of antisocial activity, if they had a job, if they had a career path, if they had a chance to go to college, there is no question that they would have taken a different path,” Thigpenn said. The California Wellness Foundation is an independent, private foundation created in 1992 with a mission to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention. The Foundation prioritizes eight issues for funding: diversity in the health professions, environmental health, healthy aging, mental health, teenage pregnancy prevention, violence prevention, women’s health, and work and health. It also responds to timely issues and special projects outside the funding priorities. Since its first founding in 1992, TCWF has awarded 4,523 grants totaling more than $545 million. It is one of the state’s largest private foundations, providing an average of $40 million in grants each year in pursuit of its mission. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: The California Wellness Foundation, Nov 9, 2006

^I am sure the previous guy who married two at once didn't have much,how did that happen?

^Unlike you I am not denying my origins,full Somali blood,but I have to ask you,why do you have to hide your identity...it's who you are,isn't it?

^Masha Allah,brother Zamatar once again thank you so much for the beautiful pics,these are new indeed. thanks bro,

^"Economic,national interest,doesn't lie barefoot uneducated,uncouth,that hail from godforsaken land of Tigray" Now that is my friend is something you should be puting focusing on rather once again concentrating something that doesn't concern you much,The somali problems...is that fair Xabashi Boy?

Okay,listen up,no one has died,alot of people were injured by the stones they were throwing themselves.The only thing the Police has done thus far was to arrest those throwing the stones. The women and men who were injured in this demostrations are all okay,they are being hospitalized as we speak...Insha Allah there won't be any further incidents along the way. The whole thing started with the selling of medal scraps of the old cement factory in Berbera by the authority to some buyers abroad.That was the biggest reason that ticked the people off,thus lead them to express themselves in rather violent demostrations.Insha Allah, we hope calmness returns to Berbera.

^lol.Allahu Akbar indeed. My Quran is really making a good progress as we speak,but sadly I haven't memorized it in full yet,I am almost there and can gaurantee you that I will be leading the Masjids' near next Ramadan prayers Insha Allah...it was my new years resolution. aaah Abdul Basat,true artist when it comes to the recitation of the Quran.All of them are equal in greatness,but each individual prefers one,so I have to say Maxamud Khaliil AL-Xusari,still tops in my favorite list,but definately Abdul Basat is in that list,may Allah have mercy on them all. thanks,Allahu Akbar

^take a hack at it? ,what you think?

^qof walba waxa uu iska dhiguu u eekadaa ma maqashay?

^hahaa very funny,not.

^apparrently,the people are protesting against the corrupt rule of Riyale Kahin,the people have no confidence in him at all,they believe he is selling them and the region while abusing his powers.But what ticked them off today was,the selling of remaining of Berbera ex-cement factory as scrap medal. click here to see the pics of the demostration:warning there are some disturbing images,

Khalaf,preach on brother.God bless you. Khalaf how good is your Quran? who is your favorite Quran reciter of all time? for me as far as voice,I would have to say Sh.Abdulraxman Sudaysi,but in terms of Quran in the way it was meant to be recited,I'd say,no one can top,Sh.Mahmoud Al-Xusari...what is your in take on this? thanks,

MMA..are you out of your mind,how can I condone someone who bashes whole regions and their tribes? buddy calaacal ma qabtid ayaan ku odhan,ee kubada daji bal awoow. However,what Iam trying to make clear is that you shouldn't be acting as some sort of angel who hasn't seen nor heard such of its kind before,because I thought every somali was aware that Somalis are all bunch of sorry people full of hatred,hence for not having a legitamate government in this day and age. So let us not blow this thing out of porportion angel boy,and rather let us approach in rational way while realizing that there are many people from all regions of the Somali peninsula who say such. This isnt the first time i have heard of it,nor do I expect it to stop,but note,that I have heard Southern folks also saying somethings that went' along those lines in rather different fashion. In addition,the city of Xamar was the beloved city of all Somalis,not that I knew you were born there,but I was refering to your clan resided areas such Baydhabo city and nothing more. The term the "city of death" was something we all witnessed,because the term had some truth based on the situation that occured and not just limited to being Western media made up. good day folks,,

^mr.Jimcaale,I think you don't understand buddy,if you are a President of country,that is not how you should role .If he goes to Egypt and sits there when he is no longer a president,that would be like fliping the middle finger to the folks which he used their money to "serve". it Doesnt make anysense at all if he 'retired' somewhere else outside of Somali peninsula,not that I care less about his presence,in fact,i rather have him walk out today,but the reason I am after him is that he is overpaid SOB.

Originally posted by Ahmed_Guree: Amxaro is your patriachs grandma. You will observe from this thread how your fellow Northerners have grudges towards Somalis. From Djabouti,Bari to Konfuur. I have no connections with Amxara....Amxara boy, and who are you to tell me that anyway? Once again,baaburta iska ilaali,ha ila sheekaysan aniga anjii.

^it will go down well as all the bigger things have.You couldn't grasp their previous success,I dn't expect you to see this one as well. So why waste such energy buddy,you argue base on nothing.

^you telling me that,because that is exactly why I want him to go,hence for the boot.

folks,I have no problem with him building home,but where to build it is my question. He is the president,if he wants to retire,he could have built his home in Awdal or anywhere in Somaliland rather abroad,that is where I have issues with him.

^waar maxaad horta dhiiga shan boqol ugaysaan marka wax laydin yidhaa abti,anigu waxaan kuleeyahay,I have seen this kind of stuff from all Somalis,you should well know that. If you don't know,can you tell me the reason why you and I came here in teh first place,or why your beloved city of Baydhabo earned that dark nick,well because of qabiil hatred right,I think you know what I mean.

^si qalad ah ayey ugu baxdaa,laba marduuf halkan dhig labanaa halkaa dhig,laba qol Cairo ka taag,afarna Dubia,laba isku shubana Jabouti,save some for the future.Just much miniic miniic abti,not enough if he doens' use it wisely,after all his nick is Riyale Saaxibal Dollar.lol

^it's you who has totally ka fad kuday meelkale if you know what i mean Amxaari boy.

^yes definately,no doubt about it. Jaylaani,I can see you going bellow the belt,but hey,as I said,whenever I see Riyale Kahin's name anywhere,I usually go to different topic.It's not as much of not giving enough attention,it's just that jimankayga ayaa neceb ninka suduu wax uqabto isaga iyo kuxigeenkisaba suufiga. As for "Taliban",I dont' believe in such,I don't watch fox news channel,so for me Taliban appears totally different than some folks.lol

^walaalo,I wish I could tell you a rough estimate,but can't think of any,I have to ask the people who are involve in it.Insha Allah we will see,I do agree with you we do need cement factory big time,it's sitting in the mountains near Berbera,they just need someone to get them processed,not far from reach. Insha Allah,it will be fixed.

^lol.Trust,the brother lives in a life you and I can only dream of,he's very smart individual,he is currently attending University of Hargeysa for Journalism,I think he even said he has his own job,so don't worry about that regard.lol I think,he knows who he is,if he doesn't raise his finger quick enough,just PM,I will connect you two IA. as for the cement factory, I thought,they were dismantling and selling it overseas as scrap medal? not sure though,if this thing starts up again,it could produce something posotive. I heard there were demostrations in Berbera this morning,what you know about that?