2006 Awdal Achievement Award

The 2006 Awdal Achievement Award went to the founders of Amoud University in Somaliland: Hassan Ali Osman, Abdulsalaam Ahmed Nur (ILburo), Suleiman Ahmed Walhad, and Idris Muhumed Sa’ad. The award was announced at the Amoud Foundation Annual Dinner held in Irving, Texas, on August 5, 2006.

The seed idea for the establishment of a university in Awdal started in July 1994. At the time, Hassan Ali Osman and Abdulsalaam Ahmed Nur were in Dahran, Saudi Arabia; Suleiman Ahmed Walhad was in Bahrain; Idiris Muhumed Sa’ad was in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The first workshop to sell the idea to the community was held in Borama in 1996. At the time, in the aftermath of a devastating civil war, the idea of establishing a university seemed far-fetched to many people. But these pioneers had a vision and refused to give up. They led the way where there was no path and made a trail. In this context, the famous line by Robert F. Kennedy comes to mind: “ Some people see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not”.

After many meetings and consultations with the community, a decision was made to establish a university at the old Amoud Secondary School. It was also decided that it would be named Amoud University, preserving the historical name of Amoud. In 1997, the first preparatory class was started at Amoud University. Thus started the journey of Amoud University, a project that will go down in the history books as one of the most significant milestones in post-civil war Somali education. Amoud University’s impact on Somali communities everywhere has been revolutionary. Other Somali pioneers soon followed suit, establishing Mogadishu University, Hargeisa University, University of East Africa, and others in quick succession.

 

For more information about Amoud Foundation, please visit our website at www.amoudfoundation.com or contact us at amoud@amoudfoundation.com