Amoud Foundation Delegation Report

Amoud Foundation of Dallas delegation consisting of Mohamoud Farah Egal, Yussuf Adan Qalib, Abdi Dahir Aaye, and Ibrahim Gurey went to Somaliland for a short visit of three weeks. Below is a short report of their observations:

For many weeks before our flight out of Dallas, we waited for this day with great anticipation. Some of us had not been back home for more than two decades, and the thought of being able to see our homeland and loved ones after so long weighed heavily on our minds. The flight home (Dallas-Frankfurt-Addis-Dire Dawa-Hargeisa) was long (21 hours) and mainly uneventful except for the last leg.

Addis and Bole International Airport

For a group of Africans long spoiled by the amenities of the Western world, we were pleasantly surprised by the sight and services of Addis Ababa’s new Bole International Airport. Built in 2001, reportedly with the help of low-interest loans from Kuwait, this is a beautiful, first-world airport that would give any world-class airport a run for its money. The services by the airport staff, from customs down to the bus driver, were also efficient, polite and professional. As Africans, we could not help but be very proud.

We were even more pleasantly surprised when we were taken to a hotel that bore a Somali name, Wabe Shabelle (Shabelle River Hotel). It made us already feel at home. Not yet familiar with the relative value of money, some of us tipped the concierge, who took a couple of suitcases to the room for us, $8.00 U.S. We later learned that that was equivalent to more than his monthly salary in Ethiopian Birr (the posted exchange rate was approximately 9.00 Birr to the dollar). The following morning, he repeatedly asked us if there was anything he could help us with, obviously hoping to repeat the previous night’s good fortune.

We left Addis Ababa for Hargeisa via Dire Dawa the following day, arriving at Dire Dawa airport on the afternoon of March 21. We were expected to resume our journey after picking up new passengers at Dire Dawa, a process that was to take no more than thirty minutes or so. We began to sense that something was wrong when it took much longer and we observed the captain, his crew and Ethiopian Airlines local ground staff scrambling around in an apparent effort to find and fix whatever the problem was. We were finally informed that the plane had developed mechanical problems. We were escorted to the waiting lounge at Dire Dawa airport where we waited for another hour. The captain and his crew finally informed us that they were unable to fix the problem. We were going to spend the night in Dire Dawa. The story was that the plane would not start; something about the ignition system. The parts needed to fix it were to come from Addis overnight; we were assured that we would leave for Hargeisa at 7:00am the following morning.

Our delegation was to attend the Amoud University (AU) Second Graduation Ceremony scheduled for the following morning of March 22^nd. Some of us suggested that we seriously consider renting a landcruiser to make the journey from Dire Dawa straight to Borama over land. Discussions ensued about how many hours it would take, how much of the route was paved, how safe was it to travel over land in that neighborhood, and many other questions. We knew that living in America all these years made us soft. We were not sure if we had the stamina we used to have as young boys when some of us traversed the Qadow and Madar areas of the Oogo during the rainy season when school was closed. We conceded that we did not. It was also possible that there could be other dangers out there. We decided to stay in Dire Dawa for the night, realizing that a 7:00am flight the next morning would take only 45 minutes to Hargeisa and that we might still be able to make it to Borama by 10:30AM in time to attend the Graduation Ceremony at AU. This turned out to be a good decision, for we would later learn that the ceremony had actually been postponed.

The Ethiopian airlines staff took us to hotels in the city of Dire Dawa. They did not leave until every passenger was situated at a hotel for the night. It was close to 9:00PM by then when they finally said good bye and went home. We were impressed by their hospitality and sense of professionalism. We thanked them for their hospitality and let them know they did a great job.

This gave us a chance to see the city of Dire Dawa about which we had heard so much while growing up in neighboring Somaliland. Located in the Somali region of Ethiopia between Addis Ababa and Djibouti, Dire Dawa is a major hub for the Addis-Djibouti Railway. Upon first impressions, it looked very much like an ancient city with its old, gated neighborhoods lining the streets. The roads were in disrepair and a little dusty. Horse carriages are available to ferry one around the city.

Hargeisa

Ethiopian Airlines kept its promise. We left for Hargeisa at seven the following morning as planned. It takes less than an hour’s flight from Fire Dawa to Hargeisa. As the plane made its final approach for landing at Hargeisa’s Egal Airport, those of us sitting by the window enjoyed an aerial view of Hargeisa. We marveled at how much the city had grown during our absence. The famous, twin Naasahablood (Girl’s Breasts) Mountains came into full view. It was a sight to behold for those of us who went to school in Hargeisa and had been away for many years. Heading down Airport road to the city, one cannot miss the sight of the five-star Ambassador Hotel. This hotel offers first class amenities, even villas for independent living at an affordable price.

Hargeisa has become a bustling metropolis teeming with people and businesses. As we passed by a bustling bazaar in the heart of the city, we observed a line of currency dealers plying their business out in the open, with bundles of money piled a foot high on modified crates. One of them was in fact briefly unattended while the owner went to the nearby café to get some tea. We could not help but stop and take a picture of the wads of currency piled high out in the open unattended as people milled around and went about their business.

One of the things that amazed us was how relatively inexpensive things are in Somaliland. The famous Hargeisa Club Hotel costs only $5.00 a night for a private room. A fully loaded lunch for five with all the trimmings (including the country’s legendary fresh lamb, roasted to perfection and dripping with juice, accompanied by generous offerings of rice and pasta, followed by Papaya and fresh Mango for dessert) at the city’s number one restaurant, Xaraf, cost 130,500.00 Somaliland Shillings, a figure that would initially blow away a visitor not familiar with the exchange rates. All that money is equivalent to only about $17.00. What a bargain! At the prevailing exchange rate, $100 was equivalent to SL. Sh. 800,000.00. The highest denomination of the local currency is a note of 500 Somaliland Shillings. Someone jokingly but truthfully remarked that one would need a wheelbarrow to haul the local currency’s worth of a $1000.00. The people don’t seem to mind since they have plenty of choices in currency (US Dollars, Ethiopian Birr, and to a lesser extent other currencies, are freely accepted). If you wanted to see the highest form of free enterprise, this is it. With no sales taxes and minimal government regulations, success in business depends on one’s brains and what the free market can bear.

So for all of you out there in the Diaspora looking for a good place to retire after toiling in the West all these years, paying a price with your blood and sweat, this is the place; that is if you don’t mind hauling your money in a wheelbarrow when paying your bills in the local currency. And there is no better place when it is your own homeland to top it all off. 

The Road to Borama

After a brief stay in Hargeisa, we left for Borama. We passed the police check points at Arabsiyo, Gabiley and many of the other towns that dot the Hargeisa-Borama road. One thing that strikes a visitor about these police check points is the fact that the soldiers who man these control points are unarmed. We observed one wearing the empty sheath of a Toori (knife), a far cry from the dog days of the civil war, and a tribute to Somaliland’s much celebrated peace and stability over the past decade.

The one-lane highway was marked by frequent potholes and areas  that needed repair. One striking observation all of us made was the absence of any bridges, large or small, over the creeks and deep dry rivers (Dooxyada) that crisscross this part of the country. Even the deep and wide dry river known as Agamsaha near Arabsiyo had no bridge. The pavement had been put right on top of the shifting sand on the bottom of the riverbed, obviously making this supposedly “all-weather highway” impassable any time it rains heavily. The foreign contractor who had built this foreign-aid funded road project must have been in a hurry.   

The paved road takes you as far as Dilla in the Awdal region. Here commences a rough, extremely rocky road that would test anyone’s will or desire to travel to Borama from there. Words are not enough to convey the toll this short 26-mile trip from Dilla to Borama takes on vehicles and its occupants. The driver remarked that this stretch of road had the ability to disassemble any truck or car one bolt at a time. The constant jolting and bouncing made us sick to our stomach as the truck made its way slowly towards Borama at a snail’s pace. Why was this part of the Hargeisa-Borama road left unpaved as originally intended? Some say the money for the project ran out due to corruption. Others say there was politics and tribalism involved. Whatever the reason, it is a horrendous stretch of road that cry’s for attention.

As we drove through the countryside, we could not help but notice the serious desertification that had taken place over the years. Land once covered with forest was now barren and exposed, the result of years of the charcoal trade. The land is about to become a vast desert devoid of trees. This is perhaps one of the most serious challenges facing this country.  

Amoud University Tour

On March 24, 2004, the delegation was given a tour of Amoud University (AU) by Prof. Suleiman Ahmed Guled, the president of the university, and Aideed Haji Dahir, chairman of the technical committee. Taking part in this tour were the distinguished members of the Board of Elders: Haji Jama Mohumed, Haji Dahir Elmi and Haji Ahmed Mizan. We were honored to be in the company of such luminaries and icons of the community.  We observed classes in session and visited the library which boosts a collection of over 100, 000 books organized by subject matter. New labs. for various faculties were under construction, some in the finishing stages.

Amoud University (AU) is, by far, the most impressive project in the region. It is the most prestigious institution of higher education in the country. It is a first- world institution characterized by a disciplined work ethic and sense of professionalism that matches its name and reputation. It is a place where full-time work schedules are strictly observed and the “buses run on time”.

A teacher program called STEPS, Strengthening Teacher Education for the Public Sector, funded by the European Union (EU), is now underway at AU. This is a diploma program that started in September 2003 and currently has an enrollment of 60 students, 8 from each region including students from Puntland. This project is being implemented in Tanzania, Zambia and Somaliland. AU is planning to request from the donor to make this a permanent degree program.

Professor Suleiman Ahmed Guled, President of Amoud University, had been able to secure pledges of assistance from Kuwait in a recent visit to that country. The first installment of that assistance had recently been delivered in the form of a 50-seater bus and a Toyota Landcruiser. Kuwait also had pledged to assist the university in the area of capacity building such as the addition of classrooms and labs.

The AU Medical School, with an enrollment of 40 students, is in dire need of teaching facilities. It currently uses private hospitals and the general hospital for both classroom and clinical studies. The city government donated partially developed land inside the city to the university for the construction of teaching facilities for the school. The total construction cost is estimated to be $80,000.00. Amoud Foundation of Dallas pledged to come up with $60,000.00 of that money. In the meantime, a private building has been temporarily leased for the school until its own facilities are built.

On April 3, 2004, we were privileged to attend the Second Graduation ceremony at AU. This was an impressive function put together by AU students, management and faculty. Dignitaries from the central government, United Nations Development Program, and other agencies attended. Prof. Suleiman Ahmed Guled, AU president, gave a detailed overview of the progress the university has made since its founding. Twenty four students were awarded their bachelors degrees amid cheers and applause from the attendees that filled the hall.

Borama Hospital

We attended a meeting at the Borama Hospital conference hall on March 25, 2004. Dr. Abdirahman Jama Hadi, Awdal Regional Health Coordinator, Dr. Ismail Aaye, Director of Borama Hospital, Dr. Nimco Haji Abubaker, and many other members of the medical and administrative staff gave a brief report on the healthcare situation in Awdal in general and the Borama General Hospital in particular. We learned that for sometime now, control and management of healthcare and hospitals had been given back to local communities who must find the resources and skills necessary to run healthcare facilities in their areas. While there was no evident shortage of doctors, the hospital urgently needed medical supplies and modern diagnostic equipment. It was at this meeting that the delegation had the pleasure and the privilege to announce that the $20,000.00 needed to replace the old x-ray at the hospital had been raised by the Diaspora Awdal Communities in the cities of Minneapolis, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Houston, Columbus, Washington, D.C., and Dallas. A check for $20,000.00 was presented on behalf of those communities. A prioritized list of supplies and equipment needed by the hospital was shared with the delegation for possible procurement from charitable sources in North America.

Annalena TB Hospital

The TB Hospital named after the late Italian philanthropist, Annalena Tonali, continues to care for the needy and the sick. Since Ms. Tonali’s assassination, both nutritional and medical conditions have deteriorated. One of the doctors remarked that patients now eat dry Qarmac (corn) where they used to eat pasta and biscuits when Ms. Tonali was alive. The family of the late Ms. Tonali has reportedly guaranteed the staff salaries at the hospital through July, 2004. No one will be able to fill Ms. Tonali’s shoes. She used to travel the length and breadth of this land, picking up the sick and destitute and caring for them. This hospital needs the support of the community both within the country and in the Diaspora. A shining institution like this should not be allowed to close.

 Kaalmo Orphanage Center

On March 26, 2004, the delegation visited the Kaalmo Orphanage center in Borama. The children at the center looked good and well-fed. Many needed shoes. They also need a cafeteria, and children in the lower grades needed additional desks and chairs. They also need a protective wall around the compound. The delegation toured the dormitories where bunk beds, neatly made with colorful bedcovers, especially in the girls’ dorm, were lined up in rows.  

The center is in the process of opening up a store that will sell clothing, ladies’ accessories, home decorations, purses, and other items produced by the children, using local raw materials. The delegation was very impressed by a tour of the center’s temporary show-room where an impressive array of products was on display and for sale. Members of the delegation were able to buy formal men’s wear items that the center made to order as well as other items. Pictures of these products will be on display in a picture gallery at Amoudfoundation.com soon.

Micro-lending program

 Amoud Foundation of Dallas started this pilot project last year. It provided $200.00 to poor farmers to cover seeds, tractor hours, and other incidental expenses. This pilot was implemented in three areas: Abu Qays, Idhan, and Carro-Qolaab. Blessed with good rains, most farmers had a bumper crop. Farmers in Abu Qays and Idhan were able to repay over 90% of the loan in the first year, and Carro-Qolaab about 20%. It would be an understatement to say that the success of this project far exceeded our expectations. We decided to continue and expand this project. Amoud Foundation of Dallas plans to commit $10,000.00 this year towards this project.

University of Hargeisa

On April 6, 2004, we visited the University of Hargeisa campus. Prof. Abdi Haybe Elmi, President of Hargeisa University, and his staff welcomed us and gave us a brief history of the university and its departments. Hargeisa University students gave us a tour of the campus. Housed in what used to be First July Secondary School, built in the early 70’s by the European Union, then known as the European Economic Community (EEC), this beautiful campus boosts of a well-stocked library, plenty of class room space, a computer center, and administration offices. Three two-storey buildings that used to be dormitories have not been rehabilitated for use, leaving plenty of room for future expansion. Amoud Foundation was able to offer two full, four-year scholarships for two needy students at Hargeisa University.

Closing Comments

To say that we enjoyed this trip to our homeland would be an understatement. As tradition would have it, this was very much like a trip for Dabiib and Qardhaas (exorcism and amulet) for some of us. The demons that kept us away all these years and almost irreversibly transformed our very being have been finally exorcised by this visit. We were able to listen to the infinite wisdom of our elders; we were able to touch and hug loved ones we had not seen for decades; we were able to briefly escape the anonymity of the West, and once again walk the streets of towns and cities where everyone seemed to know us or our families; even the creeks and hills where we once played as children appeared to embrace us (if trees could talk, perhaps they could even utter our names). As is often said, THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME.