Long Journey Joining SIMAD

Somalia was considered as a failed status country that's been ravaged by civil war which was caused by lack of basic needs such as;  education, health, sanitation, security and  inhabitant, it was not only destructed by the infrastructure, buildings, streets and government institutions but the most important thing which was destructed was the Somali community's kindness which is very hard to rebuild again and make the Somali people love each other, live together, learn together and share a good governance together then simply see the prosperity of their country together.

Whenever we saw a developed population or progressive country like the western, the first thing comes on your mind is that their knowledge is higher than the devastated countries.

So when we are talking about Somalia a country which was lack of government for more than two decades. Knowledge is the most important thing that the civil war generations have lost instead of taking books and pens they were holding by guns and pistols, instead of going schools and educational centers they used to go militant basses instead of studying and researches they were busy by idling and tribalism which is one of the untreated diseases yet.

Before 1990's the country has it's own educational institutions, syllabus from elementary to higher education but what was after that, we have lost everything concerning education whether it is a beginner or a higher level one, even we have lost the archives and libraries which might able that the next generation to read so as it's been already said "The more you read is the more you learn" that couldn't happened - no matter how the situation was hard there were a few pupils who were strong enough to take the book and the pen and go to rough schools at that time the parents were not proud to tell their children go to schools because of poverty and lack of understanding the real meaning and the importance of education.

As time passes by and days where getting harder and the conflicts were getting worse, the few whom were chosen to study were decreasing by so many different reasons as lack of payment fee, some were not capable to strive the long dark directionless some were lost their lives by illiterate militant attacks.

Still hopes were alive and schools were working no matter how few were students but there was a will in the hearts and the minds of unique smart whom can see a brighter future and where there is a will there is a way.

I would like to mention one or two those who believe that hopes will come true one day: 

H.E Abdi Ahmed Mohamed (Baffo)

Former minister of agriculture inspirer of the success of my life and my favorite uncle whom I follow his footsteps,,  my mother told me during civil war in earlier 1990’s there was a huge displacement across Somalia particularly the capital city of Mogadishu, that time I was young and I did not remember the painful acts happened,  the touching story that my mother narrated from BAFFO was that he preferred carry the books during the flee instead of carrying items though the shops of the capital city was selling sugar wrapped by the paper books. And he always motivated us go to schools and learning something that will brighter our future and earned the advantage in return.  

Hon. Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir

Currently member of parliament of  SFG, former state minister, founder  of the African Muslims Agency (AMA). African Muslims Agency came Somalia to help Somalis in education field and humanitarian sector, AMA is covering that needs for the past two decades. Hon Abdulkadir re-opened and spent his time the public schools, one of those schools was the one that I studied my primary studies named Mohamud Harbi and secondary school Ahmed Gurei. After graduated thousands of Somali Students from secondary schools, this genius man and his team established 1999 Somali Institute of Management and Administration Development (SIMAD) which turned into full-fledged university on January 20, 2011.

Hon. Abulkadir produced thousands of students and currently some of them are ministers, member of parliaments, director general of government officials, many of them are working nongovernmental organizations also well-known institutions, great business companies while others created their own business and recruited many of local graduate students.

Joining SIMAD University 

After completion secondary level my plan was to go abroad for study, later on I decided to join SIMAD University because it was the first university opened the faculty of Information Technology and led this specialty.

While I was studying the university in the class of 2006-2010.  Then we had rough time, the university located at Warshadaha Street; it was a very terrible place to live in although we attended our daily classes. One of horrible histories that we have experienced was that we left our home and we did not knew weather we go back home safely or not.

One of painful incidents happened and make my eyes falling from a tears while I am writing this article is that one day I was resting at home and I received the news that a rockets hit somewhere in the city then I realized one of  my classmates who used to live there, immediately I rang his number then someone answered his phone while he was screaming then I asked what happened subsequently he told to me “Mohamed is one of the victims and now he is in a critical condition”,  then I started to call all my classmates especially those who near the area that happened this hurting event, unfortunately after hours we lost our best and former team leader friend Mohamed may ALLAH give him his mercy and the higher level of Jannah.

As time passes by sorrow, trouble and sadness events occurred we struggled to finish our education and finally we graduated from the university and a new horizon come up on us. After graduation we worried whether we will find a job or will be unemployed.

There was an employment strategy that SIMAD always use to encourage it’s graduators especially the top ten students. Fortunately, I was among the top ten students in our batch.  25^th November 2010 at the morning time my cell phone was rang, this call changed my whole life from the prolonged way that had a lot of thorns, obstacles and scared days into bright, hopes and success future. That call was from a university that has fame and fortune in the Somali community and its SIMAD UNIVERSITY.

Today 27^th November 2016 is the sixth anniversary day that I have signed up the employment contract.  Still SIMAD University gave me the privilege opportunity to go and get overseas study continuing my master degree internship which is currently on going Belgorod State University (BelSU) in Russia.

From all the above I am very pleased to be part this great family.

Author

Liban Abdullahi Mohamed, Master of Information Systems and Technologies,Student at Belgorod State University (BelSU)-Russia,E-mail: dhugad1000@gmail.com