Humans of Africa: Hassan (Somalia)

Nomad
Feb 9, 2016
2 min read

SOMALIA

“One thing about Somaliland is that people tend to be happy with whatever they have, and that’s something to admire.”

Hassan Djirdeh, Human of Africa

“My parents moved out of Somalia in ’91-’92 because of the civil war. They moved quite a bit so that my dad could find a job. They eventually settled in Dubai when he found a steady job; I lived there between ages 5 and 18. My dad’s dad was well off so the situation in Somalia was difficult, but it taught us to look ahead because you can’t really change the past. My parents also always instilled hard work as a value in myself and my siblings.

People usually stereotype Somali people as lazy people and I can sort of see why – a lot of Somalis who’ve emigrated take advantage of welfare. I don’t believe that’s right; you should take advantage of the opportunities that are given to you to start off and to have a better future.

I visited Somaliland when I went to Somalia – it is quieter there, and things are slowly getting better. One thing about Somaliland is that people tend to be happy with whatever they have, and that’s something to admire. A lot of the Somali values are tied to the Islamic religion. One value that speaks to me is to always be grateful for what I have. If anything bothers me, I always tell myself it could’ve been worse. Today I’m the most grateful for my health.”

About the author - Nomad, The Ndebele Sista

Nomad is a Sista Tweet blogger, co-creator, External Relations Manager and Strategic Thinker.

She's a lover of international cultures and foods and when she's not on Sista Tweet or growing her career at her day job, she's busy planning her next trip around the world.