Somali Community Link

Famines, droughts, violence, and political conflict have been the main drivers behind poverty in Somalia. To alleviate these effects, the country receives aid from many different countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany. However, residents of the country still face immense hardships in the face of poverty. Here’s all you need to know about it: 73 percent poverty rate According to the country’s poverty indicators  and national GDP, Somalia is one of the world’s poorest nations. The government constantly suffers from instability, which contributes to the problem. Constant threats of water and food security only maintain the horrible living standards in addition to the instability. Low life expectancy Men in Somalia have an average life expectancy  of 50, while women can expect to live up to the ripe old age of 53. This is a direct consequence of violence, disease, and famine. Other diseases such as malaria remain rampant in the country and put the ...

The LIRS has warned the U.S. government about the consequences of decreasing the ceiling for refugee intake during a time of global need. There are many different reasons why we need to welcome refugees into our country, especially during one of the worst displacement crises witnessed in history. From economic and political to practical reasons, here are some reasons why America needs refugees: Refugees create a lot of our essentials Whenever you use the Google app or need to search for something online, try thinking about how different things would be right now if America never welcomed refugee and co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin. If you’re a foodie who loves Sriracha, or a gamer who spends their free time attached to the screen, you can thank refugee David Tran for his genius taste buds and Ralph Baer for the credit of inventing video games. It’s a part of our history The first individuals who escaped to America while seeking religious freedom relied on being welcomed as refugees. ...

Somalia, a region rich in history and heritage and previously referred to as Africa's Switzerland, is experiencing a tremendous refugee crisis. Today, Africa’s Switzerland faces a severe famine and refugee crisis that reflects the country’s history of hosting a civil war and pirates. Radical groups within the country and an ongoing drought make the food crisis even worse for Somalis. Approximately 300,000  children in the country suffer from malnutrition, making food (the essential ingredient of survival) the most common way to help Somalis stuck in the landlocked country.   As for helping Somali refugees who have successfully relocated themselves to neighboring countries or thousands of miles away as Somali refugees in Ohio, there are plenty of ways to help them. Give Them a Space in Your Home If you’ve got some extra space in your home, such as a room with a bathroom or a living space with a sharing bathroom, you might want to consider hosting a Somali refugee family in Ohio...

Leaving everything and your loved ones behind is a challenging task that many Somalis go through to protect their families. Most Somali refugees and immigrants make their way to the US in the hope of a better life for all. However, due to the limited and scarce resources, there are many additional barriers they have to overcome for years before they can progress. Some of these challenges include: Language Barriers Two official languages are spoken in Somalia, Somali and Arabic. English is not a commonly taught language there, becoming one of the greatest challenges Somalis face after migrating to the US. While the language barrier  might seem like a minor issue, the language barrier hinders the way of making new friends, pursuing education, finding a job, or even fulfilling basic tasks, such as grocery shopping or filling forms.   Discrimination The discrimination rate in the US has risen to 65%  across the nation. If, with some help, they do learn the language enough to ...

How many places have you visited where you have seen people of different ethnicities working together under the same roof? Chances are it was so rare that you can’t even remember.   However, businesses today are hiring people of all ethnicities and even refugees to give them a fair shot at life. Here’s how hiring refugees to become a part of your workforce can help your business in multiple ways:   Workforce Diversity According to research by McKinsey & Company , teams that have more cultural and ethnic diversity are 33% more likely to be profitable for organizations than the teams that are less diverse.   Your business can directly benefit from incorporating cultural and ethnic diversity. Taking inexperienced refugees on board can help them learn more about the new culture they’re integrating with, while you can benefit from their thinking, language, and skillset.   Access to Skilled and Qualified Candidates Most refugees are great at problem solving due to the ...

Asylum seekers in every country face tremendous challenges when trying to get recognition in the host country. However, with the help of legal aid service providers, some can navigate through the complex system's maze.     Legal advocacy is essential for refugees. Coming to a new country requires them to get familiar with the rules and regulations of the new government, while understanding how the system works.   There are many NGOs that offer legal advocacy  for refugees. These legal entities aim to help refugees in the following ways. Refugee Rights Awareness As a refugee, you can face many instances of discrimination, racism, and other issues that require you to know your country’s rights. These rights vary from citizens’ rights but are made to protect the refugees from being exploited or taken advantage of.   There are refugee rights  for every aspect, such as healthcare, employment, education, residence, and more.   Distinguishes What’s Right and ...

The Federal Republic of Somalia is in East Africa. The poverty-stricken country is home to 16 million people and is considered by the United Nations as one of the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa.     The land rich in history and heritage and once regarded as the Switzerland of Africa faces a massive refugee crisis. Famine, civil war, and pirates are the most familiar images of Somalia. The country has suffered a tragic economic decline for decades, leaving millions of citizens without a home.   With the downfall of the Somali Democratic Republic, a socialist military government, in 1991, Somalia became a barren and impoverished country. According to the   United Nations  High Commissioner for Refugees, Somalia has witnessed a massive rise in refugees in the last 30 years. “Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Somalia because of political instability and a dangerous civil war that broke out in the 1990s. Today over 750,000 Somali refugees remain in n...