Waxaa maalintii 8-da Maarso ayaa caalamka laga xusayaa Maalinta Caalamiga ah ee 8- da

Maarso oo ah maalinta haweenka adduunka, meelaha laga xusay munaasabaddaasi waxaa ka mid ah magaalada Minneapolis ee gobolka Minnesota.

Ururka Badbaadada Hooyadda iyo Dhalaanka ayaa munaasabada xuska maalinta haweenka

aduunka ee (8da Maarso) si qurux badan u soo agaasimey. Munaasabadan ayaa waxaa lagu qabtay Xarunta shirarka iyo xafladaha ee makhaayada weyn

ee Safari ee kutaala magaalada Minneapolis.

Xuska maalinta haweenka aduunka ayaa waxay soo martay marxalado kala duwan iyadoona markii ugu horaysay ee aduunka laga xuso lagu xusay wadanka Maraykanka, wakhtiyadii intaas ka danbayasay ayaa meelo kala duwan oo caalamka ka mid ah lagu qabtay shirar kala duwan oo lagaga hadlayo xuquuqaha haweenka iyo dhibaatooyinka soo food saara haweenka. Waxaana sidoo kale la qabtay munaasabado fara badan oo lagu xusayay Haweenka Aduunka iyo kaalinta ay ku leeyihiin bulshadda.

Vol. 2 Ed. 3 | March 2015 Warbixin la hubo | Local | Bilingual | Newspaper TusmoTimes.com

Last month’s appointment of the first Somali-American, Ibrahim Mohamed, to the M e t r o p o l i t a n A i r p o r t s Commission has attracted volumes of plaudits and media attention across Minnesota — and other parts of the world.

But on Tuesday night, it brought Gov. Mark Dayton, local officials and community leaders to Minneapolis’ Brian Coyle Center, where more than 80 people assembled to celebrate and honor the historic appointment of the commissioner, who drives

a cart at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for minimum wage.

Appointed in February by Dayton, Mohamed joined 13 other commissioners who operate the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and six smaller airports in the

metro area. Dayton said he appointed Mohamed because his employment experience at the airport can be a voice for hundreds of other airport workers in the decision-making process.

“I made appointments to the Metropolitan Airports

Commission previously — and this is overdue,” Dayton told the crowd, speaking about Mohamed’s appointment. “It was overdue before I arrived, and it’s overdue now that I’m in my fifth year as governor. I regret that, apologize for that.”

Iyadoo laga xusayo dalal badan oo ka tirsan caalamka maalinta afka hooyo ayaa Soomaalida ku dhaqan gobolka

Minnesota waxay sannadkan qabteen xuskoodii sideedaad oo ay qabtaan, taasoo ay soo qaban-qaabiso meertada Afka iyo suugaanta Soomaaliyeed oo ah gole ay ku midoobeen qurbo-joog ku nool Minnesota.

Xuskan maalinta 21-ka Febaraayo o ah maalin Caalamiga ah Afafka Hooyo ayaa waxaa ka sheekeeyay Aadan Diiriye oo sheegay sababta loo xuso inay tahay kaddib markii sannadkii 1952-kii dalka Bangladesh ay arday dalkaas u dhashay u mudaaharaadeeen in afkooda hooyo iskuullada wax loogu dhigo, iyadoo dhacdadaas kaddib ay ku naf waayeen afar arday taasoo adduunku ka qayliyay; kadibna ay Qaramada Midoobay u aqoonsatay maalin caalami ah oo la xuso Afka Hooyo.

Maryan Xasan oo goobta ka hadashay ayaa sheegtay inay muhiim tahay in qofka luuqad-diisa barto kuna dadaalo; waayo waxay dadku kuwada hadlaan

waa hadalka haddii aadan afkaaga hooyo ku hadlin kama mid tihid dadka ku abtirsada luuqadaada ayay ka sheegtay munaasabadda Maryan oo qortay dhowr buug oo sheekooyin caruureed ah.

Sidoo kale, waxaa xuska ka hadlay Sheekh Maxamed Shuceeb ayaa sheegay in qofka uu afkiisa hooyo ku faaano ku nasab-sheegto isla markaana barto; taasoo u fududeynaysa inuu luuqado kale barto. Wuxuuna Sheekhu uu xusay in dadka Soomaaliyeed qaarkood ay ka faanaan inay ku hadlaan luuqaddooda Soomaaliga; balse ay kugula hadlayaan luuqadaha Ingiriiska Carabiga, taas oo ah waxyaabaha ay afafku...

Courageous Woman Awards acknowledge and recognize women who see injustice or need, act on it, take risks in order to do the right thing, and raise their voices to champion women.

Minnesota iyo Xuska 8-da Maarso ee Maalinta Haweenka

Minnesota oo laga xusay Maalinta caalamiga ah ee Afka Hooyo

Qalinkii: Cabdiraxmaan mukhtar, tusmo times Qore: Siyad Said Salah, tusmo times

Courageous Woman Award

Family & youth

see page 6

ka sii akhri bogga 3 ka sii akhri bogga 3

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OBAMA: “Islaamka lama dirirayno balse waxaan la dagaallamaynaa Xagjiriinta”

ka sii akhri bogga 4

Caalamka

Is having lighter skin tone the ultimate beauty?

Somali woman researches health risks of skin-lightening practices

loCal / CommuNtiy

see page 3

Gov. Dayton celebrates appointment of firstSomali-American airports commissionerby ibrahim hirSi, minnPost

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Got Ad?Call 612-987-6269 to reserve this spot for next edition

Ku Xayeysiiso WargeysKa Tusmo Times

Tusmo TimesTusmo Times is a monthly publication covering local and international community news, events and information.

Tusmo Times is currently published in Minnesota and distributed within the Twin Cities and sur-rounding suburbs.

editor-in-ChiefAbdirahman Mukhtar Contributors Abdi Adan “Xiito”, Abdillahi Ganey, Abdikadir Ibrahim, Ali Omar Suldan , Farah Blue, Fartun Ahmed, Ilyas Maow, Ibra-him Hirsi, Hashim Yonis, Mohamed Bare, Mohamed Taly-aani, Siyaad Siciid Saalax, Zeinab Ali, Maxamud Maxamed.

advertising ConsultantKaamil Haider & Mohamed Filibin Contact 420 15th Avenue SouthMinneapolis, MN 55454

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Maqaallada lagu soo qoro Tusmo Times waxaa mas’uul ka ah qofka qoray // Any editorials or opinions expressed in this newspaper is not that of the Tusmo Times and it is the responsibility of the author

Munaasibadaasi oo ahayd mid si heer sare ah loo soo agaasimay ayaa waxaa ka soo qayb galay dadwayne aad u tira badan oo isugu jiray haween, madax, culumo, dhallinyaro iyo waliba hogaamiyayaasha ururada iyo

hayadaha u adeega bulshada iyo ururada bulshada rayidka ah.

Munaasabadda ayaa qaar kamid ah haweenka hogaamiyayaasha ka ah jaaliyada Soomaaliyeed iyo waliba jaaliyadaha kala duwan ee ku dhaqan gobolka Minnesota ay ku soo bandhigeen qudbado

iyo waliba hadalo dhiirigelin ah. Ayan Ciise Ikar oo ah

agaasimaha guud ee Ururka Badbaadada Hooyadda iyo Dhalaanka ayaa sheegay wax qabadka Ururka ay maamusho iyo baahida keentay sameyntiisa.

Sidoo kale Ayan Ciise ayaa dad weynihii tirade badnaa ee ka soo qayb galay kulanka u sheegtay in ururkeedu u heelan yahay horumarinta haweenka iyo carruurta, aadna uga shaqaynayaan adeegyada muhiimka u ah.

Ugu dambaytii, Ayan Ciise u mahadcelisay dhamaan dadkii ka soo qayb galay munasabada iyo waliba ganacastadii, ha’yadihii, ururadii iyo shaqsiyaadkii u suurtagaliyay in musaasabadani dhacdo. Ayan ayaa hadalkeeda ku soo af jartay, “Haweenkeennu waxay hormood ka yihiin horumarka dadkeena, dalkeenna, waxaana u baahanahay in aan dhamaanteen iska kaashano caawinta iyo u gargaarka carruurteena iyo haweenka oo hooyooyinkood ah”.

H a d d a b a w a x a a n u hambalyaynaynaa Ururka Badbaadada Hooyadda iyo Dhalaanka iyo dhamaan haweenka meel kasta ay dunida ka joogaan. Haddii aad rabto in aad ka qayb qaadato shaqada ay Ayan Ciise iyo Ururka Badbaadada Hooyadda iyo Dhalaanka, fadlan booqo shabakadooda internetka www.wcsafecenter.org.

// Sawirka: Ismacil Musa

Minnesota iyo Xuska 8-da Maarso ee Maalinta Haweenka

Vol. 2 Ed. 3 | March 2015 Wararka Gudaha / Local News TusmoTimes.com | 3

ka yimid bogga 1

Overdue or not, Mohamed’s face beamed with excitement as he expressed his appreciation to the governor for the appointment

during a short speech before the crowd.

After escaping the Somali civil war in 1991, Mohamed lived in Kenya as a refugee for more than a decade, longing for a better place with opportunities to work and to pursue his dreams.

“As many immigrants, I came here to change my life and get a better life,” Mohamed said. “Now I am a cart driver, which I am happy to be because I am helping a lot of people who need my help, like elderly people and disabled persons. I work five days, and every day I help more than 80 passengers.”

In 2004, Mohamed settled in the Twin Cities and immediately secured a job at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. Over the years, Mohamed worked as an aircraft cleaner, a baggage runner and a ticket verifier.

As a full-time electric cart

driver now, the 35-year-old Rosemount father of five earns $ 8 an hour — with no health benefits.

Mohamed and his colleagues have been advocating for improved working conditions for the hundreds of airport employees, many of them immigrants from Somalia and Ethiopia.

When Mohamed’s friends learned about the opening on the Metropolitan Airports Commission — the body that governs operations at MPS — they encouraged him to apply so he could represent their interests.

As a commissioner, Mohamed said he will continue advocating for better working conditions for airport employees and for increased wages.

“It’s very hard to raise kids or family with the minimum wage,” Mohamed said. “That’s why I’m standing up to represent the airport workers and my community.”

The governor promised to

stand by Mohamed in his efforts for a better wage for airport workers. “I will redouble my efforts and do whatever I can to support your efforts and the board of the airport commission to improve your working conditions, improve the wages,” he said.

Airport workers like Mohamed have indirectly “been treated badly” by the commission, Dayton later said in an interview. This is because the commissioners provide authorization to private companies that operate at the airport to pay their workers less.

“The airport couldn’t function without the hard work of commissioner Mohamed and his co-workers — and they deserve to be recognized,” Dayton said. “The fact that he was making $12.50 an hour a few years ago, according to reports, and they reduced that to minimum wage is just disgraceful.”

Mohamed, whose term ends in 2019, said he brings a unique perspective to the Commission, since the majority of commissioners come from white-collar backgrounds.

“We applaud Governor Dayton for insisting that a worker be represented on the MAC, and appointing a great candidate like Ibrahim Mohamed,” said Local 26 President Javier Morillo in a statement. “I am excited to see Ibrahim continue the work he has always done fighting to make the MSP airport the best airport it can be for both employees and passengers.”

Gov. Dayton celebrates appointment of firstSomali-American airports commissionerfrom page 1

Sidoo kale, waxaa xuska ka hadlay Sheekh Maxamed Shuceeb ayaa sheegay in qofka uu afkiisa hooyo ku faaano ku nasab-sheegto isla markaana barto; taasoo u fududeynaysa inuu luuqado kale barto. Wuxuuna Sheekhu uu xusay in dadka Soomaaliyeed qaarkood ay ka faanaan inay ku hadlaan luuqaddooda Soomaaliga; balse ay kugula hadlayaan luuqadaha Ingiriiska Carabiga, taas oo

ah waxyaabaha ay afafku ku tirtirmaan.

Inj. Cabdi Saleebaan oo ka mid

ah Meertada Afka iyo Suugaanta Soomaaliya ee Minnesota ayaa goobta kaga dhawaaqay sameynta urur ka hawl-gala oo mideeya Afka iyo Dhaqanka Soomaaliyeed.

Ugu dambeyn, waxaa goobta lagu soo bandhigay gabayo suugaaneed; waxaana ka mid ah abwaannada; C/llaahi Xasan Ganey, Maxamed Ducaale, Cawil Cali Waraabe iyo Aadan C/llaahi Goon-buur.

Koox ka mid ah Somalida ku nool Minnesota ayaa isugu soo ururiyay suuqa ganacsi ee Mall of America, si ay u muuijyaan

taageera-dooda ku aadan xaruntan ganacsi iyo inaan lagu cabsi-gelin Karin handadaada Al-shabaab.

Soomaalidan oo tiradoodu ahayd 12 qof oo rag iyo dumar isugu jiray ayaa ka qadeeyay goobta ganacsiga ee Mall of America, agaasimaha isku xirka xiriirka bulshadda iyo dhallinyarda ee xarunta Brian Coyle Community Center ee magaalada Minneapolis, C/raxmaan Mukhtaar oo ka mid ah dadkan ayaa u sheegay warbaahinta in ujeeddadoodu tahay si ay u muujiyaan in Mall of America ay tahay goob ammaan ah.

Mukhtaar ayaa sidoo kale sheegay in inay doonayaan inay muujiyaan farriin ka dhan ah hanjabaaddii Al-shabaab ay ku

sheegtay inay ku beegsanayso goobaha ganacsiga ee reer galbeedka.

“Dadku waa inay ogaadaan

inaysan jirin cid hor-joogsan kara nolol maalmeedkooda, sidoo kalena aysan jirin cid wax ku sameyn karta halkan (Minnesota),” ayuu hadalkiisa ku daray Mukhtaar oo abaabulay kulan loogu magic-daray waxaan ku faana Mall of America.

Sidoo kale, Jibril Afyare oo ah injineer ka tirsan shirkadda kambiyuutarrada ee IBM iyo hoggaamiyaha Somali Citizens League ee Minneapolis ayaa isna inta badan xilligiisa ku qaatay suuqan.

“Waxaan halkan u joognaa inaan ka dukaameysanno innagoo aanan cidna ka baqayn,” ayuu yiri Afyare oo intaas ku daray. “Al-shabaab ma bedeli karayso nabadda jecelka iyo ilbaxnimada Soomaalidu ay leedahay.”

Afyare, Mukhtaar iyo Farxiyo

Khaliif oo ah agaasimaha guud ee urur u dooda haweenka Geeska Afrika, iyagoo ka mid ahaa tiro Soomaali ah oo shalay si wadajir ah ugu qadeeyay Mall of America, iyadoo goobta ay ku sugnaayeen qaar ka mid ah wariyeyaasha Soomaaliyeed ee gobolkaas ka howlgala.

“Waad ku mahadsan tihiin sida aad u muujiyeen farriintiisa wanaagsan,” ayay ku tiri Soomaalidii halkaas joogay Judy Stuthman oo 74-jir oo halkaas u timid si ay uga adeegato.

Mall of America waa dhisme ganacsi oo caan ah halkaasoo ay ka adeegtaan kumannaan qoys oo Soomaaliyeed, kuwaasoo caruurtooda iyo saxiibadood keena suuqa inta lagu jiro fasaxyada ciidda/

Tan iyo markii ay Al-shabaab soo saartay hanjabaaddeeda ayaa waxaa si adag u cambaareeyeen Soomaalida ku nool Minnesota, iyadoo dadka qaar ka mid ah ay baqdin ka muujiyeen goodintaas.

Si kastaba ha ahaatee, Xarakada Al-shabaab ee Somalia ayaa dhawaan soo bandhigtay fiidiyow ay ku sheegtay inay ku weerarayso goobaha ganacsiga ee reer galbeedka, sida kuwa ku yaalla Mareykanka, Britain iyo Canada.

For some Somali women, having lighter skin tone is the ultimate beauty goal and they

use skin products containing dangerous chemicals to reach that goal, according to a new University of Minnesota study.

“To be a beautiful Somali woman, one has to have lighter skin color,” Amira Adawe, co-author of “Skin-Lightening Practices and Mercury Exposure in the Somali Community,” said in a recent interview describing the attitude of some women.

Several Somali women who were interviewed for the study published in July said they mix products that include lemon herbal whitening cream, lulanjina, diana and dermovate — some of which have mercury, a poison that can damage the nervous system, according to the study.

“These chemicals are proven neurotoxins and have been linked to birth defects if used by women during the prenatal period,” stated the study. “Inorganic mercury exposure is associated with rashes, skin discoloration, scaring, secondary bacterial and fungal infections, and even renal impairment and damage to the nervous system.”

The study added: “It should also be noted that mercury … can be transferred from mother to infant through breast milk.”

The Minnesota Department of Health recently tested 27 bleaching products, 23 creams and four soaps. The department found that 11 products contained mercury levels ranging from 135 to 33,000 parts per million. “This has prompted both state and federal health officials to issue warnings about the use of these products,” according to the study.

Although Minnesota law bans beauty products that contain mercury, the study said that immigrants have been smuggling the cosmetics from Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The products are then secretly sold in Twin Cities-area stories.

“This is not practiced by only Somali women,” said Adawe, a health educator at St. Paul-Ramsey County Department

of Public Health. “It’s widely used by Hispanics, Asians and African-Americans.”

Skin-lightening practices There are various reasons

some Somali women rub their body twice a day with skin-bleaching substances, the study stated. Some of them use the chemicals to get rid of the facial masks of pregnancy, which are pigments women develop during pregnancy.

These pigments often appear on cheekbones, forehead, nose, forearms and other parts of the body that are exposed to the sun. Women with darker skin are more prone to skin pigmentation than those with fair skin tone, health reports suggest.

The study indicated that women also use skin-lightening products to attract men. “They see having light skin as more socially acceptable and believe it will increase their chances of finding a husband,” according to the study.

Adawe, who was born in Somalia, said she knows many Somali women who use the products. “You can tell who uses it and who doesn’t,” she said. “You can’t mistake it with naturally light-skin people. These creams give people more of yellowish color.”

Adawe said the women who use the products often aren’t open about the practice. “Actually, they’ll deny when you ask them,” she said.

How study beganGrowing up in Mogadishu and

in Minneapolis, Adawe said she encountered many women who regularly used the skin-lightening products. She said became involved in the study a few years ago after coming across an article about bleaching cosmetics that reportedly contained mercury. Adawe said he began to worry about the health of women she knew who used these products, so she started investigating the issue in 2011.

After several interviews with Somali women in the Twin Cities, Adawe learned that some of the women used products containing mercury. Adawe then took her findings to officials at the St. Paul and Ramsey County health department. Soon after, the FBI raided stores in Minneapolis and found Minnesota-banned skin-lightening products and took action against owners, said Adawe, a public health graduate student at the University of

Minnesota.A d a w e ’ s i n v es t i g a t i o n

prompted the study, thanks in part to her professor and mentor, Charles Oberg, who co-authored the research paper.

Public awareness effortsAdawe’s is working to tell

others about the dangers of skin-lightening practices by speaking out at community and educational forums, appearing on radio and television shows, and meeting with leaders and activists of the Somali community.

Adawe also engages in conversations with 244 members of the Somali community on a Facebook page she created named “Skin-lightening practices & chemical exposure among Somali women.”

Members share articles, videos and studies about the risks of skin-lightening practices, and they discuss ways they can help limit such practices.

On June 11, Adawe posted on the page: “To those of you who are scholars or know the Islamic religion well, can you please educate us about what Islam says about skin-lightening practices?”

Awil Egal, a group member, replied: “Islam has forbidden men or women to change the creation of Allah: Skin color, hair color and the likes. ”

Egal added: “Using cosmetics, creams and other things that are made from chemicals or impure substances and which may have dangerous side effects is definitely haram [forbidden]. It is also another form of deceiving that can create mistrust between people.”

Other members wrote simple lines of encouragement. Khadijo Abdi, for instance, posted: “Beautiful people, leave your skin as God intended!”

Adawe is optimistic the Somali community will understand the risks of the chemicals. And with social media, she said, she’s even more hopeful that the people will be informed faster.

“Everybody is on Facebook and Twitter these days,” Adawe said. “Social media is a great tool to use for spreading awareness on issues like this one.”

Adawe said there are significant numbers of Somali women satisfied with their natural skin tone and don’t consider using the skin products.

“It all depends on their confidence and level of educat ion,” Adawe said . “Uneducated people tend to use these products more often.”

Minnesota oo laga xusay Maalinta caalamiga ah ee Afka Hooyo

Soomaalida Minnesota Qaarkood oo Muujiyay Taageeradooda Mall of America

Somali woman researches health risks of skin-lightening practices

ka yimid bogga 1

Qore: maxamed x. xuSeen, hOl / tifatiridii: Cabdiraxmaan mukhtar

by: ibrahim hirSi, minnPost

Numerous Somalis ran for different public offices in

Minnesota. Thus far success defined as a victory in the general

elections has been limited to Minneapolis’ Ward 6. But that hasn’t deterred Somalis around the world drawing inspiration from Minnesota’s Somalis political engagement.

One such case is Ahmed Hussen. Hussen is running for a seat to represent residents of York and South-Winston in Canada’s House of Commons. Hussen was endorsed by the Liberal party in November of 2014.

A member of the House Commons of Canada is roughly equivalent to a member in the U.S. House of Representatives. It’s a rough comparison because Canada is not as populace as the U.S. If Hussen prevails in the

general election on October 19, 2015, he will represent little over 116,000 people. A U.S. House of Representative represents at least 500,000 people.

According to Canada’s census, residents of Hussen’s district are 60% English speaking and live in the bottom quarter of Canada’s economy. The remaining 40% are first generation immigrants.

The Somali community in the district is estimated at 5,000 strong. Under Canada’s election law, citizenship is not required to participate in the party endorsement process but it’s required to vote in the general election. Hussen capitalized this by maximizing participation from the Somali community in

the primary. Hussen’s campaign anticipates participation from the Somali community to dip in the general election.

Hussen could inspire more Somalis by appealing to wider electoral if he prevails in the general election. Hussen has realistic chance of pulling it off. Alan Tonks of the Liberal party won the district four consecutive elections before retiring in 2011. Hence, partisan support is prevalent in the district. The question remains can Hussen appeal to them and draw them to the polls?

The larger point still remaining is that Somalis around the world are watching Minnesota’s Somali community for an inspiration and

for lessons learned. A member of Hussen’s campaign staff told me “we’re proud and looking up to Minnesota’s Somali community” underscoring sentiment of many Somalis around the world.

Meanwhile, the reality on the ground for Minnesota’s Somalis remains a quest for an electoral breakthrough beyond the Somali community. No place in Minnesota is the Somali vote sufficient to ensure general election success other than Minneapolis’ Ward 6. Until there is a breakthrough led by a candidate with an appeal beyond the Somali community, there will be more audacious campaigns with general election victories in short supply.

When U.S. Attorney in Minnesota Andrew Lugar announced the names of Somali participants in the White House Summit to Counter Violent Extremism, questions started to swirl around the absence of names like Imam Hassan Jaamici Mohamud, Shafi Hashi, Abdirizak Bihi and Omar Jamal. These are ubiquitous names in the press speaking on behalf of Minnesota’s Somali community, hence were the obvious choices to be selected in the minds of some in Minnesota’s Somali community.

The announcement also triggered a buzz because the roster defied the ignominious 4.5 political formula used in Somalia to distribute apparent political power. Somalia’s population is divided into 4 large clans and everyone else is grouped into 0.5 clan. The sum of the figures has come to be known as 4.5 formula and it devalues some Somalis

while superficially elevating others.

However, the selection of seven Somalis was not devoid of politics despite the strong desire to ensure representation from various community sectors. Conversation with people close to the deliberation confirmed there was plenty of relationship leveraging and alliances. There were intense lobbying and some last minute maneuvering, hallmarks of American politics.

U.S. Attorney in Minnesota Andrew Lugar had strong preferences for two individuals. The remaining five were selected out of respect for colleagues and allies.

Hodan Hassan has worked with Andrew Lugar prior to the White House trip. She helped facilitate an interview of two Somali-Canadian young women who were injured in the Westgate Mall in Nairobi terror attack carried out by Al-Shabaab,

the same group which recently threatened Mall of America. The young women are related to Hodan.The fact she works in mental health was a contributing factor.

Abdisalam Adam worked with Andrew Lugar on the federal lawsuit that led to the city of St. Anthony to reverse a decision after rejecting a conditional permit for a mosque. Abdisalam has taken the lead when group of Imams delivered a compliant of discrimination of Somalis at Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport to the U.S. Attorney Office. With near perfect English, Abdisalam was selected on multiple occasions to speak on behalf of Somali Imams. So there was more to the selection than just being an Imam.

The remaining five individuals were pushed forward by allies and colleagues of Andrew Lugar. Appointments based on difference to allies are one of

the cornerstones of American politics.

For example, Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek insisted the always traditionally dressed and elegant Sheikh Sa’ad Musse Roble (middle in the above photo) was included. Sheikh Roble has done considerable outreach work with the Sheriff’s office. The projection of tradition and authority made Sheikh Roble difficulty not to be included.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Rick Thornton made sure members of the youth advocate group Ka Joog were included. In 2012, Ka Joog received the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA). The organization had leveraged on the recognition in its public relations campaign. Executive Director Mohamed Farah and his brother spoken word artist Abdi Farah(Abdi Phenomenal) represented Ka Joog at the

summit.Minneapolis City Council

member Abdi Warsame was added late to the roster after intense lobbying by attorney and Minneapolis DFL politico Brian Rice and State Rep. Phyllis Kahn, both longtime friends of Andrew Lugar.

That spot was supposed to have gone to Executive Director of Confederation of Somali Community at Brian Cole Community Center Mohamud Noor. But the prospect enraged Warsame’s allies. State Rep. Phyllis Kahn who narrowly defeated Noor in last summer’s DFL primary forcefully lobbied Lugar to make the swap.

Mohamed Jama, a youth leader in Cedar Riverside, might seem an ideal candidate for topics involving youth but he was selected in part as coattail of Warsame’s inclusion. Jama was the Somali liaison of Phyllis Kahn campaign and made critical

contribution to Warsame’s mobilization of Somali voters during Minneapolis’ 2013 City elections. Cedar Riverside is part of Ward 6.

It’s perfectly legitimate to ask why is this important. First, the selection of seven Somalis had political dimension. It intentionally or unintentionally trampled on the ignominious 4.5 political formula Somalis use, a positive indeed. Second, this was taxbook example of American political maneuvering. Finally and perhaps most fundamental, unders tanding community political dynamic will have major effect on the success or failure of the federal pilot program to dissuade Somali-American youth wanting to travel overseas and join terror groups including the Islamic State. Understanding the crux of community politics will increase program transparency and effectiveness.

Vol. 2 Ed. 3 | March 2015 Caalamka / World News TusmoTimes.com | 4

OBAMA: Islaamka lama dirirayno balse waxaan la dagaallamaynaa XagjiriintaQore: maxamed x. xuSeen, hOl

Madaxweynaha Maraykanka, Barack H. Obama ayaa sheegay

inay dagaal adag la galayaan xag-jirnimada rabshadaha wadata, isagoo xusay in Maraykanka

iyo dalalka reer galbeedku aysan dagaal kula jirin Islaamka, balse

ay la dagaalamayaan argagixiso iyo xagjiriinta sida xun u isticmaalaysa Islaamka.

Obama ayaa sheegay in laga hortago kooxaha xajiriinta ah ee kusii baahaya bariga dhexe iyo Afrika. Isagoo sheegay inay doonayaan inay u isticmaalaan shirka looga hadlayo Xagjirnimada ee maanta ka furmay aqalka Cad ee Mareykanka sidii uu gacan uga geysan lahaa dagaalka ka dhanka ah argagaxisada.

Sidoo kale, wuxuu caalaka ka dalbaday inay qaadaan tallaabooyin milateri oo looga hortagayo argagaxisada, isagoo xusay in sanandkii hore ay guulo ka gaareen dagaalka ay kula jiraan xagjiriinta ka dagaalma dalalka Ciraaq iyo Suuriya, balse

ay muhiim tahay in fikradaha xagjirnimada wax weyn laga qabto. Isagoo si gaar ah u xusay Al-shabaab iyo Boko Haram.

“Waa inaan si wadajir ah uga hortagaan ballan-qaadyada beenta ah ee ay u sameynayaan kooxaha ka mid noqonaya xagjiriinta nugul , kadd ibna beesha caalamka ay ballanqaado wax ka wanaagsan ballanqaadyada ay kooxahan u sheegayaan dadka ay doonayaan inay ka mid noqdaan dagaalkooda,” ayuu mar kale yiri Obama.

Barack Obama ayaa hadalladan ka sheegay shir ka furmay Maanta xarunta Mareykanka ee Washington, kaasoo ay ka

qaybgalayaan wafdi ka socda 65 dal caalamka ka tirsan, kuwaas oo ka doodi doona xajirnimada.

Muslimiinta Mareykanka ku nool ayaan iyagu dareensanayn inay shacabka Mareykanka ka mid yihiin, iyagoo sidoo kalena rumeysan inay qayb weyn ka ahayn xubnaha ammaanka Maraykanka, waxayna xuseen in loo arko inay yihiin xag-jiriin.

Tan iyo 11-ki i b ishi i September, 2001-dii markii uu dhacay weerarkii daarihii ganacsiga adduunka ee New York ayaa waxaa sii kordhayay weerarrada laga geysanayo dalalka caalamka qaarkood, sida Denmark, Belgium iyo

France, iyadoo sidoo kalena ay sii kordhayaan kooxaha Islaamiyiinta ah ee dagaalka kula jira dalalka aan muslimiinta ahayn.

“Xagjiriintu iyo argagixisada ma doonayaan in adduunka laga ogaado,” ayuu ku daray Obama hadalkiisa, isagoo xusay in muslimiinta Mareykanka oo aad u xoogeysta ay sii adkeynayso amniga.

Si kastaba ha ahaatee, shirkan ayaa waxaa ka qaybgalay muslimiinta ku nool gobollo kala duwan oo caalamka ka tirsan, kuwaasoo ay ku jiraan qaar ka mid ah Soomaalida ku nool gobolka Minnesota.

WHITE HOUSE -- President Obama, today, nominated Katherine S. Dhanani to serve as the first United States Ambassador to Somalia since 1991. This historic nomination s i g n a l s t h e d e e p e n i n g relationship between the United States and Somalia. It also allows us to mark the progress of the

Somali people toward emerging from decades of conflict. Somalia has considerable work ahead to complete its transition to a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous nation.

The United States is committed to supporting Somalia on this journey as a steadfast partner. If confirmed, the Ambassador

will lead the U.S. Mission to Somalia, currently based at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. As security conditions permit, we look forward to increasing our diplomatic presence in Somalia and eventually reopening the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu.

White House Nomination of United States Ambassador to Somalia

Minnesota’s Somalis Inspiring Other Somalis

Minnesota’s Somali Selected Seven

PreSS Statement

Jen PSakidePartmentSPOkeSPerSOn

WaShingtOn, dCFebruary 24, 2015

by: Jamal abdulahi, minnesota Civic

by: Jamal abdulahi, minnesota Civic

In 2013, Barkhad Abdi shot to global attention in his Oscar-nominated role opposite Tom Hanks in the movie Captain Phillips. Last month, Abdi was far from the glories of Hollywood when he returned to Puntland, Somalia for the first time since fleeing the war-torn nation at the age of seven.

Abdi’s visit to Somalia as a Goodwill Ambassador for Adeso was an opportunity for him to witness first-hand Somalia’s emerging stories of progress, hope and resilience, despite the major challenges still facing his homeland.

“I’ve been looking forward to

this trip for the past year, and I’m really glad we were able to make it happen,” said Abdi. “It was important for me to reconnect with the country I was born in, to witness what’s happened over the past 20 years, and to understand how I can best work with Adeso to be part of the change I’d like to see in Somalia.”

Resilience, entrepreneurship and hope

Adeso, an international humanitarian and development charity, has been working in Somalia for over 24 years. Adeso has deep roots in the country and operates nine field offices and programs throughout the country.

Notably during the 2011-2012 famine Adeso reached over half a million people through cash transfers that allowed them to meet their immediate needs, saving countless lives. Today, Adeso’s projects in Somalia include:

Restoring rangelands and coastal ecosystems

Giving young people new livelihoods with job skills and small business grants

P r o v i d i n g v u l n e r a b l e households with social safety net; and

Providing seeds and farming inputs for small farmers.

After flying from Nairobi to

Bosaso, Abdi traveled to rural and coastal villages in Puntland, where he met with women and men involved in some of Adeso’s projects. During his travels, Abdi was able to reconnect with his home country.

“Based on what you hear on the news, I expected to see a shattered country,” Abdi recalls from his visit. “But what I saw instead was a place full of resilience, entrepreneurship, and hope. Through Adeso, I met with young men who are learning how to become electricians to take part of the rebuilding of their country, and with women who are using newly acquired skills to come together and open successful businesses.”

Abdi’s trip also included a visit to the Bosaso port and coastal village of Durduri, where he spoke with fishermen struggling in the face of rampant illegal fishing. Foreign fleets have been ravaging Somali waters for decades, with coastal communities suffering as a result.

H u m a n i t a r i a n n e e d s : Remittances hanging by a thread

Despite Somalia’s resolve and determination, the country faces tremendous challenges, with close to three quarters of a million people in need of immediate

humanitarian assistance. For many Somali families, the key to stability is provided by funds sent from relatives abroad, called remittances. Each year, Somalis abroad send approximately $1.3 billion back to Somalia to help friends and relatives secure water, food, shelter, and medicine – and start businesses, pay off loans, and invest for the future

During his visit, Barkhad Abdi spoke with families who rely on remittances sent from loved ones overseas each month. But since his visit in January, the

principal bank facilitating money transfers from the United States to Somalia – accounting for up to 80 percent of transfers between the countries – discontinued services effective February 6th, with potentially devastating consequences for the people of

Somalia.Commenting on this recent

development, Abdi said, “When I was in Somalia I didn’t just see conflict, drought, and hunger. I saw people building a better future for themselves. And part of the reason why they’ve been able to do so is because of the remittances they receive from overseas. Let’s not threaten that lifeline and risk reversing all the gains that are being made.”

Adeso, the Global Center for Cooperative Security and Oxfam America and released a report this week entitled Hanging by

a thread which documents the ongoing threats to remittances and provides possible solutions to ensure the flow of funds.

// Images: ADESO

Murtida BishaXigasho: Buuga Ha Suntin, Mohamed Duale

Fasahaad ka fiirso. Ficil xun ka fiirso. Intaadan falin ka fiirso.

Saddex ka fiirSo

Vol. 2 Ed. 3 | March 2015 Ganacsiga / Business TusmoTimes.com | 5

Adeso Goodwill Ambassador Barkhad Abdi returns to Somalia Source: adeSO

MOGADISHU -- The thought and convenience of shopping at 10:00 p.m. in Somalia was until recently a distant dream to many shoppers in Mogadishu, but the emergence of the first of a kind supermarket is turning this dream

into a reality.In over two decades of political

turmoil and war, Mogadishu was a ghost city where gunfire reigned day and night and life literally came to a halt at sunset.

But the tide is now changing; street lights and refurbished

roads have given life to the once sleepy city.

Nabaad Supermarket, located in the heart of the city, is traversing a path many found it almost unimaginable a while ago.

It is the only convenience store in the city whose business model is capturing the attention of traders and consumers in the city.

“I decided to try something new in Mogadishu two years ago after studying the market and finding out that all traders were operating small shops and closing by six in the evening,” said Ali Munin, the owner of Nabaad supermarket.

Munin said he imports most of his goods from China and United Arab Emirates and has managed

to attract many customers some of whom prefer to shop at night after they are done with their day’s activities.

With a starting capital of 200,000 U.S. dollars, Munin whose demeanor is suggestive of a happy businessman set up a self- service store to enable his clients to take time and choose what they want instead of quick enquiries at the counter.

“I realized that people buy more items when they can walk around the shelves unlike when they just stand at the entrance of the shop,” Munin told Xinhua on Thursday.

Shoppers too have something positive to write home about Munin’ s store. “Coming from Europe where I was used to big

superstores with the choice of shopping at midnight, a small shop which closes at sunset sounded strange to me. But Nabaad is bringing me closer to Europe. I can still drive at 9: 00 p.m. and shop at my convenience, “ Oman Hussein, a frequent customer to the store told Xinhua.

The remarkable improvement in security in Mogadishu and its environs has attracted notable investments in business and real estate as Somalis in diaspora troop back home to invest after many years of instability.

Liban Sagal, an economist and lecturer at Somali University attributes the boom in business to the ample investment space brought about by security

experienced in the city.“Since the ejection of the

militant group Al-Shabaab from Mogadishu in 2012, investors have developed confidence and are now willing to put their money into business without the fear of being destroyed or taken over by militants,” Sagal observed.

Sagal added that the resilience of some Somali business people over the time especially during the conflict is paying off.

“Most businesses are now breaking even after years of trial and fail. Those who were strong enough captured the market and are now able to sail through without much struggle,” asserted Sagal.

Munin has six employees who

operate on shifts from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and is confident of future expansion given the now friendly business environment and the increasing purchasing power among the locals.

Security concerns, however, cannot be ruled out in Mogadishu since the militant group Al-Shabaab has in the recent past launched attacks and assassinations in various parts of the city.

Even so, Munin said his resolve for more variety and choice for his customers is his overriding goal, never deterred by any attacks.

WorldRemit, a UK-based startup that is going after the Western Unions and MoneyGrams of the world with a commission-beating online and mobile remittance service, has raised another $100 million — funding that it will use to continue building out its service globally, and specifically in the U.S., where it has laid down roots in Denver.

The funding comes from new investor Technology Crossover Ventures — the firm behind mammoth investments in Vice, Spotify, Minted, Swagbucks and in earlier days Facebook, ExactTarget and many more — and existing investor Accel. This is only the second time that WorldRemit, founded in 2010, has raised money: the first time was in March 2014, when Accel put $40 million into the company.

“A good chunk of that money still in the bank,” Ismail Ahmed, co-founder and CEO of World Remit who once worked for the UN, tells me. He describes this

recent raise as “opportunistic.”This latest round values

WorldRemit north of $500 million.

WorldRemit is still relatively small: it processes 250,000 transactions per month, and has been steadily growing revenues, with $25 million in sales in 2014, compared to $9.3 million in 2013. It says it’s on track to grow at the same rate this year.

But on a wider scale, the remittance market is very big business. The World Bank estimates that by 2016 there will be more than $700 billion sent overseas between family and friends, with $646 billion sent in 2015. (WorldRemit meanwhile estimates that the value today is closer to $550 billion.)

Interestingly, the U.S. is the biggest market for sending money today — which is one reason why WorldRemit is doubling down on its presence there. Some 10% of global remittances originate in the U.S., working out to $50 million per year. Saudi Arabia comes in second place after that.

“Remittances are now nearly

three times the size of official development assistance and larger than private debt and portfolio equity flows to developing countries,” the World Bank writes. “They exceed the foreign exchange reserves in at least 14 developing countries, and are equivalent to least half of the level of reserves in more than over 26 developing countries.”

Economics aside, remittances also have a very real value for average consumers.

Many people, especially in developing and poorer countries, rely on family and friends living and working in wealthier economies to help them out by sending earnings.

WorldRemit positions itself as a disruptive force in this context: it lets users transfer money at far lower commissions than those charged by larger outfits like Western Union, and it does

so using online and mobile technology. But it’s still very early days in online money transfer: Ahmed tells me that only about 5% of remittances are sent online today.

“We see a huge opportunity for us in terms of the growth and what we have achieved so far, with the the rapid shift from offline to online,” he says. “Remittances is one of the last frontiers of the financial services industry.”

Today, WorldRemit lets users in 50 countries send money, and people in 117 countries receive it, giving senders the option to pay into bank accounts, cash pick-up points, or into mobile wallets that can be

used for airtime top-ups. Airtime top-ups are especially popular: they currently account for half of all of WorldRemit’s business in Africa.

The last of these — mobile wallets — looks like it will be WorldRemit’s growth engine in future years, through partnerships with telecoms carriers. Carriers play a role in offering mobile

wallets to mobile phone users who may not have regular bank accounts. One recent deal, with African carrier MTN, covers 22.5 million users in 16 countries across the continent. In contrast, cash pickups, which were 100% of WorldRemit’s business when it first started, now account for only 30% of its terminations.

Where Ahmed would not be drawn out is around questions about whether WorldRemit might ever partner with other kinds of companies, such as messaging apps, to facilitate money transfers.

The backstory to this is that Facebook has been reportedly looking at offering a service to its users to send money to each other by way of its messaging platforms.

Ahmed concedes tha t messaging platforms l ike Facebook, Viber and Skype are very complementary to WorldRemit — after all, users communicate about sending the money, and then turn to WorldRemit’s apps to do it. But he wouldn’t comment on whether

his company is in talks right now with any of them to enable more integrated services.

Still, you have to think that as WorldRemit looks to scale its business, integrating with messaging apps and putting their service front and center with billions of users makes a lot of sense.

For investors, it’s not a matter of whether remittance is a good market to be in — that is a no-brainer — but that WorldRemit seems to have tapped into some interesting routes for cracking it open.

“The $550 billion global remittance market is undergoing significant disruption with a clear shift to online and mobile solutions for international money transfer,” said TCV General Partner John Rosenberg in a statement. “The WorldRemit team… are at the forefront in offering convenient, low-cost solutions, backed by a market leading technology platform, compliance infrastructure, and geographic footprint”.

Shopping at night in Mogadishu comes to life, thanks to retail chain

Shopping at night in Mogadishu comes to life, thanks to retail chain

Source: engliSh.xinhuaner.COm

by: ingrid lunden, techCrunch

Vol. 2 Ed. 3 | March 2015 Qoyska iyo Dhallinyarada / Family & Youth TusmoTimes.com | 6

Miski Abdulle’s dedicated service to immigrant women and the greater community was brought to center stage with the awarding of the 2015 Courageous Woman Award, an annual honor presented through the Augsburg College Women’s Resource Center.

The Courageous Woman Awards acknowledge and recognize women who see injustice or need, act on it, take risks in order to do the right thing, and raise their voices to champion women. Throughout her 17 years of service to Pillsbury United Communities, Abdulle has done all of that and more in various roles within the agency and her current status as Program Manager at the Immigrant Women Advocacy

Program at the Brian Coyle Community Center.

“Miski is a visible leader with great passion, high integrity, and empathy,” commented Amano Dube, Brian Coyle Community Center Director. “She has deep understanding of the communities we serve and the issues that are at stake,” added Dube.Abdulle has led efforts to

assist women with a wide range of services and resources that include housing, daycare, employment support, food support, legal advocacy, issues of domestic abuse and crisis intervention. A highlight of the program is the annual Cedar Riverside Women’s Night Out event that attracts over 350 women and their children for dinner, music, a fashion show and more. The award was presented in

conjunction with Augsburg College’s annual Koryene Horbel Lecture held in the Hoversten Chapel on Tuesday, March 3. The keynote address

was delivered by nationally recognized author and thought leader on Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Janell Hobson, PhD, an associate professor at University of Albany, State University of New York. The event attracted an estimated 150 scholars, students and community leaders.

Founded in 2011 by Friends of the Anne Pederson Women’s Resource Center at Augsburg College, the Courageous Woman Awards program recognizes women who courageously strive for social justice and peace on the Augsburg campus or in the wider community and whose efforts, be they are small or large, make a difference to women. Augsburg College student Dua Saleh, who serves President of the Augsburg Pan-Afrikan Student Union was also recognized with the award.

Maxkamad ku taalla dalka Talyaaniga ayaa Jimcihii shalay ah waxay ku xukuntay muwaadin Soomaaliyeed oo lagu magacaabo, Maxamuud Cilmi Muxudiin xabsi gaaraya 30-sano.

Garsooraha maxkamadda ayaa

sheegay in Muxyadiin oo 34-jir ah lagu helay dambiyo ay ka mid yihiin inuu mas’uul ka ahaa tahriibin dad ku dhintay doon ku dagtay meel ku dhow xeebta jasiiradda Lambadusa ee dalka Talyaaniga bishii Oktoobar

sannadkii 2013 oo ay ku dhinteen 366-qof iyo xadgudubyo kufsi ah oo uu u geystay muhaajiriin dhowr ah.

Sidoo kale, garsooraha maxkamaddan oo ku taalla magaalada Agrigente ee

Courageous Woman Award

Maxkamad ku taalla Talyaaniga oo xabsi dheer ku xukuntay Wiil Somaaliyeed

Source: PuC

Qore: maxamed x. xuSeen, hiiraan Online

MPS Faith-Based & Community Leader Meeting

Purpose

The Office of the Superintendent, along with the Office of Student, Family and Community Engagement (OSFCE), convene a monthly meeting with local faith-based organizations and community leaders to advise and assist Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) in effecting positive change for all students. This close collaboration between the faith-based, community leaders, and MPS is essential to help nurture our schools as we continue to strive for a positive environment where all our students are career and college ready at time of graduation.

Goals 1. Build a solid network of faith-based and community leaders

partners that align with the district's strategic plan. 2. Create a district-wide systematic process for members of

the faith-based, community leaders and school community to become authentic partners.

3. Provide support and referral services for faith-based, community, and school partnerships.

Schedule - Meetings are held the second Friday of each month from 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., unless otherwise noted.

September 12, 2014 October 10, 2014 November 14, 2014 December 12, 2014 January 9, 2015 February 13, 2015 March 13, 2015 April 10, 2015 May 8, 2015 June 12, 2015

All are welcome! Invite colleagues, clergy and community partners.

Questions? For more information, please contact Jocelyn Beard at jocelyn.beard@mpls.k12.mn.us or call 612.516.0901

2014-2015

gobolka Sicily ee Koonfurta Talyaaniga in muxyadiin lagu helay dhammaan eedeymihii lagu soo eedeeyay oo ay ka mid ahaayeen; kufsi, tahriibin iyo in uu ka dambeeyay dhimashada dad badan oo muhaajiriin ah.

Qaar ka mid dadkii goobjoogga u ahaa falalka lagu eedeeyay muwaadinkaan Soomaaliyeed oo ay ku jireen gabdho ayaa sheegay in Muxyadiin uu Liibiya kasoo tahriibiyay dad badan oo ku dhintay doomihii ay doonayeen in dalka Talyaaniga ay kusoo gaaraan.

Gabdhaha ayaa sidoo kale sheegay in wiilkan uu ka mid ahaa koox ay ugu yeereen burcad Somali iyo ajnabi ahaa oo ku sugnaa dalka Liibiya, kuwaasoo si khasab ah ku kufsan jiray haweenka tahriib-doonka ah.

Dambiyad lagu eedeeyay

ruuxan Soomaaliyeed ayaa la sheegay in dadka uu u geystay ay ku jireen kuwo aan Soomaali ahayn oo kasoo jeeda dalal kale oo kala duwan.

“Markhaatiyaashu waxay noo sheegeen in Muxyadiin uu xiriir la lahaa qaar ka mid ah kooxo Liibiyaan ah oo dadka tahiib-doonka ah xiran jiray si ay uga helaan lacago badan, iyagoo ka qaadan jiray lacago kumannaan doollar ah,” ayuu garsooruhu hadal uu ka jeediyay maxkamadda ka hor intii aanu dhicin xukunka.

Ugu dambeyn, muxyadiin ayaa la sheegay inuu dhawaan gaaray dalka Talyaaniga, iyadoo la xusuusto in boqolaal ruux oo tahriibayaal ah ay ku dhinteen doonni dhowr casho ka hor ku dagtay xeebaha dalka Tayaaniga, kuwaasoo dhammaantood ahaa

muhaajiriin Afrikaan ah.

  

Mixed Blood Theatre  1501 S 4th St 

Minneapolis, MN 55454  

Invites you & your family to attend the pre­show party for Hijab Tube Sunday April 26 @ 6:30  

Sambusas & refreshments will be served  Hijab Tube 

Written by Seema Sueko Directed by Bill Partlan 

Part of Mixed Blood's Regional Touring program 

Suitable for Young Audiences!  Saturday, April 25 at 2:00 PM Sunday, April 26 at 7:30 PM Monday, April 27 at 7:30 PM 

In this 45 minute family show, a young Muslim woman tries to decide whether or not to wear hijab in the United States. She searches for answers on YouTube from other American Muslims to find her true self & 

style as a hijabi.  Your kids will love this show, tickets are FREE! 

 

 

Vol. 2 Ed. 3 | March 2015 Cayaaraha / Maaweelo / Sports / Entertainment TusmoTimes.com | 7

Xulka kubadda cagta Jabuuti ee 17-jirrada, ayaa looga adkaayaday finalka koobka dalalka carabta ee juunyarka oo lagu qabtay dalka Qatar.Koobkan oo ah markii ugu horreysay oo la qabto, ayaa waxaa soo qaban-qaabiyay xiriirka kubadda cagta carabta ee UAFA oo ay xubno ka yihiin 22 dal, waxaana sanadkan ka qeyb-galay lix dal oo kala ah Qatar, Aljeria, Falastiin, Jabuuti, Lebnaan iyo Ciraaq.Xulka Lebnaan ayaa 1-0 kaga badiyay xulka Jabuuti ciyaartii finalka ee xalay ka dhacday magaalada Dooxa.Gabdhaha Jabuuti ayaa semi-finalka 1-0 uga badiyay Falstiin, kadib markii ay guruubka kaga

soo badiyeen Qatar, barbardhacna la galeen Lebnaan.Xulka Falastiin ayaa kaalinta seddexaad ku dhammeystay markii uu 3-0 ku garaacay xulka Aljeeriya.Gabdhaha Jabuuti ee 17-jirrada ayaa taariikh cusub u sameeyay kubadda cagta Jabuuti, waana markii ugu horreysay oo gabdho kubadda cagta ciyaara ay tartan caalami ah u matalaan Jabuuti.Faadumo Muuse d i i r iye macal inka xulka qaranka Gabdhaa jabuuti oo lahadashay ilaha war baahinta ayaa tiri, “Gabdhaeena waxay soo bandhigeen ciyaar dareen xamaasadaysan iyo ciyaaro xirfadaysan waxaana ku rajo waynahay in aan ku dhamaysan

doono qaab wanasagn tartamada kan ku xiga ee aan rajaynayno in aan ka qayb qaadano”.Haddaba Bahda Tusmo Times ayaa hambalyo iyo boggaadin u diraya Xulka kubadda cagta Jabuuti ee 17-jirrada ee Jabuuti iyo waliba bahda ciyaaraha jecel ee dalka Jabuuti. Guushan ay soo hooyeen Xulka kubadda cagta Jabuuti ee 17-jirrada ayaa ah horumar ay gaareen ciyaaraha iyo ciyaartooyda reer jabuuti, waana arrin taariikhi ah oo in lagu farxo loona riyaaqo ay tahay.

// Sawirka: Shafi’i Mohyaddin

Gabdhaha Jabuuti oo looga adkaaday finalka koobka dalalka CarabtaQalinkii: Cabdiraxmaan mukhtaar

A F T E R W I T N E S S I N G a democratic local football election without interference from regional autonomy, the Somali Football Federation has crowned the Lower Jubba region the host site for the first\development courses in 2015.Somali Football Federation Chief Media officer Shafi’i Mohyaddin

Abokar (ISLOW) said in a press statement on Thursday tha t three empowerment football-related courses will be staged in the provincial capital of Kismayo, a key port town that was once under Islamis control. “Arrangements for

three development courses are now under way. The courses are: coaching course, refereeing course and sports administration

course and as shown in the SFF annual plans all three courses will take place sometime in February 2015” SFF Media

officerShafi’i Mohyaddin said in a

press statement on Thursday. “The SFF would like to congratulate the region’s people in general and football family members in particular for attracting the attention of SFF and that is because of the free and fair election which was held

in the region in line with the SFF regulations and as well as the international football principles.” The Media Officer said. He urged other regional administrations in the country to learn from the good examples shown by the Lower Jubba authorities who

haven’t interfered in the recent local football committee election in the region.

“Football officials in all regions must come through elections, because the SFF will not accept government-appointed football officials—according to FIFA status, football authorities are elected but not appointed by governments, so I would like to urge authorities of regional autonomies in the country to let football people elect their leaders” the SFF media officer said in his statement.

The s ta tement pra ised the region’s authorities for

understanding the power and the importance that football has for the creation of public integration, peace building and development in a country ravaged by decades of civil wars. As shown in the development strategy drawn by the visionary president of Somali Football Federation Mr. Abdiqani Said Arab, the Somali FA is

planning to implement the biggest number of development programs in the country in the SFF HISTORY.

Xoghaye Xasan Farey oo xeer ilaaliye ka ah cayaar ka tirsan is reeb reebka kooxaha horyaalada AfricaQore: Cumar ibraahim CabdiSalaam, Somali Football Federation media department

FrIeD COFFee, ANyONe? (Bun Soomaali)

Fried coffee? I know what you are thinking! It sounds weird, right? But let me tell you the taste is incredible and Somalis have some interesting stories that we associate with the bean.

My be loved ma te rna l grandparents introduced me to fried coffee beans at the tender age of five. This special dish was offered during meditation sessions called dhikr, an Islamic form of devotional chanting in praise of God. Somehow to this day, the smell of coffee brings to mind the sonorous, repetitive and

ancient sounds of sacred chant, and I get instantly transported to a state of mental clarity.

The dhikr group would sit on a mat and the coffee would be served floating in oil in a kurbin, a special wooden bowl. The kurbin would be passed around and we would start with a deep and appreciative sniff of the wonderful aroma, and then ladle a spoonful of the coffee onto the palm, chew the beans, and then rub the scented oil over our faces. This was part of the ritual and was said to prepare the

person to face the world.Sometimes sugar is added to

the bun to sweeten it. Bun is also often eaten with popcorn or a simple dish of boiled azuki beans known as cambuulo.

Coffee beans are called bun in the Somali language, and buna in Oromo and bunna in Amharic, the two other main languages of Ethiopia, the home of coffee.

Somalis also associate bun with rites and spirit possession practices that hint at the ancient beliefs of Somalis. Ceremonies are held by a ritual expert,

calanqad. Dancing, drumming, bun and the burning of incense are used to enhance the senses of participants. The spirit descends on the host under various names, sometimes speaking in different languages. Men and women participate in a ceremony called mingis, but women have their own ceremony called saar. If the spirit is vexatious, an exorcism is conducted by the calanqad. Not all spirits are cast out. Some become friends of the possessed person and are sometimes inherited by the children.

Fried coffee beans also play a central role in ceremonies women hold to pray for the safe delivery of a pregnant friend. The oil used to fry the coffee beans is applied liberally on the head and hair of the pregnant woman as the women pray and sing for their friend.

The Oromo people of Ethiopia, a Cushitic tribe like the Somali, also have a fried coffee ceremony. The outer skin is snipped off the coffee beans and words of blessings are uttered in a ritual known as buna-chiru, which

signifies sacrifice to honour a guest or for a ceremony.

Don’t forget to moisturise your face with some of the coffee flavoured oil!

Story by: : abderazzaQ nOOr, the Somali kitchen

Prep time: 10 minutesCook time: 20 minutesTotal time: 30 minutesServes: 6 - 8 people

Fried coFFee (Bun Soomaali)Author: Abderazzaq NoorRecipe by: Halima Sharif

ingredientS

1kg beef mince 1 tablespoon garlic paste 1 teaspoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1 tablespoon vinegar 1/2 teaspoon paprika powder 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder Salt to taste (i don’t add salt because i use lemon and tamarind paste) Juice of half a lemon 1 tablespoon tamarind paste Vegetable oil for frying

ingredientS

1 cup oF whole coFFee BeanS½ cup VegetaBle oil2 – 3 taBleSpoonS oF ghee (clariFied Butter)

inStructionS

wash and dry the coffee beans with a clean cloth heat up the oil and once hot quickly fry the coffee beans for about 20 minutes or until brown and fragrant. add a few tablespoons of ghee and serve the fried coffee beans in a kurbin.

Vol. 2 Ed. 3 | March 2015 Community Calendar / Shaqooyinka / Employment TusmoTimes.com | 9

DAY RAMADAN JUNE FAJR SUNRISE DHUHR ASR MAGHRIB ISHAFriday 14 11/7 3:47 5:37 1:19 5:26 9:00 10:51Sat 15 12/7 3:49 5:38 1:19 5:26 8:59 10:50Sun 16 13/7 3:50 5:39 1:19 5:26 8:59 10:49Mon 17 14/7 3:52 5:39 1:19 5:26 8:58 10:47Tue 18 15/7 3:53 5:40 1:20 5:26 8:57 10:46Wed 19 16/7 3:55 5:41 1:20 5:26 8:57 10:45Thu 20 17/7 3:56 5:42 1:20 5:26 8:56 10:44Friday 21 18/7 3:58 5:43 1:20 5:25 8:55 10:42Sat 22 19/7 3:59 5:44 1:20 5:25 8:54 10:41Sun 23 20/7 4:01 5:45 1:20 5:25 8:53 10:39Mon 24 21/7 4:02 5:46 1:20 5:25 8:52 10:38Tue 25 22/7 4:02 5:46 1:20 5:25 8:52 10:38Wed 26 23/7 4:04 5:47 1:20 5:24 8:51 10:36Thu 27 24/7 4:07 5:49 1:20 5:24 8:49 10:33Friday 28 25/7 4:09 5:50 1:20 5:23 8:48 10:31Sat 29 26/7 4:11 5:51 1:20 5:23 8:47 10:30Sun 30 27/7 4:12 5:52 1:20 5:23 8:46 10:28

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We offer a friendly, educational and nurturing environment and affordable childcare in Bloomington area. SAFA Childcare and Learning Center encourages early learning and the development of social skills through play, creative activities and other noncompetitive exercises. As professional educators, our teachers and staff emphasize the growth of the child as a whole.

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Prep time: 10 minutesCook time: 20 minutesTotal time: 30 minutesServes: 6 - 8 people

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March 24 of each year is World Tuberculosis (TB) Day. It is a day to raise awareness about TB.what iS tB?

TB is a serious disease caused by a bacteria (germ) c a l l e d M y c o b a c t e r i u m tuberculosis. TB is most often found in a person’s lungs, but TB can also attack other parts of the body, including the brain, bones, and lymph nodes.

TB is spread through the air from one person to another when a person with active TB disease in their lungs or throat releases invisible droplets containing the bacteria by coughing, sneezing, speaking or singing. A person breathing in air containing the droplets of bacteria can become infected

without knowing it. there are two phaSeS oF tB: latent tB inFection and actiVe tB diSeaSe.

Latent TB Infection (LTBI)People with latent TB

infection do not feel sick. The TB germs are in the body, but they are contained by the body’s immune system. It is important to get medicine for this type of TB to kill the germs in the body. If the TB germs are not killed, they may escape the immune system in the future and make the person very sick.

The only way to know if TB germs are in your body is to ask your doctor for a TB skin or blood test.

actiVe tBPeople with active TB

disease can become very sick and spread the TB germs to others. They may have one or more of the following symptoms: a cough (lasting at least three weeks), coughing up blood, chest pain, weight loss, fever, chills, night sweats, and being very tired for no reason. In order to be cured, a person with active TB must take special TB medicine for 6 months or longer.

tB iS a gloBal and local health iSSue

TB is a common but serious health problem throughout the world. The World Health Organization estimates that one third of the world’s

population has latent TB infection. That’s more than 2 billion people ! In 2013, 9 million people became sick with active TB disease and over 500,000 of those people were children. 1.5 million people died of TB in 2013.

In Minnesota, there are about 150 people diagnosed and treated for active TB disease each year. Doctors work with public health departments to help TB patients get access to free TB medications and ensure that the patients have everything they need to get well.

In the United States, including Minnesota, most doctors recommend taking TB medications to treat LTBI.

This helps prevent that person from getting sick with active TB in the future. This may be different in other countries where LTBI is not treated because there are limited resources and they focus instead on treating active TB.

BCG Vaccine & TB TestingThe BCG vaccine is given in

many parts of the world where TB is common. BCG helps prevent children from getting severe forms of TB disease. BCG vaccine is not given in the United States because of the low risk of TB spreading here.

People who have received the BCG vaccine should ask for the TB blood test if they need to be tested for TB. If

the result is positive, it is very likely that it is due to a TB infection and not because of the BCG vaccine.

Additional InformationThe Minnesota Department

of Health has fact sheets about TB in English and 15 other languages including: Amharic, Arabic, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, French, Hmong, KaRen, Khmer (Cambodian), Laotian, Nepali, Oromo, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tibetan, and Vietnamese. These fact sheets can be downloaded at www.health.s t a t e . m n . u s / d i v s / i d e p c /diseases/tb/ed/index.html.

TB is a serious disease

Vol. 2 Ed. 3 | March 2015 Caafimaadka / Health TusmoTimes.com | 10

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Shiishadu waxaa laga yaabaa in ay udgoontahay sida

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Dhowridda, ilaalinta iyo horumarinta caafimaadka dhammaan reer Minnesota

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Brian Coyle health and wellness program has been implementing a need-based programs tailored to serve the needs of the communities around the Cedar-Riverside area and its neighborhoods. One such program is the old adult program. Here the program staffs strive to meet the need of the seniors. In July, the Brian Coyle health and wellness program started a series of workshops and brought together 47 seniors drawn from Cedar neighborhood to undergo the six week workshops Chronic Disease Self-Management.

Chronic Diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States

according to Center for Disease Prevention (CDC) and it accounts for 70% of all deaths in the U.S., which is 1.7 million each year.

The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) “Living Well with Chronic Condit ions’ developed at Stanford University by Dr. Kate Lorig in 1996. CDSMP is now in its 17th years since the program was first developed, and has now spread to all the 50 states and 24 countries throughout the world. The program is offered throughout Minnesota through the Area Agencies on Aging and the MN Department of Health.

Recently through a partnership between Metropolitan Area

Agency on Aging (MAAA), Amherst Wilder Foundation and Pillsbury United Communities-Brian Coyle Center. The program is offering five series of workshops each consisting of a six-week sessions lasting about 2 ½ hours a week for 60+ old adults, led by three facilitators from Health and Wellness team. Topics covered include: Using your mind to manage symptoms, Getting a good night’s sleep, Physical activity and exercise, Preventing fal ls , Making decisions, Pain and fatigue management, Better breathing, Healthy eating, Medication usage, Working with your health care professional and Weight

management. There is a heavy emphasis

on the participants to make a personal action plan, help them to learn problem solving and brainstorming ideas. Moreover, there is also participant’s supporting in the tasks of managing their own chronic condition(s) calls for more than education, in which the participant’s gain knowledge about their conditions.

Participant’s need to have the skills and confidence to effectively manage their condition on their own, focuses on how take control of their lives and live fully even with multiple chronic conditions in the society.

In addi t ion , p rograms provide participant’s with the necessary knowledge, skills, and confidence to deal with chronic diseases-related problems.

During and after the sessions we are observing the positive outcomes from the participant’s, improved self-efficacy, and part icipant’s helping and understanding one another. Some of the elders who participated in the chronic diseases management increasingly and overwhelmingly expressed their appreciation of the program. For instance; Khadija, 67 suffer from asthma, arthritis and diabetes. She attend adult day care where she gets exercise and also attend

physiotherapy, takes diabetes drugs etc. She said, “This is the most useful health workshop I have ever attended in years” and I will recommend others to attend.

So far four series of workshops has been offered to the Somali and Oromo residents of Cedar-Riverside and more are planned for the near future. If you want to know more about the program and/or interested in attending any of the health sessions, please get in touch with Awol Windissa and Abdullahi Sheikh via windissaa@puc-mn.org and sheikh@puc-mn.org respectively OR call: (612)-338-5282.

Cedar –riverside and Chronic by: aWOl WindiSSa, Community health Organizer, Pillsbury united Communities, brian Coyle Centre

Xuska maalinta caalamiga ah ee Afka Hooyo iyo bar-naamij loogu magac-daray xuska toddobaadka afka Soomaaliga ayaa lagu Qabtay Muqdisho, iyadoo ay ka qaybgaleen madaxweynaha Soma l i a , Xasan Sheekh Maxamuud, madaxweynaha dalka Jabuuti, I smaaci i l Cumar Geel le , a fhayeenka baar lamaanka Somalia, Maxamed Sh. Cismaan

Jawaari, wasiirro labada dal ka socda iyo marti-sharaf kale.

Maanta oo ah 21-ka Feberaayo ayaa ah maalinta caalamiga ah oo Qaramada Midoobay ay ay u aqoonsatay maalinta Afafka dunida looga hadlo oo dhan, waxaana caalamka oo dhan maanta laga xusayaa Afafka Hooyo.

Hadal uu xafladda ka jeediyay madaxweyne Xasan Sheekh ayuu kaga hadlay qorshaha ay dowladda Somalia ku doonayso

inay ku ciribtirka Al-shabaab iyo in dowladda ay ka go’an tahay si

ay shacabka Soomaaliyeed nabad u helaan.

“Waxan halkan maanta ku xusaynaa maalinta caalamiga ee Afka Hooyo, wax yar ka hor waxaan dhagax-dhignay xarunta Akademiyad Goboleedka Af-Soomaaliga oo Muqdisho laga dhisayo, iyadoo Muqdisho la siiyay darajadaas, ayaa haddana waxaa jirta in kooxaha nabadda diiddan ay isku dayayaan in ay shacabka carqaladeeyaan, isla markaana ay dad muslim ah oo masaakiin ah ay gummaadaan sidii shalay dhacday. Taasi ma sii socon karto, gacan bir ah ayaana ku qabaneyna, waxaanna ballan-qaadayaa in howshaan aan soo af-jarno dhawaan,’’ ayuu yiri Xasan Sheekh.

Sidoo kale, madaxweynaha Soomaaliya ayaa khudbaddiisa si weyn uga hadlay taageerada Jabuuti ay Soomaaliya la garab-taagnayd 25-kii sanno ee lasoo dhaafay oo uu sheegay in aan

marnaba la ilaabi karin.“Jabuuti waxay hormuud u

ahayd dadaalladii lagu doonayay in Soomaaliya dhibka looga saaro. Waan wada xusuusanaa doorkii taariikhiga ahaa ee uu ka qaatay Allaha u raxmadee madaxweynihii hore ee dalka Jabuuti, Xasan Guuleed Abtidoon oo markii dowladdeennii dhacday isugu yeeray kooxahii Somalia. Dadaalkaas wuu sii socday illaa laga soo gaaro sannadkii 2000, markaasoo la dhisay dowladdii KMG-ka ahayd, tan iyo shirkii Carta dalku dowlad la’aan ma noqon illaa aan maanta ka yeelanno dowladda haatan jirta ee rasmiga ah. Marka Jabuuti waxay kasoo baxeen kaalintii la doonayay ee walaalnimo iyo derisnimo,” ayuu yiri Xasan Sheekh.

Madaxweyne Xasan ayaa sidoo kale si weyn ugu amaanay dowladda Jabuuti, deegaannada Soomaalida ee Kenya iyo

Itoobiya iyo aqoonyannada Soomaal iyeed ee dunida daafaheeda kala jooga, dadaalka muuqda ee ay u galeen kobcinta iyo dhawrista Afka Soomaaliga.

“Waxaan hambalyo u diraya dhamaan Soomaalida ku nool Geeska Afrika oo aan leeyahay waa guul iyo tallaabo horumar leh in maanta la dhagax-dhigo Akademiyad Gobo leedka Afka Soomaaliga oo kaalin ka qaadan doonta horumarinta afkeena Hooyo, dhaqanka iyo suugaanta. Maadaama Afku uu yahay aasaaska horumarka bulsho ay gaari karto, waxaan ku boorinayaa aqoonyahannadeena in mustaqbalka dhow ay afkeena gaarsiiyaan heer aan daraasadaha culuunta kala duwan ku sameyno Afka Soomaaliga,” ayuu yiri madaxweynaha Somalia.

Dhanka kale, madaxweynaha Jabuuti oo isna ka hadlay mu n aas ab ad d a ay aa k a sheekeeyay doorkii Soomaaliya

ay ka qaadatay halgankii xornimadoonka Jabuuti iyo taageeradii ay ka heleen Soomaaliya xoriyadda kaddib sannadkii 1977-kii.

Waxaa isna xafladda hadal ka jeediyey guddoomiyaha baa r l amanka Soomaa l iya Maxamed Sheekh Cusmaan Jawaaar i oo sheegay in horumarinta afka Soomaaliga uu ku xiran yahay horumarka shucuubta ku hadasha.

Ugu dambeyn , waxaa iyagana munaasabada ka hadlay wasiirrada warfaafinta iyo arrimaha dibaddda Somalia, M a x a m e d C a b d i X a y i r (Maareeye), C/salaam Cumar Hadliye iyo xubno kale, halka dhanka Jabuuti ay iyagana ka hadleen wasiirka arrimaha dibadda, Maxamuud Cali Yuusuf, wasiirka dhaqanka iyo Diinta, Aadan Xasan Aadan, dublamaasiyiin iyo marti sharaf kale.

Vol. 2 Ed. 3 | March 2015 Dhaqan / Waxbarashada | Education / Culture TusmoTimes.com | 11

Xuska Maalinta Afka Soomaaliga oo lagu qabtay MuqdishoQore: maxamed x. xuSeen, muqdisho, Soomaaliya

When Walid Abubakar began thinking about paying for college, he budgeted for textbooks, transportation, living expenses — all of the usual stuff. And then he thought long and

hard about the $300 to $400 a month he has been sending his family in Ethiopia.

Remittances — the money immigrants send from their new, more prosperous home — are life-changing to the family members who get them, but they’re not the lynchpin for a stable household budget, much less the cornerstone of a healthy national economy.

Anxious though he is to improve things in East Africa, Abubakar, who is Oromo, doesn’t think continuing to send money indefinitely is the healthiest way to help. At the same time, he can’t abandon his relatives.

His father transports potatoes from Somalia to Ethiopia along a road frequently ambushed by the militant group Al-Shabaab, a job that allows the family to subsist. Most of the money Walid sends pays for his sisters to go to school.

And so Abubakar, who is a senior at Ubah Medical Academy in Hopkins, has a plan to set his father up in a sustainable business while he, Abubakar, goes to college. He’s considering becoming either an engineer or a pharmacist — both professions that could make a critical difference in Ethiopia.

Encouraged to write about background

The plan existed only in Abubakar’s mind until recently, when a coach he works with through the St. Paul-based national nonprofit College

Possible cajoled him into writing an essay about his journey from a refugee camp to academic success here. He was going to need scholarships, lots and lots of scholarships, and a “special

circumstance” letter would go a long way toward securing them.

He was working on an applicat ion for the very competitive National Horatio Alger Scholarship when Grace Fowler, the coach who has worked with him for two years, glanced over his shoulder. “I was sitting in the computer lab thinking about how many students across the country were applying for this,” he recalls. “She said, ‘I know you can go deeper than that, Walid.’”

Abubakar was surprised. He had thought his background was a complicated liability: “It never occurred to me someone would hear my story and think of it as a strength.”

Right after the holidays Abubakar learned he was one of 100 students chosen for the prestigious scholarship. That means he has a minimum of $22,000 to put toward college — a sum colleges that partner with the program will match.

He has also heard back from eight of the 10 colleges he applied to that any would be happy to admit him and one, St. John’s University, has offered him a $20,000 presidential scholarship. (The two holdouts: Macalester and Carleton colleges, two of Abubakar’s top three choices.)

Intensive coaching through college

Launched 15 years ago by Jim McCorkell, who had a lot of help getting from a low-income background to first Carleton and

then Harvard, College Possible recruits low-income high school sophomores with GPAs of 2.5 or higher — frequently the first in their families to even consider college — and provides

intensive coaching until they have completed a degree.

Upper-income students are almost 10 times more likely to earn a degree, College Possible Twin Cities Executive Director Sara Dziuk notes: “The injustice of this gap is staggering and it’s hurting our economy. ... The perseverance these students demonstrate once they see what’s possible is awe-inspiring and we are thrilled by the opportunity to reach more of them.”

The organization serves more than 15,000 students in 45 high schools and numerous colleges. This year it is working with more than 11,000 Minnesota youth. Participants are 10 times more likely than their peers to complete college, according to a study recently released by researchers at Harvard University.

At a White House summit held in December, College Possible announced plans to increase its capacity to serve 20,000 students in 10 cities by 2020. It’s not the first time the program, which used to be known as Admission Possible, has earned a shout-out from President Barack Obama.

Two hours twice a weekCoaches , a l l of them

AmeriCorps members, meet for two hours with high school students twice a week. By the time students graduate they have received 320 hours of support.

Among other things, juniors prepare for and take the ACT and SAT to get an idea where they are versus where they want

to be. They then get intensive support working to increase their scores and find the enrichment opportunities colleges also look for.

As seniors, participants apply to colleges and for financial aid. As college students, they get ongoing help navigating personal finance and the other obstacles that can get in the way of completion.

Abubakar had set himself a high bar even before he found out about College Possible, but he was unsure how to vault it. When a coach from the program visited his class two years ago, he was determined to get in.

“I felt like it was what I needed,” he says. “I wanted to go to college and I wanted to go to a college I wanted.

“The whole organization is for people who need support for college readiness and the ACT, and those are definitely the kinds of support I wouldn’t have. Considering I didn’t have much parenting, the coaches kind of take over that role.”

For the most part, Abubakar has managed his life and education without the adult support most students count on. Eleven years ago when Ethiopia was at war with Somalia his family lived in a refugee camp. The resettlement program they were eligible for could not move everyone, so the two oldest children, Abubakar and his sister, came to the United States with two aunts.

Spoke no EnglishAbubakar had never been to

school and spoke no English when he entered Minneapolis’ Anne Sullivan. He struggled there and decided on his own — his aunts were in no better position to navigate the school system — to switch schools in fourth grade to a program with a science and technology focus.

“If you ask any African parent, over anything you [should become] an engineer or a doctor,” he explains. “Considering Africa is not a very developed continent, resources like those are what people need.”

Abubakar did well in school, but felt isolated. When high school came around he enrolled himself at Ubah, where a majority of students are African immigrants.

When he heard about College Possible he had the same

reservations that haunted him when he began applying for scholarships. He works full time as a security guard — he lives in his own apartment in St. Louis Park — and would need to leave one of the two weekly sessions a few minutes early.

A disappointing score — and a strategy

Fowler didn’t blink. Nor did she try to temper his aspirations — an all-too-frequent occurrence in high school guidance offices. She did push him to take the ACT, and invited him to spend his lunch hour in her room after he learned got a 19.

“I was devastated,” says Abubakar. He had already dared dream much higher than that.

“This is not a reflection of your intelligence,” Fowler told him. “This is something else.” She outlined a strategy for getting the 25 he would eventually need: Starting with his lowest score and moving toward the highest, work on getting ahead in each subject area.

“One of the things I emphasize when I give back ACTs is I say, ‘This is you taking the test without any guidance,’” she says. “We didn’t tell you to bring a pencil. We didn’t tell you to bring a calculator. This is you at your least prepared.”

Increasing his academic qualifications wasn’t as daunting as thinking about the money. “We did a lot of sessions on how much it would cost,” Abubakar says. “I knew there would be a lot of scholarships out there, so I let myself dream big.”

He wrote essay after essay after essay — eight for the Gates Millennium Scholarship alone and an especially close to his heart one to Macalester about his dream of participating in the college’s strong campus interfaith groups. (Abubakar is Muslim, and would like to help put an end to American stereotypes of Islam.)

Abubakar was managing e v e r y t h i n g — l i v i n g independently, working full time and sending money home, raising his grades and taking honors courses and applying to colleges — when his mother died. She passed suddenly and without explanation; because Ethiopia lacks health care, disease goes undiagnosed, he explains.

‘I was overwhelmed’“I didn’t want to get out

of bed,” he recalls. “I didn’t want to come to school. I was overwhelmed.”

Here, too, Fowler was a safety net: “She made it as easy as possible for me to be here and to be myself.”

Abubakar’s story is unique, but the obstacles between him and a college degree are not. By using the AmeriCorps model, College Possible is able to serve students in five cities for one-seventh the cost of similar efforts. A whopping 98 percent of participants are admitted to college, which they are overwhelmingly likely to complete.

In January the group was rewarded with one of 26 U.S. Department of Education Investing in Innovation grants for $3 million to help with the planned expansion.

When he is done with college Abubakar would like to go back to Ethiopia to help. But he’d like to make something of himself here first, so that much as he plans to turn his remittances into capital for a family business, he can help others gain the skills to build a stronger economy.

“Looking back on my background and where I come from, there are not a lot of people who are educated,” says Abubakar. “My parents, the highest education they got was the elementary level.

“There are very few who got to go to college and do something for the community one day,” he adds. “I want to do that for myself and for my generation.”

With grit and girded by College Possible, young immigrant makes his wayby: beth haWkinS, minnPost

Ku XayeySiiSo wargeySKatusmo timesCall 612-987-6269

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Cedar Riverside Neighborhood

Hiring and Training FairTuesday, March 31, 2015

10am-3pm Brian Coyle Community Center

420 15th Avenue SouthMinneapolis, MN 55454

HOURS10:00am

Jobseeker arrival and registration

1:30pm Jobseeker registration closes

3:00pm Event ends

EVENT HIGHLIGHTSReceive career counseling at the

event.

Free resume workshop.

Use our computer lab to apply for jobs.

Training information sessions throughout the day:Medical Assembly

Automotive TechnicianNursing Assistant

IT Helpdeskand more!

Jobs available in nursing, banking, transportation, health care administration, medical assembly, interpreting services and more!

TRANSPORTATION/PARKINGPublic Transit: Metro Blue Line LRT

Cedar Riverside Station or Bus Routes: 2,3, 7, 16, 22, 55.

Parking: Street parking available along 15th Avenue or surface

parking lot on 4th Street (across from Mixed Blood Theatre).

Please plan to arrive in professional clothing with a current resume and valid identification.

Funding for this event provided by City of Minneapolis Employment and Training and Hennepin County.