Jaadley ilaa Dhakhtarad: Astaanta Hal-adayga iyo Dhiiranaanta

Dunidani sida xawliga ah u koraysa, waxaynu inta badan maqalnaa sheekooyin dareen-taabad leh oo dhiiga dhaqaajinaya. Waxaynu akhrinaa sheekooyin ku saabsan dad noloshooda meel hoose ka bilaabay, hadana figta sare fuulay, hindisay barnaamijyo lagu guulaystay, qaarkoodna ay noqdeen maareeyayaal sare iyo waliba madaxweynayaal. Sheekadani hoos ku xusani, kama xiiso yara, nuxur ahaana kama macno yara, sida aan filayo, sheekooyinka ku soo baxa bogaga hore ee Joornaalada Caalamiga ah iyo buugta loogu iibsiga badan yahay. 

Dr. Hodan Jamac waa hooyo dhashay todoba caruur ah, waxana ay si farxad leh iyada iyo qoyskeeduba ugu nool yihiin magaalada Borama. Maadaama aanay dhaqaale buuran haysan, waxay ka gayn wayday in iyada iyo saygeeduba ay wada shaqo-tagaan, si ay duruufaha nolosha si wada-jir ah uga dabaashaan. Sidaasi darteed, ayay Dr. Hodan shaqooyin kala duwan u qabatay, si ay xoogsiga reerka gacan uga geysato.

  

Iyada oo ay ka go’an tahay inay xal waara u hesho mushkilada dhaqaale ee qoyskeeda, ayay Dr. Hodan go’aansatay inay dar-dar galiso dadaalkii ay ugu jirtay sidii qoyskeedu nolol wacan ugu noolaan lahaayeen. Si ujeedadaasi ay u gaadho, halgankii ay bilawday wuxuu u jiitay dhinacyo badan oo nolosha ah. Waxa uu u horseeday shaqooyin cul-culus iyo duruufo ad-adag. Si ay hadaba, u awoodo inay caruurteeda iskuul ugu dirto, waxa ay shaqo kal-kaaliso caafimaad ah ka bilawday Isbitaalka TB-da ee Annallena Tonneli, iyo Isbitaalka Guud ee Borama. Mudadii ay ka shaqaynaysay Isbitaalka ayay dar-dar galisay ka midho-dhalinta riyadeedii dhallaanimo; inay noqoto dhakhtarad, dumarka iyo caruurtana ka caawiso helitaanka adeegyo caafimaad.  

Laakiin dakhligii halkaasi ka soo galayey wuu ku filaan waayey inuu daboolo baahidii reerka. Sidaasi darteed iyada oo wali ku guda jirta xaqiijinta hadafkeedii, waxa ay bilawday ka ganacsiga jaadka. Iibinta jaadku (gaar ahaan haweenku) waa dani ku baday, waxaana ku lammaan sharaf dhac, macaamil xumo iyo dayn aan soo noqod lahayn, Hodana kama reebanayn dhibaatooyinkaas. Sifooyinkaasi wada kakan oo dhan waxa ay ugu dul qaadatay danta qoyskeeda. 

In kasta oo waqtigeeda inta ugu badan ay ku bixinaysay caawinta saygeeda si ay ula soo baxaan nolol-maalmeedkooda, hadana marnaba kama rajo dhigin rabitaankeedii ahaa inay aqoonteeda sii korodhsato. Si ay xifradeeda u kobciso, dugsiyo kala duwan ayay is qortay. Waxa ay gashay Dugsiga Beeraha ee Camuud, kaasi oo markaasi diblooma bixinayey, hay’ad shisheeyana ay gacanta ku haysay. Mar kale, waxa ay diblooma kale ka qaadatay Iskuulka Maamulka Ganacsiga ee Jaamacadda Camuud. Waxa kale oo ay xubin ka ahayd bud-dhigayaashii Ururka AYODA, oo ka mid ah ururada dhalinyaro ee ugu waxtarka badan, uguna caansan magaalada Boorama. Sidaasi oo ay tahay, is bedelkii ugu weynaa ee nolosheeda ku dhaca waxa uu yimid markii ay ku guulsaysatay inay ka mid noqoto ardayda loo qaadanayo Kulliyada Caafimaadka ee Jaamacadda Camuud. Ardayda ugu darajada saraysa kaliya ayaa loo ogola yahay inay iska diiwaan-galiyaan kulliyadan, sida la qiyaasi karona, tartanku waxa uu ahaa mid kulul. 

Dhinaca kale, caqliga wanaagsani ka habaabi maayo inuu si qumman u qiyaaso culayska saaran ardayga ama ardayada caafimaadka baranaysa, iska dhaaf, dhibta iyo rafaadka u dheer hooyo dhiiran oo mas’uuliyadii reerkana dhinaceed ka gudanaysee. Sidaasi oo ay tahay, waxa ay si xirfadaysan isku mar si guul ah ugu maaraysay daryeelka reerkeeda iyo daboolida baahida waxbarasho.   

Ka dib todoba sano oo ay si farsamaysan u dheeli-tiraysay culayska saaran hooyo todoba caruur ah haysata iyo dadaalka aan yarayn ee laga filayo ardayad caafimaad dhiganaysa, waxa ay ku guulasatay inay waxbarashadii si guul ah u soo af-meerto. Xafladii qalin-jabinta, iyada oo ku labisan dirayskii qalin jabinta, ayay si la yaab leh u soo jiidatay dareenkii dadweynaha bacdamaa caruurteedii iyo saygeedii oo si fiican u wada labisani, si habsami leh u hareero fadhiyeen, iyada oo farxada foolashooda laga akhrisan karayey. Waxa ay ahayd daqiiqad ay dhab ahaantii nafteedu u baahnayd inay aragto, kuna laab-qabawsato! Dadweynihii maxfalka joogay, iyaga oo la dhacsan guusha ay gaadhay gabadhani, ayay sara joog iyo sacab aan kala go’ lahayn ku maamuuseen. 

Waa dhif in la arko hooyo da’ yar oo guulo sidatan isku  barkan hal mar wada gaadhay. Kartida iyo dadaalka ay la timi weeyi, tilmaamaha sida bir-labta oo kale quluubta dadkii madasha fadhiyey ama sheekadeeda maqlay u soo wada jiitay. Saygeeda ayaa si ka duwan sida inta badan raga Soomaaliyeed looga bartay, muujiyey dareen waalidnimo oo dhab ah iyo samir xoog leh maadaama uu in badan duruufo adag ugu dul-qaatay. Waxa taasi ka muhiimsan, isaga oo  mar walba la garab taagnaa, guubaabo iyo gargaar aan kala go’ lahayn. 

Ma dhacdo inta badan in bulshadeena lagu dhex arko haweenay todoba caruur ah dhashay oo hadana waxbaranaysa, iskaba dhaaf hooyo sida Dr. Hodan oo kale mas’uuliyado iyo guulo badan la shir timide. Xaalada la yaabka leh ee aan ka hadlaynaa, waa ardayad culuunta caafimaadka baranaysay,  mar nolol-maalmeedka qoyskeeda jaad ka soo saaraysay,  mar kalena gacan weyn ka geysatay daboolida nolol-maalmeedka qoyskeeda balaadhan; waa ficilo fariidnimo ku dheehan tahay, fal-galkooduna mar la arag yahay!

Gebogabadii, arintani cid walba baraarujiin ayay u tahay, gaar ahaan haweenka. Dr. Hodan waa xidig lagu hirto  iyo astaan u taagan dhiiranaanta iyo kalyo-adayga. Safarkeedu waa mid baadi-sooc gooni ah leh, laakin la samayn karo. Waxay ina bartay, waxa ugu weyn ee is-bedel nafeed dhalin karaa inuu yahay, yool sugan oo aad yeelato, dabadeedna xaqiijiintiisa si aan nasasho lahayn loogu hawl-galo. Qof kastaaba wuu yeeli karaa sidaa, waa hadii ay si dhab ah uga go’an tahaye! 

Riyadeeda mustaqbalka dhowi waa inay taageero xoog leh u muujiso dadka baahan, gaar ahaan,  dumarka iyo caruurta. Si ay u gaadho ujeedadaas, waxa ay mar kale waxbarasho sare oo takhasus ah ka bilawday Kulliyada Caafimaadka ee Jaamacadda Camuud, taasi oo ay hada ku guda jirto!

FG:

1. Waxaan jecelahay inaan halkan mahad-naq balaadhan uga celiyo Dr. Hodan Jaamac oo naga ogolaatay inaan sheekadeeda uumiyaha u soo bandhigno, si loogu daydo. Waxa kale oo aan abaal u hayaa, Maxamed-Deeq Cumar oo waraysiga soo qaaday, isku-xidh loo baahnaana sameeyey. 

2. Sheekadani waxa ay qayb ka tahay, taxanaha “Sheekooyinka aan la Shaacin” ee qoraaga sheekadani, mudo marka la joogaba, mar baahiyo si daaha looga faydo, halyeeyada aan la xusin. Maqaalada kale ee qaybta ka ah taxanahan waxa ka mid ah, Hormuudka Baalashleyaasha  iyo Dhakhtarkii Hal-adayga lahaa. Sheekooyinkani waa taxane ku soo baxa labada luqadood ee Soomaaliga iyo Ingiriisiga, waxana laga daalacan karaa, mareegta www.horusocod.blogspot.com 

Cabdiraxmaan Aadan Maxamuud
abdirahman.adan@gmail.com

From Kat-Seller to a Medical Doctor: A Model of Determination and Courage

In this vastly-growing world, we often hear stories about inspiring people. We read tales from rags to riches, from school drop outs to highly successful software programmers, to chief executives and presidents. The below story, is not less interesting, I hope, than those heralded in the leading Newspapers and best seller books.

Dr. Hodan Jama is a mother of 7 children and she happily lives with her husband along with their children in Borama town. As they were a low-income family, both Hodan and her husband had to work together to win against the odds of life and hence Dr. Hodan had to go out and do petty activities to help her family survive.

Determined to come up with a long lasting solution to her family’s financial constraints, Dr. Hodan decided to continue and intensify her struggle towards a decent living for the family. To achieve this goal, this struggle took her to many spectrums of life. It took her to tough occupations and trying circumstances. In order to help meet basic education needs of her children, she started to work at Annallena Tonneli TB Hospital as a focal point for the fight against Female Genital Mutilation and then Borama Regional Hospital as an auxiliary nurse. While she was there, she intensified the realization of her childhood dream in which she fantasized about becoming a medical doctor and helping  women and children obtain access to health services.

However, still her earning could not suffice her family basic needs; therefore, she opted for selling Kat in the streets of Borama to supplement their meager income. Generally, female-headed families are often involved in Kat- selling and they are repeatedly subjected to bad debt, countless mal-treatment as well as discrediting one’s dignity and Hodan was not an exception. She nevertheless tolerated all these unscrupulous and humiliating acts for the sake of her family.

Though her time was primarily preoccupied with helping her husband secure livelihood of her family, she never gave up her strong desire for further education. In an effort to enhance her competency, she consequently joined different schools. She registered a Diploma program at Amoud Agriculture School, which was at the time supported by a foreign NGO. Later on, she would also earn another Diploma in Business Administration from Amoud University. Interestingly, she earned these certificates while she was selling Kat! As an extra-curricular activity, she was also a founding member of Africa Youth Development Association (AYODA), one of the most successful and prominent local organizations in Borama. However, the fundamental change of her life took place when she managed to enroll at the medical school of Amoud University. Students with high grades are only eligible to register in this faculty, thus competition was understandably high.

Furthermore, one would not miss to realistically assess the burden shouldered on a normal medical student, not to mention the additional family responsibilities left on such a daring and determined parent. Yet, she skillfully managed to simultaneously continue her studies successfully and take care of her family to the best of her ability.

After seven years of successfully balancing the complex pressure of a mother with seven children and the challenging and demanding study schedule, she succeeded to graduate with honor. In the graduation ceremony, dressed in graduation gowns, she attracted the hearts and minds of the attendees as her well-dressed children and her husband, were proudly sitting next to her in a cheerful mood. It was a moment she truly deserved to see! Ceremony attendees, perhaps admiring her accomplishment, honored her with standing ovation and prolonged applause.

It is, nevertheless, very rare to see a young mother with these wonderful achievements. Her resilience and determination are the magnet-like features that engrossed the attention of those who were present or have heard her story. Unlike many Somali fathers, her husband truly demonstrated a sense of parenthood and seriousness as he encouraged her to continue  studies and more importantly, provided the required material and moral support to her.

It is very unusual to see a mother with seven children but yet going to school, let alone a mother like Dr. Hodan, with her multiple responsibilities and achievements. Paradoxically, in this case, we have a female medical student who was once making her families’ earnings from Kat-selling and at the same time was the second bread-winner of her relatively extended family; a combination seldom observed.

In conclusion, this is a wake-up call to everyone particularly to women. Dr. Hodan is a model of courage and determination. Her journey is unique but doable by others too. And this is a good lesson to all. Above all, we have learnt from her, what matters to make change in your life is to have a well-defined target, persistent determination and hard work.  Anyone can replicate this and do the same if they are committed!
Her fantasy in the near future is to offer greater help to the needy people, predominantly women and children and as such contribute to the betterment of health services. For this reason, she is presently doing her specialization in Family Medicine at Amoud’s Medical School.

Ps:
1. I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Hodan Jama for accepting our request to publish her story and share it with readers. My appreciation also goes to Mohamed-Deeq Omer for conducting the interview and providing coordination support.

2. This story is part of a series of “Untold Stories” that the afore-mentioned writer periodically publishes to unveil the local unsung talents. Other articles of this series include, The Dean of Shoe-shiners and The Resilient Medical Student. Untold stories are a bilingual series that can be available at www.horusocod.blogspot.com, both in Somali and English languages.

Abdirahman Adan Mohamoud
abdirahman.adan@gmail.com

Bulsho Waxay Tanaadaa

Bulsho waxay tanaadaaa
Oy barwaaqo gaadhaa
Dalkooduna bilnaadaa
Balysimaa wanaaguna
Marka baahsanaantiyo
Laga baydho qudhunkee
Laga baxo qabyaalade
Midnimo la bineeyo ee
Tacab kiyo wax biirsiga
Loo wada biyaystee
Tacliintana la biirshee
Ubadka lagu barbaarsho

              ***
Bulsho waxay tanaadaa
Oy barwaaqo gaadhaa
Dalkooduna bilnaadaa
Balaysimaa wanaaguna
Bulshadeedu goortay
Wanaaga isku biirisee
Baadilka iska leexisee
Khayraadka badihiyo
Berrigeeda soo dihin
Soo dhigto banaankee
Sinaan loo bismilaysto

             ***
Bulsho waxay tanaadaaa
Oy barwaaqo gaadhaa
Dalkooduna bilnaadaa
Balaysimaa wanaaguna
Marka ay hogaan billan
Baxsan oo cadaali ah
Halyey diran boqraanoo
Hiraal iyo beegsi loo
Bar markii la gaadhaba
Xariiq kale bayaanshoo
Misna ogol baratiniyo
Arin lagu badhaadhiyo
Talo baaxadloo culus
Lagu biirsho labadaba
Bulshaduna markaasay
Tanaadaa badhaadhaa

               ***
Bulsho waxay tanaadaaa
Oy barwaaqo gaadhaa
Markay buuga qaataan
Bogga qalin ku haystaan
Barashada ay xoojaan
Aqoonyahan bogaadshan
Barashada ciseeyaan
Dhalaankiyo barbaartana
Culuumta ku barbaarshaan
Bulsho wayn dhamanted
Lagu beero dhaqan-same
Barashiyo aqoon jecel

              ***
Bulsho waxay tanaadaa
Oy barwaaqo gaadhaa
Dalkooduna bilnaadaa
Balaysimaa wanaaguna
Baladkeeda goortay
Ku qunuucdo bilicdiis
Hanqal taaga bii'ad kale
Marka ay ka boodaan
Burji wixii ay leedahay
Baaxadooda goortay
isku biiryaaneey
Wadaninimo bislaatiyo
Dal-tabyiyo boholyow
Lagu beero curadada

             ***
Bulsho waxay hagaastaa
Oy bah-dilantaa
Misna xabaalo badataa
Goortay bar-baartiyo
Siyaasiyiin bakoorale
Waayeel bukaan qaba
Barahiyo aqoonyahan
Beel-beel ku faanaan
Baaq-baaqa qoysaska
Iyo baane reeraad
Dhaafi waydo baylahdu

             ***
Bulsho waxay hagaastaa
Oy bah-dilantaa
Asaageed ka baydhaa
Tacab iyo wax biirsi
Marka ay ka baydhee
Laga bi'iyo caqligee
Lagu beero aragtiyo
Burinaaya garashada
Godlinaaya baahida

             ***
Bulsho waxay hagaastaa
Oy bah-dilantaa
Misna xabaalo badisaa
Markay jaahil boqraanee
Taladiyo baawarkana
Bidixdaa ka saaraan
Ee boqol af-miishaar
Been iyo balaayiyo
Hafar iyo bahalo-galin
Madaxa uga buuxshaan
Kolkaasay bulsho saqiirtaa
Asaageed ka baydhaa
Nacabkiyo bakhaylkuna
Bakhtigeeda goortaa
Si weyn uga dul botoriyaan
         
             ***
Bulsho waxay hagaastaa
Oy bah-dilantaa
Misna xabaalo badisaa
Baaqyadii Islaamkiyo
Bishaaradii Rasuulkiyo (CSW)
Sunihiisa biidka ah
Goortay ka baydhaan
Qunyar la iska baal maro

Abdirahman Adan