Voluntary returns by former refugees transform their lives
Voluntary returns by former refugees transform their lives
Abdirahman Abdi Ahmed’s life has turned out in a way that he never imagined. Just over a year ago, the thirty-year-old former Somali refugee was living in exile in Zambia.
“Even though there were opportunities to work in Zambia, my heart was not at peace,” says Abdirahman who chose to return home in 2016. Now working as the Director General for Interior for Jubaland State, he has no regrets, adding that he was motivated to return home to serve his country.
“I decided it was time to serve my people and motivate young people to serve their country,” he says.
Abdirahman’s day to day work as Director General involves coordinating local governance in the state, with key roles touching on the rule of law, reconciliation, security and justice. He also coordinates humanitarian affairs involving finding durable solutions for Somali refugees, returnees and those displaced within the country.
“I want to serve and win the hearts of the community.”
“I want to serve and win the hearts of the community, and more importantly, transform the management of displaced people and returnees like myself.”
Born in Afmadow, in lower Juba, Abdirahman enjoyed a normal childhood, studying in Kismayo. After finishing his secondary education in Kenya, he returned to Somalia and found work with an NGO. However, when Al Shabbab attacks became rampant in the country, he chose to leave in 2010.
“For the first time in my life, I was running away and leaving behind the only life I knew,” he says as he recalls the peaceful life and good memories that he was forced to leave behind.
Abdirahman left for South Africa but while in transit in Zambia, he met some Somali friends who advised him to stay on as he did not have the required travel documents to move on to South Africa.
“I even considered crossing the Mediterranean Sea and die trying, but chose to ask for education instead,” he says. He approached the Commissioner for Refugees in Lusaka and received refugee status within months. He recalls how he requested the Commissioner for help to go to school.
“We literally depended on other people for survival.”
“Help me see the corridors of the university so that I can go to Somalia and rebuild my country,” he had said.
He recalls how a few years later in the refugee camp, a visit by a UNHCR field officer would transform his life.
“During the visit, I talked about my strong desire to pursue higher education,” he explains. “Before long, I was called and informed of an opportunity to apply for the DAFI scholarship.”
He received the DAFI (Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative) scholarship, finally getting the chance to pursue his dreams. He credits UNHCR with helping him earn the scholarship and eventually graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.
His leadership skills led him to be elected as a community leader and liaison between the Zambian government and Somali refugees at the settlement. He also started teaching English at an adult literacy class and found a job with UNHCR as a monitoring and evaluation worker.
He confesses that despite all these roles that endeared him to his community, government and UNHCR, life as a refugee was still difficult.
“We literally depended on other people for survival,” he recalls.
Returning home to Kismayo gave him a fresh start. He hopes the work he does now, assisting returnees to access dignified shelter, schools, hospitals, water and governance structures will pay off.
In the last one year, in collaboration with other stakeholders, Abdirahman has helped develop a shelter policy that gives returnees dignified shelters; two roomed houses with a toilet and verandah.
“I hope to motivate more refugees to return home to Somalia," he says.
“Every refugee has a right to return home to their country of origin.”
Voluntary repatriation is one of the preferred durable solutions for displaced people. “Every refugee has a right to return home to their country of origin,” explains Caroline Van Buren, UNHCR’s Representative in Somalia. “When the security situation improves in the country of origin, refugees are able to voluntarily return and contribute in rebuilding their country.”
Like Abdirahman, another returnee, Abdullahi Ahmed Mohamud, is enjoying his decision to return home.
Abdullahi, 35, has been the Director General for Kismayo International Airport since 2016. After living in exile in Kenya for over 20 years, he chose to return to Somalia in 2012, as part of a technical team tasked with drafting the charter for grassroots engagements in Somalia.
“It is through these consultative forums that we held our first delegates conference which gave birth to the election of an interim president for Jubaland State,” he recalls.
“I hope to motivate more refugees to return home to Somalia."
He believes that Somalis living in exile should return home as there are opportunities for them to work and participate in rebuilding the country. He notes that most of the people currently working in Government offices in Jubaland state are returnees.
“I encourage refugees to come back home and make Somalia better,” he says. “We are also prioritizing returnees that are educated for government jobs.”
Abdirahman and Abdullahi are among nearly 120,000 Somalis that have returned home voluntarily since 2014, with more than 50 per cent of them settling in Kismayo in Jubaland State.
In a few months, Abdirahman will make a presentation on durable solutions for Somali refugees at a conference in the United States. He hopes to spread his advocacy for voluntary repatriation and plans to visit camps in Kenya to speak to his country people there.
UNHCR’s Van Buren notes that most returnees from Kenya have re-established themselves in Kismayo and are happy to be back in Somalia after many years in exile.
“We are proud of returnees like Abdirahman and Abdullahi who are making a difference in their country and communities.”
