Somali Family Find Renewed Hope
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SPRINGFIELD, November 09, 2005 (The Republican) – When Aden Idow received word of his newly acquired visa admitting him and his family to the United States, relief and hope were instantly upon him.
Escaping the horrors and injustices that plagued their native country of Somalia, the Idow family was eager for change. Since the early 1990s, the east African country has been engaged in a war between political groups, leaving starvation, drought and homicide in its path. As part of the Somali Bantu clan, the Idows were subject to brutal persecution and violence due to their minority status.
Their situation improved when they were transported to a Kenyan refugee camp, where they remained for 12 years without electricity, medical care or sufficient food. Less fortunate members of Idow's family were unable to find a place in the refugee camp. Others were killed in conflict.
After the dozen grueling years in the refugee camp, salvation came in the form of a plane ticket.
Arriving in this country, Idow had high hopes for his family, and even higher expectations of America. How did the United States measure up?
Coming from such devastation, almost any alternative would have sufficed. America, however proved to be everything for which he wished.
"We no longer live in fear," he said recently. "Everything has materialized. My kids have a bed to sleep in, plenty of food to eat and schools to attend. I couldn't be happier."
With Medicaid health insurance now available to them, the wonders of technology and research in the area of health care have been quite the shock. "There's simply no comparison between countries," said Idow, who had no access to health care in Africa.
Grocery stores also proved to be overwhelming. "Where I come from, we grow our own food. At the grocery stores I saw the fruits, I saw the vegetables, but there were no fields. It was hard to make the connection as to where the food came from."
Even the weather has been good to the Idow family, allowing them a break from the sweltering heat of Somalia. "It was unexpected at first, but we welcome the snow now. We prefer the snow to the heat of both the United States' summers and of Somalia."
When asked how he felt about Americans, Aden replied favorably, saying that he has good neighbors and experiences no animosity. Of course, there are a few who behave negatively, but "all societies have people of that kind," he said.
One year later, the Idow family - he, his wife and their eight children who range in age from 1 to 20 - is a happy success.
Idow enjoys doing maintenance work at Independence House, an apartment complex for the elderly. He hopes to one day become a supervisor so he can further improve his children's future.
The children are doing well in school and learning English rapidly. Idow's biggest dream is for his children to graduate from both high school and college and become good citizens.
Idow and his family are not alone in their hardships and their trek to the United States. Like other Somali families, they were aided in settling here by Jewish Family Services. A Somali community has formed throughout Western Massachusetts and the Greater Hartford area, providing support for one another.
Both Somali Bantus and the majority group (which Idow prefers to leave unnamed) come together despite their differences."When Somalis are in America, they stick together. We don't talk about what happened back in Africa," he said.Idow suggests that it would mean a lot if the United States supported the Somali state, as there is currently no central government. He hopes that one day his native country will have a democratic government similar to this country's.
After a long struggle to get where he is now, Idow has no interest in looking back or returning to his homeland. The future that is offered to him and his family in the United States continues to hold many opportunities, he said.
Taylor Carr, a senior at Longmeadow High School, is an intern with the Plus Papers of The Republican.
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