By: Abdirisak Abadir Ibrahim

In my childhood, I dreamt of going to university and graduating one day. I used to say to my parents, “One day, I am going to university and I will have a university degree.” This was my dream. I was in elementary school when this idea first entered my mind.

I knew that this dream is not easy; it required a firm commitment and hard work. In my school days, I attended classes regularly and studied at home in order to achieve my goal. Unfortunately, this dream had disappeared one night due to the civil war that broke out in Somaliland when I was in grade five. As a result, I fled along with my family to Ethiopian Refugee camps.

It is really an appalling experience when you flee from your home. It was very common to see mothers lining up in a long queue for food, which was provided by International Organizations such as World Food Program and UNHCR. To make matters worse, Ethiopian soldiers were beating mothers cruelly with big sticks; mothers did not do any thing wrong, all they wanted was to look for food to feed their children.
By the time Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia, we came back to our home, Borama. At that time many people were coming from the Ethiopian refugee camps. I was very much concerned about my education and my future, because most of the schools have been either looted or destroyed. I used to say to my parents I need to go to school, but it was not feasible for many parents to educate their children owing to the harsh circumstances on the ground. The time and energy of the parents were consumed by the process of feeding and securing daily food for the family.

After a period, a fragile peace and stability were restored, consequently, many parents began to consider educating their children. Fortunately, I joined Al Aqsa School, where I finished my intermediate education. During that time, I was thinking of where I will go after I finish my secondary school. This question was constantly circulating in my mind because university education was not available, and I was unable to study overseas. Even if I got admission from an institution of higher learning abroad, I couldn’t afford to pay the tuition fees.

In 1997, I heard that a university (Amoud University) was going to be established in Borama town (where I lived). I did not believe this because I thought that universities require huge financial resources to sustain. When I heard a university, the only thing that I had in my mind was tall buildings and foreign lecturers and so on.
Then, the admission exam began. It seemed unrealistic. Some students had sat the exam and Sixty-seven of them passed and started their pre-university studies. Many people used to laugh at them and discouraged them covertly and overtly. They used to scornfully say, “Do you really think that you are in a university?” Fortunately, those students were very strong and as a result they succeeded to counter ridicule from family, friends and the communities.

One year later, the university was officially inaugurated and new students joined it. Thus, I saw my childhood dream getting closer. In June 2000, I sat for the Somaliland GC exam. Luckily enough, I passed the high school leaving exam and took the university admission exam, which I also passed.

In the first year of the university, I became aware that I am in the middle of my childhood dream. I studied hard and struggled for four years in order to achieve my dream. How I could express my feelings about the day my dream came true? It rained the day before my graduation day and the landscape of Amoud was so attractive.

Many guests came from different countries in order to share this eventful day with their sons, daughters, sisters and brothers. In my mind I thought that I am still dreaming, when I put on the gown. I could not believe that I am going to graduate from Amoud University until the President of Amoud University Prof. Sulieman Ahmed Guled announced that we have graduated from Amoud University and the President of Somaliland, Dahir Rayale Kahin, handed me the certificate.

Amoud University realized my childhood dream, and once again, I am full of hope for a bright future. The university brought hope to a whole generation. There is no harm in dreaming because the dreams of today could be the facts of tomorrow.
 

Home | Contact us | Links | Archives