Member-only story
A Somali Girl’s Small Act of Kindness
Humility in the face of adversity
This story was told to me by my friend Safia, whose own story can be read here as part of the Around the World with 80 Women project. The following words are based on the lived experience of Bilan, a young girl who grew up in Somalia. Bilan is used as a pseudonym to protect the girl’s — now woman’s — identity.
My name is Bilan. I was seven years old when my life changed forever. In Somalia, there are three levels of wealth: rich, medium, or poor. When I was growing up, my parents and four walaalaha [siblings in Somali] were poor. It was often a struggle to buy the items we needed; we knew what it felt like to have empty stomachs longing for food.
Hooyo and aabbe [mother and father] fought constantly when I was little, even though ayeeyo and awoowo [grandmother and grandfather] tried to mediate. Aabbe was out a lot and hooyo struggled to look after us while also managing our home. It was a difficult time for everyone.
One day, Hooyo and Aabbe decide to get a divorce. In Somalia, divorce is rare, and — according to Islam — divorce is only allowed as a last resort.
Parting ways
The Qur’an promotes reconciliation— aided by family members — which my awoowayaasha [grandparents] had tried to do…
